The royal family’s official website has been updated to reflect the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children’s new titles, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Harry and Meghan’s youngsters became a prince and princess on the accession of their grandfather the King six months ago, but the Sussexes publicly used Lili’s title for the first time on Wednesday when announcing their daughter’s christening.
Archie and Lili are now listed on royal.uk’s line of succession page as Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex.
Previously they were Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.
The siblings are sixth and seventh in line to the throne, having already moved up a place each after the death of the late Queen.
A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan said the decision to use the titles had been “settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace”.
“The children’s titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became monarch.
“This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace,” the spokesperson said.
Lili, who is 21 months old, was christened in an intimate ceremony at the Sussexes’ family home in California on Friday, watched by her grandmother Doria Ragland and celebrity godfather Tyler Perry.
The King, the Queen Consort and the Prince and Princess of Wales were reportedly invited but did not attend.
The “alignment” on the titles has given rise to suggestions Harry and Meghan will attend the King’s coronation in May, which also falls on Archie’s fourth birthday.
Bookmakers Coral said the Sussexes were now odds-on at 4-6 to witness the historic spectacle, flip-flopping from 4-6 to not attend before the titles announcement.
A Coral spokesman said: “Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are being tight-lipped about their attendance at King Charles III’s coronation in May.
“Our betting suggests the couple will attend and take their seats for the official ceremony at Westminster Abbey on May 6.
“We think this could be an olive branch towards the couple from Buckingham Palace.”
Odds they will not be present stand at 6-5.
The Palace’s first use of Archie and Lili’s new titles comes amid deep fractures in the Sussexes’ long-troubled relationship with the royal family.
Since Harry and Meghan quit as senior working royals three years ago, they have levelled controversial claims at the Windsors and the monarchy in Harry’s autobiography, the couple’s Netflix documentary, and podcasts and interviews.
Charles was understood to be aware prior to Wednesday’s christening announcement that the Sussexes intended to refer to their daughter as Princess Lilibet and there had been correspondence about the matter.
Title rules set out by King George V in 1917 mean Archie and Lili, as the children of a son of a sovereign, automatically became a prince and a princess when Charles became King.
Meghan said in the couple’s interview with US talk show host Oprah Winfrey that Archie was not given the title of prince because of his race.
However, when Archie was born seventh in line to the throne in May 2019, he was too far down the line of succession.
Although he was a great-grandchild of the monarch, he was not a first-born son of a future king, so was not automatically a prince.
Archie was entitled to have another title as a baby.
As the first born son of a duke, Archie could have become Earl of Dumbarton – one of Harry’s subsidiary titles – or have been Lord Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.
But a source at the time said Harry and Meghan had “chosen not to use a courtesy title”.
Lili was entitled to be Lady Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, but this title was never used.
It was previously reported in 2021 that Charles, in a bid to limit the number of key royals, intended, when he became monarch, to prevent Archie becoming a prince.
To do so, he would have to issue a Letters Patent amending Archie’s right to be a prince and Lili’s right to be a princess.
Published: by Radio NewsHub
