Prince Harry and Meghan’s newborn baby daughter will not instantly receive a royal title and be a princess just like Archie isn’t a prince.
On her birth, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor became eighth in line to the throne coming after Archie.
The proud parents, Harry and Meghan were on parental leave after they announced the birth of their baby daughter, Lilibet on June 4, British time weighing 7lbs 11oz and whose middle name is Diana.
It is known that the Queen has also been informed by Prince Harry that her great-grandchild would be named in her honor, ahead of their official statement which was announced on their official website.
However, even though she is Prince Harry’s daughter it doesn’t mean that she will automatically obtain a title.
The newborn daughter of the Sussexes will only be entitled to become a Princess or an “HRH”(Her or His Royal Highness) after the death of The Queen and the natural succession of Prince Charles because they will have moved up the line of succession to become the children of a son of a monarch.
The difficult rule which dates to George V has recently ignited a huge debate.
On the couple’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan formed a mass confusion when she declared that the Royal Family had apparently stripped Archie of his prince title before he was even born.
The Duchess had also claimed that the rules were being unjustly and inexplicably altered for Archie since the beginning of her pregnancy.
During the CBS exclusive Oprah Winfrey interview. Meghan shared that: “In those months when I was pregnant, all around this same time, so we have in tandem the conversation of, “you won’t be given security, not gonna be given a title” and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born.”
Though the idea of Archie losing his title was not questioned, Oprah instead focused on the more shocking allegation about Archie’s skin color.
Following the interview, royal experts have cleared the claim with palace officials, citing a rule from 1917 as the reason why Archie and now Lilibet is not yet HRH.
In letter patents signed by King George V, the Queen’s grandfather, only royal offspring who are in the direct line of succession can be made a prince or princess and receive titles of His or Her Royal Highness (HRH).
It reads: “…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.”
According to the rules, only Prince William and Kate’s eldest son Prince George was originally entitled to be a prince, as he is a great-grandson of the monarch down the direct line of succession to the throne.
The Queen has issued Letters Patent before George’s birth in 2013 to ensure that all George’s siblings would have fitting titles, as the children of future monarch William.
Based on the George V rules, Archie would still be entitled to be an HRH or a prince when his grandfather Charles, the Prince of Wales, has been crowned a king.
Meghan said that Archie becoming a Prince was not their “decision to make” and shared her “pain” as palace officials said that Archie “wasn’t going to receive security” or a title.
Meghan was also asked if it was important for her that Archie be called a prince, she replied that she doesn’t have any attachment to the “grandeur” of official titles.
But rather said that it was about “the idea of our son not being safe, and also the idea of the first member of color in this family not being titled in the same way that other grandchildren would be.”
The Sussexes children’s places are not yet threatened due to their parents stepping down as senior working royals.
The newborn is also a first cousin of Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis and a fifth grandchild for Charles.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed during their Oprah Winfrey interview in March that they were expecting a girl. Prince Harry also implied that they were not planning additional children, saying: “A girl, you know, what more can you ask for?”
“But now we’ve got our family. We’ve got the four of us and our two dogs and it’s great.”
The couple agreed they would be “done” saying: “Two is it.”