In the aftermath ofthe Queen’s death, many members of the royal family have seen change in their titles asKing Charlestakes to the throne.
This also includes Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s two children Archie and Lilibet who will now be able to use HRH titles, according to royal protocol.
The changes come after the children’s grandfather became King Charles III and should they so wish, three year old Archie can be called a prince and his sister Lilibet, one, princess.
Rules set out by King George V in 1917 mean that Archie and Lilibet, as the children of a son of a sovereign, may use an HRH title if they wish.
The rule is the reason whyPrince WilliamandKate Middleton’s title were referred to as prince or princess, while Harry’s were not – until now.
This rule was established by King George V after he issued a Letters Patent in 1917 that read: "…the grandchildren of the sons of any such sovereign in the direct male line (save only the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales) shall have and enjoy in all occasions the style and title enjoyed by the children of dukes of these our realms."
Speaking about these changes toPeople Magazine, Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine said: “As the grandchildren of the Sovereign, they have the right to be upgraded to the style of His or Her Royal Highness. But that begs the question of whether Harry and Meghan want that.”
He added: “Do they prefer what [Prince] Edward and Sophie have, and not have their children as Their Royal Highnesses with a view to them leading relatively normal lives?"
This appeared to be the case previously with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex rejecting the "courtesy title" of Earl of Dumbarton upon Archie’s birth, instead deciding he would be known as Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.
However, there is the issue of King Charles III possibly wanting a new slimmed-down monarchy and perhaps preventing Archie and Lilibet from using the prince and princess titles.
To do so, he will have to issue a Letters Patent amending Archie’s right to be a prince and Lili’s right to be a princess.
Until then – if that does happen at all – Archie and Lilibet will remain as prince and princess and it remains to be seen if the Sussexes use those titles for their children.
Elsewhere Prince William and his wife will soon become the Prince and Princess of Wales, making her the first woman to use the title since the death of Diana, Princess of Wales .
The couple, who until yesterday were known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge,have already become the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridgeupon the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
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