One of the most dramatic points in Prince Harry and Meghan’s interview with Oprah Winfrey was the accusation that their son had been deprived of a royal title, possibly because of the color of his skin.
The son of Harry and Meghan, the seventh in line to the British throne, is Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. In contrast, the children of Henry’s older brother, Prince William, are Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Meghan said that while she was pregnant, “they” – probably the palace – “said they didn’t want to be a prince … which would be different from protocol.”
He suggested that it could be the case of “the first black member of this family who does not receive a title in the same way as other grandchildren”.
Has Archie been shredded?
Queen Elizabeth II has nine great-grandchildren, including Archie. They are not princes and princesses, except for the three sons of William, who is second to the throne and is destined to be king one day.
A decree issued by King George V in 1917 limited the titles of prince and princess to children of monarchs, children of children of monarchs and “the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales” – or Prince George, son of Guillermo .
Bob Morris of the Constitution Unit at University College London said the rule was written to reduce the growing number of difficult princely titles.
“Queen Victoria had nine children who were all princes and princesses, then they had children and so on, and George V felt … that something should be done to remedy the situation,” he said.
The Queen has the power to change the rules, and in 2012 she decreed that all children of Prince William and his wife Catherine, not just the eldest, will be princes and princesses.
By the convention of George V, Archie is not a prince, but will become the grandson of a monarch once the current heir to the throne, Prince Charles, becomes king.
In her interview, Meghan said she was told “they want to change the convention for Archie.”
It is unclear what he meant, but Morris said Prince Charles reported “preferring a smaller royal family.”
Archie was eligible for a “courtesy title” at birth, such as Lord Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. At the time, it was reported that Harry and Meghan had decided not to give him a title.
But Meghan told Winfrey that “the decision was not ours.”
Does the title affect Archie’s safety?
Meghan expressed concern that without a title, Archie “was not going to be safe.”
But a royal title as prince or princess does not automatically carry security protection. Full-time gifts – including Meghan and Harry before moving to North America last year – receive taxpayer-funded bodyguards. Senior members of royalty who have jobs outside the family, such as Princess Beatriz and Eugenia, Prince Andrew’s daughters, do not.
What does the palace say?
Buckingham Palace did not respond to specific allegations in the interview. In a statement, he said that “the issues raised, especially the race, are worrying. Although some memories may vary, they are taken very seriously and the family will take care of them privately. “