King Charles ‘played a blinder’ with Harry and Meghan says Cole

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The King made a PR blunder by delaying confirmation that grandchildren Archie and Lilibet could be known as Prince and Princess, a royal insider has suggested. The children have been able to use their new titles since September because of royal precedent and regulation. But while Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis saw their position updated shortly after the accession, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s new titles were only changed this week.

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Confirmation came as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their 21-month-old daughter Lilibet had been christened last week.

An update on the Royal Family’s website followed a few hours later, with the children now referred to as Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex.

A royal insider challenged the delay, arguing the King could have avoided much speculation about his relationship with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex if the Palace had updated their status along with everyone else’s.

Speaking to Page Six, they said: “The Duke and Duchess made it clear they wanted to use the titles for their children, as convention dictates.

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“After the Queen died, updates were made to the royal website and despite their birthright, Archie and Lilibet were not given their titles.

“If the titles had just been updated, along with everyone else, there would be no story.”

Though Archie and Lilibet have now taken on the titles of prince and princess they will not be given HRH status.

This is because their parents Harry and Meghan were told they would no longer be allowed to use their HRH status after stepping down as senior working royals.

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Royal commentators had previously suggested the King would wait until the publication of Harry’s memoir, Spare, to make any announcement about Archie and Lilibet.

But the children have been entitled to use their princely titles since Charles ascended the throne in September 2022.

Under a 1917 Letters Patent signed by King George V, all grandchildren of a Sovereign in the male line are conferred the titles of Prince and Princess by right.

Archie and Lilibet had previously been known as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.

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Harry and Meghan said the titles belonged to Archie and Lilibet “by birthright” in a fresh statement confirming they would use them going forward.

They also appeared to suggest an agreement had been struck with the King to regulate their use.

The Duke and Duchess said: “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 pair confirmed the children’s status change as they confirmed “Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3.”

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