Can Prince Harry Still Become King?
On February 19, Queen Elizabeth ratified the "Megxit" by removing her grandson and his wife from their honorary titles. But after the shock interview granted by Prince Harry to Oprah Winfrey on March 7, what are the formal ties that unite him to his family?
On March 7, in front of Oprah Winfrey and screens around the world, he said he was “hurt” by his grandmother's decision. While "respecting it completely": "I would love that we are always able to support these associations, even without title or without role". However, Prince Harry will no longer be able to use his name, nor his presence, to help the causes and organizations he has sponsored until now.
On February 19, Buckingham Palace indeed announced that he and his wife Meghan Markle were officially non-active members of the royal family. The Megxit thus approved, all eyes remain on Queen Elizabeth II, to know to whom will be distributed the titles of which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been dispossessed. And one question remains, all the more burning as the March 7 interview widened the gap that keeps the Sussexes away from the royal family: what titles do they still enjoy?
Honorary titles
Prince Harry had the last three military titles - those of Captain General of the Royal Navy, Honorary Air Force Commander at Base Honington, and Honorary Commander-in-Chief of Small Ships and Diving in the Royal Navy. : some of them could be transmitted to Prince William and Princess Anne.
The father of little Archie also gives up his patronage status with the Rugby Football Union, the Rugby Football League, and the London Marathon. The same would apply to Meghan Markle who, for her part, loses among other things her function of representation at the National Theater. The couple, who are expecting a second child, are also stripped of their status as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador, and President and Vice-President of the Commonwealth Trust. He should nevertheless retain his roles with private charities, such as the Invictus Games or WellChild, Sentebale, Mayhew and Smart Works. Work he could accomplish through his Archewell foundation, as Meghan Markle hinted at Oprah Winfrey.
A prince on borrowed time?
As the Sovereign's grandson, Harry was born Prince of the United Kingdom, Great Britain and Northern Ireland with the predicate of Royal Highness. However, he is no longer authorized to use the latter since he is no longer an active member of the royal family: his name will no longer be preceded by the mention “his royal highness”. A gesture that recalls that of his mother, Princess Diana, who had also renounced the predicate after her divorce.
He remains however prince, count of Dumbarton and baron Kilkeel. As well as Duke of Sussex, a title granted to him by the Queen on her wedding day. And still occupies his place as sixth person in the order of succession to the throne. Which gives him little chance of being king one day, even though he would have liked it.
Archie, poor relation of the monarchy?
As for Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, his son, he has no title, his parents having decided so from his birth. Meghan Markle however stressed, during the interview on March 7, that Buckingham Palace would have deprived him of the title of prince anyway, as well as an adequate security service, which would have caused a real "Pain" to the latter. And this not because of the "greatness" of a title, but because of "the idea that our son is not safe and that the first colored member of this family is the only one not to be titled. in the same way as other grandchildren ”.
On this point, Craig Prescott, British constitutional expert, provided details to the Daily Mail site on March 9. According to a law enacted by King George V in 1917, only the children of a monarch, or the son of a monarch, can claim the title of prince: which would have been the case for Archie when Charles became king .
However, the law was amended in 2012 by Elizabeth II herself: the latter indeed, via letters patent, gave the titles of prince and princess to George, Louis and Charlotte, the children of Prince William and Kate Middleton. , so that they have it from birth. Decision she didn't make for their cousin, Archie.
