Aurora Starchild
There has been much speculation about whether Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s children are getting royal titles. Due to the Sussex’s leave from England and the subsequent drama that’s ensued, many have been saying that little Archie and Lilibet would be cast out of the line of succession. But it’s official: they’re now a prince and princess!
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A Sussex Spokesperson Just Referred to a Daughter as “Princess’ Lilibet”
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spoke with People and confirmed the news. “I can confirm that Princess Lilibet was christened on Friday, March 3 by the bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, the Rev John Taylor,” they said.
Note that they said “Princess Lilibet.”
As of now the official Royal website has not yet been updated. But People wrote that its publication “understands the palace will update the website to reflect the children’s titles.” As of now, Archie and Lili are still referred to as “Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor” and “Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.”
According to reports, Meghan and Harry’s littles will soon be “Prince Archie Harrison” and “Princess Lilibet Diana.”
The news comes as a surprise for many who have surmised that the ongoing royal rift between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and practically everyone in the Royal palace, would completely oust them from their titles.
Royal Commentators Have Been Saying Andrew, Meghan, and Harry Could Be Stripped of Their Titles
Royal commentator Daniela Elser wrote in the New Zealand Herald that King Charles was getting ready to clean up shop, so to speak. Starting with Charles’ brother, Prince Andrew, there have been questions of his royal title and privileges. That includes his Royal Lodge home and annual allowance of nearly half a million dollars. Allegedly, the bad press from Andrew’s alleged interactions with the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Additionally, the lawsuits brought on by accuser Virginia Giuffre have cost Andrew millions. It’s been a stain on the Royal family to say the least.
And if Andrew were to be kicked to the curb, so too could Harry and Meghan. Elser quoted a poll that was taken prior to Prince Harry’s gritty tell-all memoir, Spare. Apparently, 44% of Brits wanted his royal title to be stripped. At that point, reasoning was primarily based on a public perception that the Sussexes were ungrateful and media-hungry. They were accused of betraying the longstanding tradition of privacy and sophistication within the Royal family.
The Daily Mail also claimed that King Charles was getting ready for some “belt-tightening” as he considered a “slimmed-down monarchy.” The publication wrote that “it is understood that in the past few weeks all members of the Royal Family have been told to tighten their belts and to expect less money from the Duchy — now owned by Charles — than in the past.”
Some Have Said That Archie and Lili’s Royal Titles Were In King Charles’ Hands
The New Royals author Katie Nicholl told the Daily Mail that she’d spoken to constitutional experts. She said there was a possibility “[Archie and Lili are] not going to get these titles.”
“One thing we know is that titles matter to Charles; it was important to him that Queen Consort Camilla had that title. We don’t know what’s going to happen about the Duke of Edinburgh title and we don’t know if he’s going to give [prince and princess] to Archie and Lilibet,” Nicholl added. “It would be the most extraordinary olive branch and act of reconciliation if he did but I think if that happens it’s going to come with a caveat. He’s going to insist that Harry and Meghan are respectful of the institution if they are taking the titles of the institution.”
And then there has been a question of whether or not Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would even be invited to King Charles’ coronation. Or would they want to attend? But it appears that he has indeed extended the olive branch. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed the news. The couple has been invited to the important and symbolic event.
“I can confirm The Duke has recently received email correspondence from His Majesty’s office regarding the coronation,” the spokesperson told CNN. “An immediate decision on whether The Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time.”
King Charles’ coronation is scheduled for May 6.
According to UK Constitutional Law, Royal Titles Are a Birth Right
It’s not clear if Charles really has much say in the matter of stripping royal titles, despite all the discussion. A Letters Patent issued by King George V in 1917 states that royal titles are a birth right. Specifically, the title, otherwise referred to as a dignity, “is an incorporeal hereditament, a form of intangible property,” according to UK constitutional law.
The provision states:
…that the children of any Sovereign of these Realms and the children of the sons of any such Sovereign and the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales shall have and at all times hold and enjoy the style title or attribute of Royal Highness with their titular dignity of Prince or Princess prefixed to their respective Christian names or with their other titles of honour
excerpt from King George V 1917 Letters Patent
According to the law, Archie and Lilibet were not entitled to the dignities of Prince and Princess at birth. But they are now that Charles is King. Perhaps, then, their titles may be officially updated on the Royal website after the coronation. Beyond that, any “stripping” of royal titles is up to Parliament.
