Meghan and Harry’s children Archie and Lilibet could fly to UK for Queen’s funeral

With Harry and Meghan expected to remain in Britain for at least two weeks, talk has turned to whether Archie and Lilibet will join them.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s two children may join their parents in the UK for the Queen’s funeral.

Prince Archie, 3, and Princess Lilibet Diana, 1, are being cared for by Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, at the family’s California home in Montecito.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in the UK one week ago for a series of charity obligations, and were only planning to spend seven days in Europe before Her Majesty’s death on Friday morning (AEST).

Harry, 37, and Meghan, 41, are now expected to remain in Britain for the entire mourning period, which extends beyond the Queen’s funeral on September 19 for a further seven days.

“The Sussexes are said to be trying to decide whether Meghan’s mum Doria Ragland should fly out with the kids at some point next week,” a royal source told London’s The Telegraph.

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Archie and Lilibet could join their parents in the UK. Picture: Alexi Lubomirski/Handout/The Duke and Duchess of Sussex

Harry and Meghan are expected to spend at least another two weeks in Britain. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

It would mark the second time Lilibet, who was born in June 2021, would be visiting the UK, having met the Queen for the first time during her platinum jubilee celebrations in June.

Meanwhile, Archie was born in London in May 2019, but has spent most of his life in California after the couple stepped down as senior royals and moved abroad in early 2020.

Following the Queen’s death and King Charles’ ascension, the Mountbatten-Windsor children are entitled to the titles of His Royal Highness Prince Archie of Sussex and Her Royal Highness Princess Lilibet of Sussex.

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.

However, it is possible for the new monarch to change guidelines set by his predecessor.

Archie has not been in the UK since early 2020. Picture: Dominic Lipinski / POOL / AFP

The Royal Family’s official website has already edited its line of succession, but refers to Archie as a ‘Master’ and Lilibet as a ‘Miss’.

Elsewhere, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s children’s titles were altered to include the ‘Wales’ title, and are referred to as ‘Prince George of Wales’, ‘Princess Charlotte of Wales’ and ‘Prince Louis of Wales’.

Meghan previously claimed there had been “conversations” while she was pregnant about Charles enacting the change on his appointment as monarch, 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 her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021.

The Royal Family’s website has edited Will and Kate’s kids titles on its line of succession page, however, has not referred to Archie and Lilibet as ‘prince’ and ‘princess’. Picture: Chris Jackson / POOL / AFP

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.

“All the grandeur around this stuff is not really important to me,” Meghan said.

“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.”

Originally published as Meghan and Harry’s children Archie and Lilibet could fly to UK for Queen’s funeral