Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's titles decision scuppered King's major plan for Royal Family
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down as working members of the Royal Family in 2020
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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's decision to use the prince and princess titles for their children scuppered King Charles's plan for the Royal Family.
The King had always intended to slim the down the monarchy once he succeeded Queen Elizabeth II.
However, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's children holding prince and princess titles will result in the Royal Family not being as streamlined as Charles intended.
The new titles for Archie and Lilibet also made it difficult for King Charles not to grant the Duke of Edinburgh title to his brother Prince Edward.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's children now holding prince and princess titles will result in the Royal Family not being as streamlined as Charles intended
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Prince Edward had been promised the title of Duke of Edinburgh by his mother Queen Elizabeth II when he married his wife Sophie in 1999.
Royal expert Richard Eden stated that the King "didn't intend" to give his brother the title as part of his plans to "slim down" the royals.
Eden told the Palace Confidential talk show: "But then, when Harry and Meghan started using the prince and princess titles for their children, it became clear this wasn’t going to happen and then King Charles could hardly justify not giving Prince Edward the title he’d been promised by their parents.
"It was a big deal and I really think that was behind it."
However, the Duke of Edinburgh title will not be passed down to Prince Edward's son when he dies and this could be a precedent the King tries to use to stop Archie from inheriting the Duke of Sussex title from Harry according to Eden.
He said: "I have heard it said that part of the reason is that the King wants to stop Archie from inheriting that title of the Duke of Sussex.
"So this might be part of that, so he has now set that precedent.
"The problem is, that he’d have to do it with all the royal dukes so he really wouldn’t want to do that to the very well-respected Dukes of Gloucester and Kent."
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry released a statement addressing their children's new titles.
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Earlier this month, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry released a statement addressing their children's new titles.
The Sussexes said: "The children's titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became Monarch.
"This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace."
Archie and Lilibet's titles as princess and prince will be used in formal settings but not every day.