A spokesperson for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry has released a statement on Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s titles. “The children’s titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became monarch,” the spokesperson said (via the BBC). “This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace.”
The Duke of Sussex’s father became monarch last September following the death of Queen Elizabeth. HOLA! USA ’s sister brand HELLO! reported on March 8 that the decision the Sussex children would be known as Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet of Sussex was settled between King Charles III and his youngest son the month before Harry’s memoir Spare was published.
The line of succession on the royal family’s website has been updated to reflect Archie and Lilibet’s titles. Meghan and Harry’s children were previously listed as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.
The update follows a statement on Wednesday that confirmed Lilibet’s recent christening. Meghan and Harry’s daughter was referred to as Princess Lilibet Diana for the first time in the statement.
After Archie’s birth in 2019, it was reported that the Duke and Duchess had chosen to forgo a courtesy title for their son. Meghan has spoken about her children’s titles being a “birthright” in the past. Back in 2021, Oprah Winfrey told Meghan that she thought that she and Harry didn’t want Archie to have a Prince title. “It’s not our decision to make,” the Duchess said. “Even though I have a lot of clarity on what comes with the titles, good and bad, and from my experience a lot of pain, I again wouldn’t wish pain on my child, but that is their birthright to then make a choice about.”