After the death of Elizabeth II, the children of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle inherited new titles of nobility. But King Charles III decided not to grant them the status of royal highnesses.
“This decision was not ours,” she said in a television interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021. Meghan Markle then claimed that her son Archie would be deprived of a title of nobility. According to her, this choice was made by other members of the royal family, whose identity has remained secret.
The death of Elizabeth II, which occurred on Thursday, September 8, however, changed the situation. The 3-year-old boy therefore automatically became a prince, by virtue of an edict from King George V, dated 1917. Just like his 1-year-old sister Lilibet, now a princess. The decree indeed stipulates that the grandchildren of the monarch inherit this title, as the first claimant to the throne inherits that of Prince of Wales. However, Archie and Lilibet are both the grandchildren of Charles III, who became king of England after the disappearance of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
A “light” monarchy
Only downside, the website of the royal family had still not been updated with the titles of the two children the day after the disappearance of Elizabeth II. The king's spokesman specified on Saturday, September 10, that the page would be modified "when the palace teams have new information". In other words, when the sovereign would have validated the status of Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.
According to the Sun, the latter has since agreed to grant them these distinctions, despite his desire to see the number of active members of royalty “lightened” – understand, reduced to the bare minimum. Only Charles, Camilla, William, Kate and their three children would thus be part of the active members of the Windsor clan. All this in order to give less grain to grind to the tabloids of all stripes. The new ruler, whose coronation date has yet to be set, is also reportedly planning to reduce the number of official engagements his peers will carry out in the future.
The 'furious' Sussexes
According to the British tabloid, King Charles III would also have decided not to give the status of royal highnesses to Archie and Lilibet, which would have made the Sussexes “furious”. This title, always granted by the king via a letter patent, confers on its bearers the status of senior member of the royal family. It allows them to attend many royal events, and to be seated in the front row. But also to benefit from increased security.
According to an anonymous source, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle fear that without this title their children will not enjoy sufficient security, and have pointed out that Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have this status, even if they do not are not working members of the royal family. The king's spokesman did not comment on this controversy.
