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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Zoe Forsey

When Meghan and Harry's children will use Prince and Princess titles - and when they won't

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have confirmed their children will now use their Prince and Princess titles, but only in formal settings.

The couple sparked confusion when they referred to their daughter as "Princess Lilibet" in a statement confirming her christening.

Lilibet, one, and her older brother Archie, three, weren't given HRH titles at birth due to their position in the line of succession. While they have been entitled to them since the Queen's death, they haven't been styled as such as there has been no update from Buckingham Palace.

However when confirming Lilibet has been christened, a spokesman said: “I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3 by the Archbishop of Los Angeles, the Rev John Taylor.”

A royal source has told The Mirror this is correct.

It's believed Lilibet, known as Lili, may use the Princess title in formal settings but not in everyday conversational use by the couple. It will be the same situation for Archie, who turns four on the same day as King Charles's Coronation.

Is Lili now Princess Lilibet? (Misan Harriman/Duke and Duchess of Sussex HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
Meghan and Harry made the change in a statement from their official spokesman (Getty Images for 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala)

Harry and Meghan are understood to be keen to not deny their children their birth-right, but to allow them the chance to decide for themselves when older whether to drop or keep using the titles.

When Archie and Lilibet were born, they were great-grandchildren of the Monarch, which meant they weren't eligible for HRH titles. It was the same situation for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, however the Queen stepped in to change the rules for them. Prince George needs to be a HRH as he will one day be king.

However as Harry is less senior than his brother, it didn't apply to his children.

When Charles became King in September last year, Archie and Lilibet became the grandchildren of a Monarch which changed the roles.

While Archie was born in the UK, Lilibet has only ever lived in the US as she arrived after Meghan and Harry had quit their royal roles.

It's understood she's only visited her father's homeland once, when the family returned for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations last year.

Archie and Lilibet weren't part of any of the official events during the four-day weekend, however she had a chance to meet the Queen.

She also celebrated her first birthday during the trip, with Meghan and Harry sharing a photo of her in Frogmore Cottage during the celebrations.

Meghan and Harry's statement comes just days after it was revealed that King Charles has asked them to leave Frogmore, which has been their UK base since they left.

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