The Royal Family: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s son Archie and daughter Lilibet entitled to become Prince and Princess

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children are now entitled to use the royal titles of Prince and Princess, following the death of their great-grandmother, QueenElizabeth II.

Their three-year-old son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, and one-year-old daughter, Lilibet ‘Lili’ Mountbatten-Windsor, were not initially given titles, which Meghan controversially claimed was due to their race.

This change is now allowed as the rule set out by King George V, in 1917, states that the children of a son of a sovereign, the grandchildren of newly named King Charles III, are entitled to a HRH title - if they choose to use it.

Although Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gave up their respective His and Her Highness titles when they stepped down from royal duties in 2020, their children are still given the right to official titles.

In March 2021, during a controversial Oprah Winfrey interview, Meghan, 41, revealed her pain at learning that her son would be denied the title of prince.

She also accused Buckingham Palace of not offering him the protection and security that he is entitled to.

She went on to explain that, it’s not necessarily about the official titles, it is about “the idea of our son not being safe, and also the idea of the first member of colour in this family not being titled in the same way that other grandchildren would be.”

Prince George, who is the great-grandson of the monarch, is second in line to the throne behind his father Prince William.

Meanwhile, Archie is sixth in line, behind his father Prince Harry.

In 2012, Queen Elizabeth II changed the rule, to allow any of the Prince of Wales’ eldest son’s children to receive royal titles, allowing Georges’ younger siblings the right to be called Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

However, this privilege did not extend to the Sussex’s Children, Archie and Lilibet.

After a stressful childhood and losing his mother at just 12-years-old, it was evident over the years that Harry would have preferred a normal life.

He moved to Los Angeles for a quieter life with his wife, former actress, Meghan Markle in 2020.

While in the army, Harry described the experience as the “best escape” he’d ever had as he could “just be Harry” and escape the stressful royal life he was born into.

Harry is known to be close to his cousins, Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips, who are the children of Anne, the Princess Royal.

As they were born in the female line, as the children of the daughter of the sovereign, they were not entitled to be HRH.

They have therefore lived quite a normal, private life, away from too much media attention.

Zara Tindall, who grew up as Zara Phillips, has previously spoken about how not having a title was a blessing.

“My parents didn’t give us titles, so we’ve been able to have a slightly more normal upbringing,” she said.

Meghan and Harry wanted Archie to have the title of Prince, so that he would be provided with security and protection.

But, even with the titles, as the Sussex’s have chosen to live in the US, it doesn’t automatically mean bodyguards will be provided.

With the title, Archie will be history’s first Prince of Sussex and Lilibet, the first Princess of Sussex, then eventually Archie will be entitled to succeed Harry, as the Duke of Sussex.

Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Thursday 8 September 2022, at the age of 96, surrounded by her family at her beloved Balmoral estate, in Scotland.