Princes and princesses
The death of the Queen means Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s children can now technically be called Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. However, it will be up to their grandfather – the new King Charles III – as to whether they will be able to keep the titles.
Archie, 3, and Lilibet, 1, were previously too far down the line of succession to be eligible for the titles but that has changed with the ascension of Charles, previously the Prince of Wales.
Under a protocol established by King George V in 1917, the grandchildren of a sovereign have an automatic right to the titles of HRH (his or her royal highness) and prince or princess.
Prince William’s children, George, 9, Charlotte, 7, and Louis, 4, were able to receive these titles earlier due to their higher standing. Initially only George was eligible – as the eldest son of the eldest son of the heir apparent – but in 2012 the Queen changed the protocol so all of William’s children would be entitled to be princes or princesses and get the HRH title. The Queen could have similarly issued a decree to include Prince Harry’s children – but didn’t. At the time, it was reported the couple had decided their firstborn son should be Master Archie MountbattenWindsor, with no royal title. But Meghan later revealed ‘‘it was not our decision to make’’.
During their interview with Oprah Winfrey last year, Meghan said she and Harry had been told before Archie’s birth he would not become a prince or get a title – which she suggested would be an issue because he wouldn’t be eligible for palace security. Asked if Archie being a prince was important to her, she said: ‘‘If it meant he was going to be safe, then of course.’’ Winfrey asked if she thought the decision had something to do with race, to which Meghan revealed there had been ‘‘concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he was born’’.
Charles reportedly has plans to reduce the monarchy to seven key members – himself and Camilla, Prince William and Catherine, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Sophie.