Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Were ‘Hoping’ the Royal Family Would Announce Archie and Lili’s New Titles
TL;DR:
- A spokesperson referred to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s daughter as “Princess Lilibet Diana” in a statement regarding the 1-year-old’s christening.
- Shortly after, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle released a statement saying “Prince” and “Princess” titles were their children’s “birthright,” and they’d been “settled for some time” with Buckingham Palace.
- According to a royal expert, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “hoped” Buckingham Palace would make the announcement.
A Prince Harry and Meghan Markle spokesperson hinted the couple’s children would use “Prince” and “Princess” titles in a statement about their daughter’s christening. The royal family’s website later reflected the changes, listing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children as “Prince Archie” and “Princess Lilibet.” However, a royal expert says the events surrounding the announcement didn’t necessarily go how Harry and Meghan wanted.
Harry and Meghan’s spokesperson hinted at Archie and Lili’s new titles with christening statement
All it took was the addition of one word — “Princess” — in a statement to signal a change for the Sussex children. Speaking on Lili’s christening, which took place at Harry and Meghan’s California home, a spokesperson confirmed there’d been a celebration.
“I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3 by the bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, the Rev John Taylor,” a spokesperson for the couple said (via People).
When King Charles III, ascended the throne, Archie and Lili became entitled to “Prince” and “Princess” stylings. However, Harry and Meghan hadn’t indicated whether or not Archie, 3, and Lili would be using royal titles. Until now, their names were styled as Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor and Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.
Expert says Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were ‘hoping’ Buckingham Palace would make Archie and Lili title announcement
Royal expert Ingrid Seward claimed Harry and Meghan didn’t want the “Prince” and “Princess” titles announcement to come from them. They would’ve preferred Buckingham Palace do the honors, similar to Prince Edward and his new Duke of Edinburgh title.
“Harry and Meghan, on the other hand, asked their spokesperson to announce when their 21-month-old daughter Lilibet was christened in Los Angeles last week she would be baptized using the royal style Princess,” Seward said (via Mirror). “Archie, in turn, would use the style, Prince.”
“How interesting they waited six months to do this,” the Majesty Magazine editor-in-chief said. “They were hoping the Palace would jump the gun and announce it before they did. No such luck.”
Harry and Meghan released another statement regarding titles before a royal family website update
Hours after their spokesperson announced Lili’s christening, Harry and Meghan released another statement.
“The children’s titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became Monarch,” they said. That wasn’t all. The statement also noted the “matter” had been “settled for some time” in “alignment with Buckingham Palace.”
Shortly after, the palace changed the royal family’s website. The line of succession now showed Archie and Lili as “Prince” and “Princess.”
Meanwhile, some royal commentators say Harry and Meghan might want to consider a name change themselves.
