Having used their daughter’s royal title in public for the first time to declare her christening, British Prince Harry and his wife Meghan’s children will be referred to as prince and princess.
As per royal rules, the titles of princes and princesses of the realm can be given to the monarch’s grandkids, so Harry’s kids, Archie, 3, and Lilibet, 1, were qualified to use the titles ever since his father was crowned king in September.
Following Prince Harry’s tell-all memoir earlier this year, in which he made accusations against the royal family, King Charles’ relationship with his son reached its lowest point, sparking interest in his children’s royal titles.
Up until Wednesday, it was unknown if the pair, who retired from their royal responsibilities in March 2020 and now reside in California, would want their children to be addressed as prince and princess.
A representative for the couple said on Wednesday, “I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3 by the Archbishop of Los Angeles, the Rev John Taylor.
Archie and Lilibet’s titles will be updated on the royal website in “due time,” according to Buckingham Palace.
In a 2012 interview, Meghan claimed that the British royal family had discussed how dark her son Archie’s skin might be and declined to name him a prince.
The titles follow the example set by George V’s 1917 letters patent, which granted the title of prince or princess to the sovereign’s male line grandchildren. Before this time, it was never verified before that the kids would actually use the names.
The baptism took place shortly after Harry and Meghan were requested by Charles to leave their Frogmore Cottage home in Britain, signifying the latest rift in their relationship.
Harry’s participation in his father’s crowning in May is unknown.
