Why does Archie not have a royal title? This is why the son of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is not a prince

Meghan Markle revealed her own suspicions about why Archie doesn’t have a royal title in an intimate interview with Oprah Winfrey

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a number of shocking revelations in their much-anticipated interview with Oprah Winfrey - including about their son, Archie.

The Duchess of Sussex is due to give birth to their second child later this year, and announced on the CBS exclusive interview, due to air on ITV on 8 March, that she’s expecting a girl.

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Among many comments about her feelings, Meghan disclosed how Archie was treated by the Royal Family.

Archie Harrison is the first child of Prince Harry and Meghan MarkleArchie Harrison is the first child of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Archie Harrison is the first child of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

So, what did she say and why does Archie not have a title? This is what you need to know.

Who is Archie Harrison?

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor is the first child of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

He was born on 6 May 2019, the year after his parents married.

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Archie is not named after any royal family member - Archie and Harrison are both new names, not formerly given to any monarchs or their extended family.

He was christened using the royal christening gown, at Windsor Castle, and was originally to be raised at the royal residence of Frogmore Cottage, Windsor - but now lives with his parents in Montecito, California.

Why is Archie not a prince?

When Archie’s name was first revealed, it was said that the couple had decided that he wouldn’t be given a royal title as he was to be raised as a private citizen.

However, Meghan told Oprah in her intimate interview that this was not the case.

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Oprah asked Meghan: "How did they explain to you that your son, the great-grandson of the Queen, wasn’t going to be a prince?

"You certainly must have had some conversations with Harry about it, and have your own suspicions as to why they didn’t want to make Archie a prince. Why do you think that is?"

The Duchess replied: "They were saying they didn't want him to be a prince or princess, which would be different from protocol, and that he wasn't going to receive security.

“This went on for the last few months of our pregnancy where I was going, hold on for a second.”

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Meghan added that she was told he would not receive security because he wouldn’t have a title - she told Oprah she would have accepted a title for him if it “meant he was going to be safe”.

The Duchess said her next thoughts were: "Okay, well, he needs to be safe so we’re not saying don’t make him a prince or princess, but if you’re saying the title is what’s going to affect that protection, we haven’t created this monster machine around us in terms of clickbait and tabloid fodder you’ve allowed that to happen which means our son needs to be safe."

She stressed that it was "not our decision to make" and was left feeling upset that Archie - the first child of colour in the family - was left without a title.

Meghan also told how a member of the royal family had raised "concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he was born.”

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She added: "That was relayed to me from Harry. Those were conversations that family had with him.”

Meghan declined to reveal who was involved in those conversations, as it "that would be very damaging to them.”

Should Archie have a title?

While the Royal Family has not responded to any of the claims made in the interview, royal commentators have.

Robert Jobson, an award-winning royal author said: "According to a 1917 Letters of Patent issued by King George V, the title of HRH Prince or Princess is passed to ‘The grandchildren of the sons of any such sovereign in the direct male line (save only the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales) shall have and enjoy in all occasions the style and title enjoyed by the children of dukes of this realm.

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“Both Harry and Meghan know this. Archie, on the other hand, did not qualify to become a prince automatically. In 2012, Queen Elizabeth II issued a Letters Patent to expand on a previous decree that granted such a title only to the eldest son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales."

Why does Prince George have a title?

Prince George has a title as he is the son of the future monarch, and so is given a title in line with the Letters Patent.

The queen’s expansion of this means his siblings - Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - also got a title, as all of the future monarch’s children are now eligible.

However, Archie is not the descendant of a direct heir to the throne and therefore he does not inherit a title.

Is he still in line to the throne?

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Yes, despite not having an official title Archie is still in line to the throne.

At present, he is seventh, preceded by his grandfather, Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and his father, Prince Harry.

Harry and Meghan also revealed on Valentine’s Day that they are expecting their second child, a girl.

Will their second child be given a royal title?

No, it is not expected that any of Prince Harry’s offspring will have a title for the same reasons that Archie doesn’t have a title.

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Harry and Meghan have been stripped of many of their official royal affiliations and titles.

However, the couple still continue to use the titles granted to them on their wedding day, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

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