Since becoming the new Sovereign, King Charles III has the media’s attention as he dithers with his decision about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s two young children, Archie Harrison and Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.
Will he or won’t he bestow the titles of prince and princess to his grandchildren? And will they be authorized to be styled as His Royal Highness Prince Archie of Sussex and Her Royal Highness Princess Lilibet of Sussex?
King George V‘s Letters Patent, issued in 1917, stipulates which members of the Royal Family are authorized to get tiles.
Letters Patent clearly states that Prince Harry’s children should have been granted the titles the day King Charles ascended to the British throne.
However, almost a month after King Charles began his reign, there is no clear answer on the issue of the titles. If anything, King Charles is making it messier and more complicated by the day.
Since Queen Elizabeth II‘s death, Buckingham Palace constantly updates the Royal Family website (changes in bios, in the line of succession, and new profiles and official photos), except for Archie and Lilibet’s title change.
King Charles had his official spokesperson issue multiple confusing statements on the subject. According to The Daily Mail, when reporters quizzed a royal spokesperson on a date for the titles, this comment was given: “The future is an amazing thing.”
Another statement from the King’s representative read: “We will be updating the website as and when we get information.”
When The Press Association pushed for more information, King Charles’s spokesperson said: “Palace waits for information on Archie and Lili’s titles before the website changes.”
When reporters quizzed King Charles’s spokesperson on the fact that Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their three children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis have all received title changes immediately; this baffling explanation was given: “While the website was updated for the Waleses, clearly updating love on a website doesn’t quite work, so we’re not quite done that, but clearly he does love [the Sussex children].”
The last statement on the story from the spokesperson said: “The focus now is on mourning the Queen, and [the issue of Archie and Lilibet’s titles] is something for further down the line.”
Many royal experts say that King Charles is punishing Prince Harry and Markle for “Megxit” and the shocking interviews.
Others claimed King Charles would share his decision on the titles after he and his lawyers have read every word in Prince Harry’s tell-all book.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle do have a consolation prize. While King Charles might not be ready to give his grandchildren the titles they should have automatically received, he loves them dearly and has made that abundantly clear, according to one royal expert.
Royal expert Marlene Koenig told Express: “What’s the point of them being styled, even on a piece of paper, or a website, when they will have no role, whatsoever, in the Royal Family. That said, they are very much part of Charles’ family. He made that very clear.”
She added that, despite the distance, “I think he wants to see his grandchildren. They are very much his family, which is very different from having a role within the Royal Family.”
Time will tell if the words will match King Charles’s actions.
