Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s royal titles have long been a point of contention for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. When their children were born, neither carried a title. At the time, this deeply unsettled the Sussexes, who spoke openly about their frustration and fears during their 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview. Meghan suggested Archie was denied a title because of his race and claimed the palace had considered changing protocol while she was pregnant. This narrative caused waves of controversy, though royal experts countered her claims with historical context.

The truth lies in a royal decree dating back to 1917, when King George V limited the use of “Prince” and “Princess” titles to the monarch’s children, grandchildren through the male line, and the eldest son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales. Under that rule, Archie and Lilibet—great-grandchildren of Queen Elizabeth II—were not entitled to princely status at birth. The exception had been made for Prince William’s children in 2012, when the Queen issued a special amendment to ensure that George, Charlotte, and Louis received titles as heirs in the direct line of succession.

This long-standing precedent meant that Meghan’s suggestion the convention had been altered specifically to exclude her son was incorrect. In fact, the rule had been applied consistently for more than a century. The titles only became possible for Archie and Lilibet after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and the accession of King Charles III in September 2022. By March 2023, following Lilibet’s christening, the Sussexes confirmed their children would now be styled as Prince and Princess, reflecting their birthright under the new monarch.

Interestingly, Buckingham Palace did not make an official announcement about this change. Instead, the responsibility fell to Harry and Meghan themselves. Reports suggested the couple had hoped the Palace would formally recognize the shift, but when this did not happen, their spokesperson confirmed it directly. Their statement emphasized that the titles were the children’s “birthright” since Charles became King and insisted the matter had long been settled.

The episode highlights the deep sensitivities around royal status, tradition, and identity. For Harry and Meghan, the initial denial of titles was tied to issues of race and security, while for the monarchy, it was a matter of established protocol. In the end, Archie and Lilibet’s eventual recognition as Prince and Princess underscores the enduring weight of royal rules—rules that, despite personal feelings, remain largely unchanged for over a century