The children of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will officially be referred to as prince and princess, after the announcement by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex that they are claiming the royal titles.
The announcement was made following Princess Lilibet’s christening in California, where the Sussexes now reside after ceasing to be active members of the royal family.
“I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3 by the Archbishop of Los Angeles, the Rev. John Taylor,” a spokesperson for the couple said on Wednesday, using the full title of ‘Princess Lilibet’ for the first time.
The grandchildren of the monarch have the right to become princes or princesses of the realm. This implies that Harry’s children, Archie, 3, and Lilibet, 1, have been entitled to use the titles since their grandfather’s coronation in September.
It was previously unknown if Harry and Meghan wanted their children to be referred to as prince and princess.
With the publication of his tell-all memoir earlier this year, Harry’s relationship with his father, King Charles, hit rock bottom. Several harsh charges about the royal family were contained in the book, including a suggestion that his elder brother, Prince William, had been physically violent with him.
A day after the book was released, it was announced that King Charles had evicted Harry and Markle from their UK home, Frogmore Cottage.
Archie and Lilibet are still referred to as “master” and “miss” on the royal family’s website. A representative for Buckingham Palace said the royal website will be updated in “due time” to reflect the title changes.
