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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Kyle O'Sullivan

Prince Harry's demand to Charles over Archie and Lili's titles - but it's unresolved

Whether Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's children receive titles has become a major talking point since the death of Queen Elizabeth II - and the decision will reportedly be up to Archie and Lilibet themselves.

The children were not given HRH titles at birth, unlike their cousins Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, as they were the great-grandchildren of a Monarch and further down the line of succession. However since the Queen's death they have become grandchildren of a Monarch, which technically means they should have the titles.

But Charles is understood to have long desired a stripped-back monarchy and with a reduced number of working royals as well as royal titles, which means the Sussexes' kids titles have been up in the air.

Following the Queen's death, Prince William, Kate and their children's titles on the royal family's website were automatically updated to reflect their new titles - however there was no change for Archie and Lilibet.

Prince Harry with wife Meghan and their adorable children Archie and Lilibet (alexilubomirski/Instagram)

According to royal expert Roya Nikka, King Charles has spoken to his son to ask what he wants his children to be known as.

Discussing whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children will be granted new titles following King Charles' accession to the throne, she told The Royal Beat: "On the death of the Queen, Harry’s children, Archie and Lilibet, automatically as grandchildren of the sovereign, became HRH and Prince and Princess. So they’ve got that now, but they’ve not been updated on the royal website with their new titles. They are still 'Master and Miss'.

"William and Kate's new titles were instantly updated and it's my understanding that this was discussed with father and son when Harry was over here and [Charles] said, 'what do you want?', and [Harry] said, 'I'd like my children to be able to decide about their titles when they come of age, it’s not my decision to make for them. And we can only do that if we keep the titles'.

"They have the titles now, but it's up to Charles whether he allows them to keep them, or whether he issues letters patent to remove them, and that is still unresolved."

Following the tradition established by King George V in 1917, Archie and Lilibet can technically be referred to as Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet – if they choose it.

Upon the death of the Queen, Archie and Lilibet traditionally would have been allowed to use their new titles but they are still listed as "Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor" and "Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor" in the official line of succession.

The Queen seen with Archie when he was a baby (Getty Images)

There have reportedly been arguments behind the scenes over the issue, with a source telling The Sun, Harry and Meghan are not pleased about the apparent absence of titles.

The source said: "Harry and Meghan were worried about the security issue and being prince and princess brings them the right to have certain levels of royal security."

In their Oprah interview last year, Meghan said that the Royal Family discussed changing the protocol in order to keep Archie from acquiring the royal title.

During the tell-all interview she told Winfrey: "In those months, when I was pregnant, all around this same time, we had in tandem the conversation of he won't be given security, he won't be given a title, and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin will be when he's born."

Last week, it was reported that King Charles could gift his grandchildren titles, but not without a caveat.

Katie Nicholl, who recently published The New Royals, said that Charles could "insist" that any titles given would come with strings attached to try and keep the California-based pair in check, reports the Express.

Ms Nicholl told Palace Confidential podcast: "But if that did happen, it is going to come with a caveat.

"He is going to insist that Harry and Meghan are respectful of the institution if they are taking the titles of the institution. That is very important to him."

She said that "titles matter to Charles " and the new monarch will not hand them out freely.

Speculation has risen that Charles could follow the model laid out by Denmark's Queen Margrethe, who recently stripped her grandchildren of their royal duties and titles.

The royal author claimed constitutional experts, "who I spoke to for this book, the likes of Peter Hennessy and Doctor Ed Owens" all saw "this pattern of the British monarchy moving into a sort of European-style royalty".

Ms Nicholl added: "And if that is the case, then possibly they're not going to get these titles."

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