King Charles yet to decide whether to let Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children Archie and Lilibet use prince and princess titles
King Charles has not yet decided whether he will allow the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children to use the titles of prince and princess, according to a royal expert.
The Times royal editor Roya Nikkhah wrote that the indecision is ‘heightening tensions’ between Charles, 73, and his youngest son Harry, 38, and his wife Meghan, 41.
Following the death of the Queen, who died peacefully at Balmoral on September 8, aged 96, Archie and Lilibet are entitled to the titles prince and princess as grandchildren of the monarch.
However, they are still listed on the Royal Family‘s website as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.
Regarding the lack of updated titles, the Times reports a spokesperson saying: ‘The King is focused on the mourning period. It’s unlikely you’ll know other titles during that period. I’m sure at some point there will be discussions.’
Katie explained: ‘One of the interesting things that came out in all of this was the speculation about titles, and Archie and Lilibet … whether they would officially be acknowledged as Prince and Princess, the titles owed to them when Charles became King…’
She continued: ‘They remain ‘Miss’ and ‘Master’ currently [on the Royal Website].
‘And I’m told that that is a very clear signal from the King. He’s willing to give those titles, but it comes with a caveat, and that caveat is trust.
‘They have to know that they can trust the [Sussex] family.’
When Archie and Lilibet were born, they were too far down the line of succession to receive the prince and princess titles, due to rules from King George V in 1917.
But the death of the Queen means they are now the grandchildren of the monarch, rather than the great-grandchildren, and are entitled to be addressed as prince and princess, and to use HRH.