Meghan Markle not aware Archie and Lilibet would become Prince and Princess

Meghan’s past comments have resurfaced as the Sussex children adopt the new titles of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet following the Queen’s passing.

New reports suggest Meghan Markle wasn’t aware her children’s titles would change following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, leaving the Duchess in an awkward position given past suggestions Archie was denied a title due to racism within the royal family.

RELATED: Get the latest news on the Royal family following the Queen’s death

Under long-held traditions of the monarchy, with King Charles’ ascension, the two children of Meghan and Harry would receive titles of His Royal Highness Prince Archie of Sussex and Her Royal Highness Princess Lilibet of Sussex as the line of succession changes.

This would be in-keeping with conventions set out George V in 1917, which state the grandchildren of the monarch automatically receive royal titles. In the past, great-grandchildren have not.

It is possible for the new monarch to change guidelines set by his predecessor.

Meghan previously claimed there had been “conversations” while she was pregnant about King Charles enacting the change on his appointment, meaning Archie would lose his right to a title.

“I think even with that convention I’m talking about, while I was pregnant, they said they want to change the convention for Archie,” she said in the interview.

Speaking to Oprah, Meghan said the concerns had been raised at the same time she was told Archie would not receive security as he was not a prince.

She said: “All the grandeur around this stuff is not really important to me.

“But in those months when I was pregnant, all around same time: we have in tandem he won’t be given security, a title and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born.”

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It seems Meghan was not expecting her children to receive new titles. Picture: AFP.

Charles mentions Meghan and Harry in first speech as King

In a prerecorded speech, the new King confirmed his wife Camilla was now Queen Consort and Prince William and Kate were to be the new Prince and Princess of Wales.

In what could be seen as an attempt to thaw the frosty relations between the royal family and the Sussexes, he went on to express his “love” for his son and daughter-in-law.

“I want to also express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas,” King Charles said.

“Queen Elizabeth was a life well lived; a promise with destiny kept and she is mourned most deeply in her passing. That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today.”

His Majesty The King addresses the Nation and the Commonwealth. pic.twitter.com/xQXVW5PPQ2

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 9, 2022

He did not mention title changes in relation to their children.

Meghan’s Balmoral no-show

Meghan Markle did not accompany Prince Harry to Balmoral after news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death on Thursday.

The 96-year-old British monarch died “peacefully” at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Thursday evening local time, Buckingham Palace confirmed in a statement.

Senior royals rushed to Aberdeenshire ahead of her death, where they were expected to stay overnight, with 37-year-old grandson Harry pictured arriving separately, reportedly missing seeing his grandmother before she passed away.

Prince Harry travelled solo to meet the rest of his family. Picture: Getty Images.

He was photographed in the back seat of a car by himself, while wife Meghan, 41, remained in London. This came despite a spokesperson for the Sussexes earlier saying that they would travel to Scotland together following news of the Queen’s declining health.

The BBC’s royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell has since offered a reason for the seemingly last-minute change of plans, saying on-air: “She [Meghan] might not be terribly warmly welcomed, to be perfectly candid about it.”

New reports suggest Meghan was told to stay in London. Picture: AFP.

Meghan’s past claims about Archie’s title

Last year, in her interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan suggested there was an underlying reason Archie was denied the title of prince, while explaining it would have entitled him to added security.

It was while answering Winfrey’s question about Archie’s lack of title that Meghan dropped the bombshell remark made by a senior royal about the colour of her son’s skin.

It later came out that Archie was given the optional titles of Earl of Dumbarton or Lord Archie, but his parents opted for Master Archie.

“How did they explain to you that your son, the great-grandson of the Queen, wasn’t going to be a prince?,” Winfrey had asked.

“You certainly must have had some conversations with Harry about it and had your own suspicions as to why they didn’t want to make Archie a prince. Why do you think that is?”

Meghan began by explaining the palace decreed that Archie would not have any title because it would be “different from protocol.”

“They didn’t want him to be a prince … which would be different from protocol, and that he wasn’t going to receive security,” she told Oprah.

She added, “we have in tandem the conversation of, ‘He won’t be given security. He’s not going to be given a title.’ And also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born.”

Days after the tell-all, the Queen released a statement saying: “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.

“The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.

“Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved family members.”

The interview prompted wild speculation about who the “racist royal” could be.

In July, a book written claimed Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles had made a remark speculating whether the couple’s son Archie would have a “ginger afro”, however this was shut down by anonymous sources close to Harry and Meghan.

The couple have also confirmed that it was not Queen Elizabeth or Prince Philip.

Meghan and Harry have not revealed who the ‘racist royal’ was. Picture: AFP.

Royal rules long-questioned by the Duchess

The Duchess of Sussex has questioned royal rules and conventions since marrying Prince Harry, with the former Suits actress expressing notable confusion over why it wasn’t possible to remain senior royal family members while working independently in their own careers.

In the couple’s non-official autobiography, the controversial Finding Freedom, written by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand with suggestions from the pair, it is claimed Meghan wanted leeway to work on her own projects.

According to the reporters’ sources, the couple did attempt to air their grievances with the institution but it fell on deaf ears ultimately resulting in the couple growing impatient and announcing their departure.

Meghan has struggled with royal conventions since joining the family. Picture: AFP.

“If other members of the family and those working with the households had taken their requests more seriously, it wouldn’t have reached that point,” the authors wrote.

“While they both respected the hierarchy of the institution, it was difficult when they wanted to focus on a project and were told that a more senior ranking family member, be it Prince William or Prince Charles, had an initiative or tour being announced at the same time – so they would just have to wait.”

After the duo announced they were stepping down as senior royals, Harry was stripped of his honorary military appointments, a consequence he wasn’t expecting.

According to Finding Freedom, Harry was “emotional” over the Queen’s move.

Originally published as Meghan Markle not aware Archie and Lilibet would become Prince and Princess