Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have reportedly said that it is their childrens' "birthright" to be called prince and princess. The couple have issued a new statement after using their daughter's royal title in confirmation that their daughter had been christened in America last week.
They have said that the matter of titles had been "settled for some time" with King Charles reportedly allowing his grandchildren to be called prince and princess in a conversation after the Queen's funeral last year. A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess of Susex 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."
Archie and Lilibet became a prince and princess when the King acceded to the throne, but have remained a plain 'master' and 'miss' on the Buckingham Palace website for the past six months but that was changed on Thursday morning,
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The website now reads Prince Archie Harrison of Sussex and Princess Lilibet Diana of Sussex. In a statement confirming a christening took place at their home in Montecito, California, on March 3, the couple described their daughter as 'Princess Lilibet Diana'. A source told the Mirror: 'The appropriate conversations took place ahead of Lilibet's christening.'
Harry and Meghan are understood to be keen to not deny their children their birthright but will allow them the chance to decide for themselves when they are older whether they want to drop or keep using the titles. Rules set out by King George V in 1917 mean Archie and Lili, as the children of a son of a sovereign, are automatically a prince and a princess.
Meghan claimed in the couple's bombshell interview with US talk show host Oprah Winfrey in 2021 that Archie was not given the title of prince because of his race. The real reason was that although he was a great-grandchild of the monarch, he was not a first-born son of a future king and so was not automatically a prince. Lilibet also now has an HRH – Her Royal Highness – style title if she wishes to use it.
A spokesperson for the couple said: "I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3 by the Bishop of Los Angeles, the Rev John Taylor." People magazine reported that there were between 20 and 30 guests at the christening, including Meghan's mother Doria Ragland and Lilibet's billionaire godfather Tyler Perry. A gospel choir also reportedly performed Oh Happy Day and This Little Light of Mine. Royal journalist Omid Scobie, who is close to the Sussexes, reported that "King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Princess Kate were invited but didn't attend".
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