Meghan Markle ‘s insistence that her children’s royal titles weren’t important quickly changed after she spoke with two members of the royal family, an expert has claimed.
The Duchess of Sussex had previously dismissed the importance of giving Archie, four, and Lilibet, two, a royal title. The youngsters were initially styled as Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor before the headline-making change to Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Despite Meghan’s initial thoughts, the change was made in line with rules laid out in the 1917 Letters Patent by King George V, that grandchildren of the monarch are entitled to hold princely titles.
In their bombshell chat with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, Meghan admitted she didn’t have any “attachment” to the “grandeur” of royal life. But now, a royal expert has claimed the former Suits stat’s dramatic change of heart came after a discussion with Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Despite losing their right to use their HRH status following their decision to step back from royal duties, Harry and Meghan can still be called a Duke and Duchess. And royal expert Neil Sean questioned the input Beatrice and Eugenie had on Meghan’s decision to give her children a royal title.
Princess Beatrice of York and Princess Eugenie of York (
Dave Benett/Getty Images for The)
Meghan’s friendship with Beatrice and Eugenie is said to have changed her thoughts (
Getty Images)
OK reports Sean as saying: “Harry and Meghan are very, very keen to cling onto those royal titles. After much deliberation, Meghan decided that the titles would be a good thing, not just for her but for both her children too. Meghan become very friendly with senior members of the monarchy, predominately Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice.
“After this, Meghan realised how useful a title can be, particularly when you want to move in the correct circles. That is the reason why they want to clutch hold of titles.” He added that Meghan soon became aware of how beneficial the titles can be following her chats with the duo and also noted how Prince Andrew had to push for the pair to have titles of their own.
In March 2023, Harry and Meghan announced their children will now be known as Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet of Sussex. The children’s relationship with their grandfather, King Charles, has been questioned lately, with it said he doesn’t have a bond with the youngsters. Talking in a Hulu show – Prince Harry’s Mission: Life, Family and the Invictus Games – expert Robert Jobson said there is simply no hope for a close relationship with the children because of the distance between them. “Unfortunately for the King, there is really no relationship between the King and his grandchildren because he hasn’t had the opportunity to forge that relationship,” he said.