Archie could choose if he becomes a Prince when he turns 18 after title drama, royal author reveals
MEGHAN Markle and Prince Harry could let Archie decide if he wants to be a prince when he turns 18, a royal biographer says.
A royal row erupted after the couple sensationally linked the decision not to give the two-year-old a title with accusations of racism in the family.
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It has since emerged Meghan and Harry were told before the bombshell interview Prince Charles would not make Archie a prince.
But biographer Robert Lacey says Archie could actually make the choice to call himself prince when he turns 18.
He told Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex decided not to give their two children the royal titles.
Instead, Lady Louise and Viscount Severn will be able to make up their own minds when they are 18.
Lacey also pointed out Charles does not have the power to stop his grandson or baby Lilibet Diana using the titles.
He can only change the rules when he becomes king and the author believes it is unlikely that his first act would be to block Archie from the title.
Lacey said: “It is clear to me that the Queen and her advisers have discussed this issue at the highest level, and that the future royal status of Archie and Lili is not in jeopardy in her lifetime.
“It is possible that Prince Charles may try to remove royal status from the Sussex children when he comes to the throne but that does not seem likely.
“His priority then will be to gain popular support for upgrading the status of Camilla from princess consort to queen consort, and he is not likely to court unpopularity by removing HRH status from Archie and Lili.”
The Prince of Wales allegedly made it clear Archie will not be at the forefront of the Royal Family when he becomes King.
As a grandchild of the sovereign, he has the right to be a Prince but it is understood Charles is determined to limit the number of key working members of the family.
According to the Charles told Harry and Meghan he will change key legal documents to make sure that Archie will not get the title he would have once been given by right.
Now insiders believe that this is the reason for the criticisms and accusations the Sussexes unleashed during their Oprah interview.
At one point Meghan even spelled it out for the audience saying “They [the Royal Family] were saying they didn't want him to be a Prince or a Princess.”
The Duchess of Sussex also said there had been conversations with Prince Harry and a "family" member about their unborn son and what colour his skin would be - and "what that would mean or look like".
But the 39-year-old declined to say who had started those conversations, saying it would be "damaging" for them.
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The existing rules for Royal titles were established in Letters Patent dated November 20, 1917, which allowed the title of Prince and Princess to be given to specific relatives.
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The children of the sovereign, the children of the sovereign's sons and the oldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales are entitled to be called Prince or Princess.
Prince George received the title automatically, while Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis received their titles as gifts from the Queen, who issued new Letters Patent to that effect in 2013.
