According to a report, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s children will not be given the title of her and Her Royal Highness – leaving the exiled couple “furious” in the royal family once again.
Harry’s father, the new King Charles III, has agreed to pass the titles of prince and princess to his soon-to-be California-based grandsons, Archie, 3, and Lillibet, 1. according to the sun,
But after a week of tense talks, he refused to allow her to be known as HRH, who was snubbed by her podcasting parents after leaving the family and the UK in 2020.
“It’s agreement – they can be prince and princess, but not HRH, because they are not members of the royal family,” an insider told the UK newspaper.
The decision follows “a lot of conversation over the past week” since Harry’s father became king, the moment his 96-year-old mother died last Thursday.
The insider said of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, “They have been relentless since the Queen’s death,” adding, “They insist that Archie and Lillibet are prince and princess.”
“But they’re outraged that Archie and Lillibet can’t take the HRH title,” the source insisted.
The controversy over Archie and Lillibet’s lack of titles was a key point of attack for Markle, who suggested to Oprah Winfrey that it may have been due to race.
She complained that “the title of the first member of color in this family was not being held in the same way as the other grandchildren” and was denied the requisite protections she had in regards.
When asked by Oprah if she thought it was “because of her race,” Markle agreed.
“Around this time – we have conversations, ‘He won’t be given protection, he won’t be given a title,’ and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born,” she replied was.
However, it soon became clear that a sovereign’s great-grandson does not receive such a title under royal protocol.
While that is believed to have changed now that Archie and Lillibet’s grandfather is king, Charles has also widely pushed for a slimmed-down monarchy.
Until now, Archie and Lillibet are only referred to as Master and Miss on the official order of succession, where they are sixth and seventh in line for the throne.
They are not alone: 9 others in the top 23 also have only such titles.
Royal Expert Phil Dampier told mailonline That Harry and Meghan should be “delighted” by the offer of a “classic settlement”.
“Even if their children are still high in the line of succession, they won’t be working royals, so it’s absolutely right that they shouldn’t have the title,” he said.
“Many people think that Harry and Meghan should lose their titles themselves, so I think they should accept the deal and be grateful because it could be very bad for them and their children.”
A spokesman for King declined to comment, The Sun said. The Sussex representative did not immediately respond to a request.