The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children Archie and Lilibet remain a plain Master and Miss on the royal website rather than prince and princess, but the King’s spokesman pledged to update it “as and when we get information”.
While William’s title in the line of succession as the Prince of Wales has been swiftly added with his children now listed as “of Wales”, Archie and Lili’s had not changed on Saturday.
They are technically now a prince and a princess because their grandad, King Charles III, has become King, but it has not been confirmed by their parents or Buckingham Palace whether they will use the titles.
The King’s spokesman said the monarch had announced William and Kate’s titles as the Prince and Princess of Wales, and expressed his love for Harry and Meghan in his address to the nation on Friday.
King Charles III
HENRY NICHOLLS
“While the website was updated for the Waleses, clearly updating love on a website doesn’t quite work so we’ve not quite done that but clearly he does love them. We will be working through updating the website as and when we get information,” he said on Saturday.
Asked whether Archie and Lili would take the titles of prince and princess, he said: “At the moment, we’re focused on the next 10 days and as and when we get information, we will update that website.”
In 2021, it was suggested Charles – in a bid to limit the number of key royals – intended, when he became monarch, to prevent Archie becoming a prince, but it is unlikely he would make such a move which would be considered greatly damaging to his relationship with the Sussexes.
To do so, he would have to issue a Letters Patent amending Archie’s right to be a prince and Lili’s right to be a princess.
Archie and Lili technically remain at present a prince and princess with the style HRH, whether their parents choose to use the titles or not on a day to day basis.
Meghan argued in the Sussexes’ bombshell interview with US talk show host Oprah Winfrey that Archie was not given the title of prince because of his race.
However, when Archie was born seventh in line to the throne in May 2019, he was too far down the line of succession.
Although he was a great-grandchild of the monarch, he was not a first-born son of a future king, so was not automatically a prince.
The Sussexes joined the Waleses for a walkabout on Saturday to meet well-wishers and view floral tributes outside Windsor Castle – the first time they have been pictured side by side since 2020.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
Kirsty O'Connor
