So it turns out that royal baby Archie WILL become a prince
It was thought that Archie wouldn’t be bothering with fancy titles, but it seems that is not the case.
- Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan welcomed baby Archie earlier this week
- The couple chose to approach their birth announcement in their own way
- The pair announced they were expecting their first child last year while visiting Australia
No title … for now
Meghan and Harry’s first child was born at 5:26 am on 6 May, weighing in at 3.2kg. The couple named their son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, with Harry describing the tiny boy as “absolutely to die for”.
Of course new mum Meghan is equally besotted.
“It’s magic, it’s pretty amazing. I have the two best guys in the world so I’m really happy,” Meghan said during the family’s first photo call.
Young Archie is seventh in line to the throne, right after his dad Prince Harry, but he is not a prince and has not been given a title.
“As the first-born son of a duke, Archie could have assumed the title of Earl of Dumbarton but he will instead simply be known as Master Archie,” the BBC explained earlier this week.
Low key royals?
It was thought that this was part of the royal couple’s push for a more low-profile upbringing for their child, but new reports say the title-less move may simply be a convenience and is actually temporary.
“New Royal baby, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, will become a Prince with his parents’ blessing once his grandfather Prince Charles is King,” the Evening Standard reports.
The newspaper goes on to explain that “The Sussexes have chosen not to give their children courtesy titles at this time, however, on the change of reign the George V convention would apply.”
This George V convention was put in place to limit the amount of ‘grand royal titles’ in usage.
Harry could have asked the Queen to issue what’s known as a Letters Patent – as she did in the case of Prince William’s children George, Charlotte and Louis.
“The Queen has been pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm dated 31 December 2012 to declare that all the children of the eldest son of The Prince of Wales should have and enjoy the style, title and attribute of Royal Highness with the titular dignity of Prince or Princess prefixed to their Christian names or with such other titles of honour,” that 2012 document read.
Keeping it simple
A similar Letters Patent could have made Archie – and any siblings that might turn up – a prince and given him HRH status, but they have apparently decided there is no rush for him to assume the title he’s automatically destined for down the track.
“The Evening Standard understands that Harry and Meghan are happy for their son – who is 7th in line to the throne – to take his rightful title in due course but decided to keep things simple for now,” the Evening Standard report continued.
“When Prince Charles becomes King, all children and grandchildren on the direct male line of the Sovereign automatically gain HRH status.”
So there you go. Archie’s prince-free days are numbered. When The Queen gives up the throne, he’ll be a little prince after all!
