Will Meghan Markle & Prince Harry's Daughter Be Given a Royal Title? We Investigate
You've probably heard the good news by now: that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expecting their second child, a daughter. That’s right—baby Archie is going to be a big brother. (*Cue trumpets*)
And while we're having trouble trying to contain our excitement, we wonder if the baby will be given an official title and, if so, which title will she be given? Princess? Duchess? Lady? Despite Meghan and Harry’s firstborn being bestowed a fancy title from the queen herself (which they denied), it's less clear if the new child will be given the same honor, considering the couple decided to step down as senior members of the royal family.
Allow us to explain.
Per a royal family rule, the titles of “prince” and “princess” (as well as “his or her royal highness”) are reserved for children or grandchildren of the monarch. So, when Archie was born, he was offered the aristocratic title, Earl of Dumbarton (Not too shabby, but it’s no HRH.). However, the duke and duchess denied such title and opted to instead call him "Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor."
"The eldest son of any duke can take his father's second title as a courtesy title, which in his case is Earl of Dumbarton,” Thomas Woodcock, Garter King of Arms, told Newsweek. “Any daughter would automatically, as the daughter of a duke, be Lady and then her Christian name…and then Mountbatten-Windsor."
According to King, Archie was not recorded as a lord because the title he was entitled to was turned down by the duo. However, this decision won’t affect the couple’s daughter, and she will likely receive the title lady.
Wait, but what about George, Char and Louis? OK, here’s where it gets a little complicated. Thanks to another confusing (and um, sexist) rule, George was always entitled to be HRH Prince George, since he is the eldest son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales. Charlotte, on the other hand, was not entitled to the same honor and would have been Lady Charlotte Mountbatten-Windsor had the queen not stepped in.
While Kate Middleton (aka the Duchess of Cambridge—still with us?) was pregnant with Charlotte, the queen issued a rule, stating: “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.”
Translation? All of Prince William’s children (i.e., not just George) can be a prince or princess. Because what Gan-Gan says goes.
One thing we know for certain? We can't wait for the arrival of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s little Lady...
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