The reign of King Charles III has started, and not everyone is pleased.
Despite the assumption that Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor would be elevated to the status of prince and princess upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II, their royal titles have yet to be altered. According to King George V’s Letters Patent, being the current monarch’s grandkids, the two should have immediately received the titles.
The line of succession on the royal family’s official website has been changed to reflect developments that have already occurred after the Queen’s death. The Prince of Wales, Prince George of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales, Prince Louis of Wales, The Duke of Sussex, Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor are the top seven.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s now-famous interview with Oprah discussed how Prince Charles was anticipated to modify the Letters Patent to restrict her children’s claim to a title. The British media slammed the humanitarian for making the allegation, but it now appears she was correct.
This is especially remarkable given Meghan’s apparent desire for her kids to be granted titles, which provide them with police protection among other benefits. Given that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are near-constant targets, particularly while visiting the UK, this type of security is essential.
It’s also a surprising absence given that King Charles had previously been hailed as a proponent of a more diverse Britain — yet the royal family’s only two multiracial kids have been denied the privilege to titles that would help safeguard them.
In 1917, King George V established laws granting the titles of His/Her Royal Highness and/or prince or princess to the grandkids of a reigning monarch. To change that norm, King Charles must issue his own Letters Patent refusing his grandsons the right.
It also cannot be argued that King Charles has not had time to alter his grandchildren’s titles, given that other family members’ titles were updated almost immediately. In the hours following the Queen’s death, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s social media accounts showed their new titles as Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge.
With their new Cornwall titles, the couple has received tremendous wealth. The Duchy of Cornwall is the UK’s largest landowner, bringing in millions of pounds in rent and other associated income each year.
