Meghan Markle reportedly wanted her two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to keep their official royal titles after she spoke to two members of the Royal Family. Although the Duchess and Prince Harry decided to step back from their senior roles in 2020, the couple made a surprise announcement three years later in order to not deny their children of “their birthright”.
Alongside the announcement that Lilibet had been christened in California, Harry and Meghan decided that they wanted their children to adopt royal titles, despite the fact that Meghan and Harry can no longer use HRH titles.
It has been reported that the couple made this decision after speaking to Harry’s cousins, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
This is despite the fact that in their bombshell chat with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, Meghan said she didn’t have any “attachment” to the “grandeur” of royal life.
However, a royal expert has claimed that the couple changed their minds and wanted to hold onto their children’s royal titles for some very clear reasons.
British journalist Neil Sean said: “Harry and Meghan are very, very keen to cling onto those royal titles. After much deliberation, Meghan decided that the titles would be a good thing, not just for her but for both her children too.
“Meghan become very friendly with senior members of the monarchy, predominately Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice.”
He continued: “After this, Meghan realised how useful a title can be, particularly when you want to move in the correct circles. That is the reason why they want to clutch hold of titles.”
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet could have been styled as a prince and princess from the time their grandfather’s reign began a year earlier. The reason for this stems from a royal rule introduced by King George V in 1917.
The Letters Patent 1917 declared that only the monarch’s children, male-line grandchildren and the eldest son of the Prince of Wales could hold a princely title.
This means that when they were just the great-grandchildren of the monarch (Queen Elizabeth II), they were not permitted to hold the titles, but when King Charles came to the throne, they were eligible as they became grandchildren of the sovereign.