Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly working hard behind the scenes to protect the royal titles of their kids Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4 — but a lot of family drama is getting in the way.
The Guardian reported earlier this month that “Prince Harry wants to keep the HRH [His/Her Royal Highness] titles for his children so that when they grow older they can decide for themselves whether they want to become working royals, or stay out of public life.”
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As fans know, Prince Harry and Markle left the royal family in 2020 and are no longer considered working royals. However, they started using the “Prince” and “Princess” titles after King Charles ascended the throne. Now, it seems they want to keep the door open for their kids to play a more active role in the royal family one day.
DUESSELDORF, GERMANY – SEPTEMBER 16: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 at Merkur Spiel-Arena on September 16, 2023 in Duesseldorf, Germany. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation)
Prince William, who is next in line to the monarchy, reportedly has a problem with that. In an interview with The Sunday Times, a friend of William shared how he is planning to approach the crown when the time comes.
“He’s definitely been thinking a lot about how things will evolve over time,” the source said. “When the moment comes, he’ll want to do it his way: genuinely, not just following a script. He’s not afraid to dig into the details, ask the tough questions, and figure out what actually works today. He wants to make sure the whole thing has even more impact and remains relevant.”
Prince William and Prince Harry have reportedly not seen or spoken to each other since Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in Sept. 2022. A source close to William told the outlet that the rift doesn’t bother him anymore. “What has struck me the most recently is that he just doesn’t mention it at all. It used to be that the family stuff was taking up a lot of space in his head, it was a very close relationship and he was very upset. But he’s not letting it get to him at all any more. It is a change. It’s sad, but it’s a much healthier space for him to be at.”
WINDSOR, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 10: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex on the long Walk at Windsor Castle arrive to view flowers and tributes to HM Queen Elizabeth on September 10, 2022 in Windsor, England. Crowds have gathered and tributes left at the gates of Windsor Castle to Queen Elizabeth II, who died at Balmoral Castle on 8 September, 2022. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Now, insiders express “bemusement” at the thought of Prince Harry wanting to keep HRH titles for his children, adding that it’s “unlikely” the kids will be able to serve as working royals in the future.
They’ve already had some struggles when trying to secure official UK passports for the children, with the Sussexes allegedly considering changing their family name to Spencer to make it easier, per The Guardian. “There was clear reluctance to issue passports for the kids,” a source close to the Sussexes told the outlet, adding, “the king hadn’t wanted Archie and Lili to carry the titles, most of all the HRH, and the British passports, once created, would be the first and perhaps the only legal proof of their names.”
The passports have been issued now, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that Prince William will make it easy for Archie and Lilibet to become working royals one day.
Earlier this month, a source close to William told The Daily Beast, “William obviously isn’t going to hire Archie and Lilibet. This is just trolling on the part of Harry and Meghan. … The idea that somehow having a vestigial HRH as a baby later entitles you to be a working royal is beyond parody, even for them.”
Still, it seems Prince Harry has hope. He’s reportedly planning to try to make amends with his dad and brother. A source told Daily Mail that Harry wants to invite King Charles and Prince Williams to the next Invictus Games in July 2027 in Birmingham, England. “This is one olive branch from him which might be reciprocated,” the source added.
Family drama is always difficult, but add in royal duties and the perception of the world, and it can feel downright impossible. This is just a small glimpse of what must be happening behind the scenes, and it’s so stressful! But when it comes to protecting your kids, it’s all worth it.
Before you go, check out everything we know about Princess Lilibet and the alleged controversy around her name.
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