Prince Harry expressed concerns that his brother, Prince William, might take firm action against his family after Prince Andrew lost his military titles and royal patronages on October 30. This development highlighted vulnerabilities in royal statuses, prompting Harry to reassess his own position.
In private discussions, Harry recognized that his royal standing was no longer assured. Sources indicate he anticipated William, upon becoming king, could extend similar measures to him, Meghan Markle, and their children, Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4. The couple announced in 2023 that Archie and Lilibet would use their Prince and Princess titles.
Threats to Children’s Royal Titles
Observers note William’s growing frustration with criticisms originating from the family’s Montecito home and perceptions of Meghan’s commercial use of her royal connections. This tension could lead William to revoke Archie and Lilibet’s titles, signaling a hardline stance with no exceptions.
King Charles III and Prince Harry reached an agreement by late 2022 allowing the children to adopt their titles. Archie and Lilibet automatically qualified as Prince and Princess upon Charles’s accession, though initial usage remained unclear.
Events Following Queen Elizabeth’s Death
After Queen Elizabeth II’s passing in 2022, Charles refrained from immediately removing the Sussexes’ titles or declaring Harry an outsider. However, he excluded them from a Buckingham Palace reception for heads of state, citing it was reserved for working royals—a phrase originally aimed at Prince Andrew.
Charles delayed signing letters patent to formally designate Archie and Lilibet as Their Royal Highnesses. Plans also emerged to amend the Regency Act, eliminating Harry’s role as a counsellor of state due to his lack of a UK residence.
Growing Tensions with Prince Andrew
Relations between Harry and his uncle, Prince Andrew, deteriorated by Charles’s coronation, fueled by reports of Andrew labeling Meghan an opportunist.
Sussexes’ Response to Reports
A spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle rejected these accounts on March 14, asserting they stem from unfounded obsession. The statement read: “Commentary has long crossed the line from criticism into fixation. This is someone who has publicly stated, ‘The monarchy in fact depends on actually obliterating the Sussexes from our state of life.’ He has made a career out of constructing ever more elaborate theories about people he does not know and has never met. Those interested in facts will look elsewhere; those seeking deranged conspiracy and melodrama know exactly where to find him.”
