One of the big royal stories of the month turned out to be the “Spencer surname/passport story.” To recap, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children became HRH Prince Archie and HRH Princess Lilibet the moment their grandfather became king, as per the George V Letters Patent. Prince Harry gave his father several months to make up his mind about whether he would alter the letters patent, and Charles did not change it. So Harry applied for British passports for his kids using their new legal names, only their passports were significantly delayed, and Harry believed that Buckingham Palace had a hand in the delay because of the kids’ titles. So Harry went to his uncle, Charles Spencer and asked his advice about changing the family surname from Sussex (or Mountbatten-Windsor) to Spencer.
Along the way, the royalists have latched on to one particular aspect of the story: that Harry allegedly wants his kids to have the “choice” to use their titles when they grow up. That has been loudly interpreted as “Harry wants Archie and Lili to be able to choose to become working royals when they grow up.” An interpretation which has enraged Prince William, who has been plotting for years of all the ways in which he’s going to destroy his niece and nephew and “strip” their titles. Well, within William’s birthday profile in the Times, “sources” once again brought up this whole idiotic storyline.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s children will not be given official roles when Prince William becomes King, insiders have claimed. Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, currently live with their parents in Montecito, California.
Last month, insiders claimed to The Guardian that Harry wanted Archie and Lilibet to have HRH titles so when they are adults they retain the chance to become working royals, should they wish.
However, a report published in The Times over the weekend suggested that such a plan has sparked ‘bemusement in royal circles’, while William ‘doesn’t talk about his brother’ at all anymore.
Citing insiders, it adds: ‘Under the next reign, roles for Archie and Lili as working royals are unlikely.’
Archie and Lili have grown up away from the rest of the royal family and glimpses of them shared by Meghan on Instagram have shown they have American accents.
On their birth certificates, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children are Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor and Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.
I’m of the opinion that the people over there continue to conflate “having a title” with “being a working royal.” Which is not the case – the York princesses have titles and they are not considered working royals whatsoever. Unless Charles – or eventual King William the Wrathful – alters the letters patent, Archie and Lili are simply going to continue to have these vestigial royal titles. And the royals will continue to bitch about it and attack Harry and Meghan.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Meghan’s IG and Avalon Red.
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The Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Cornwall while in Cornwall, during a visit to Tor Bog, an area of restored peatland on Dartmoor, as the Duchy of Cornwall launches a new landscape vision for the moor
Featuring: William, Prince of Wales
Where: London, United Kingdom
When: 12 Jun 2025
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages**NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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The Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Cornwall while in Cornwall, speaks with key stakeholders during his visit to Tor Bog, an area of restored peatland on Dartmoor, as the Duchy of Cornwall launches a new landscape vision for the moor
Featuring: William, Prince of Wales
Where: London, United Kingdom
When: 12 Jun 2025
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages**NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- MANDATORY CREDIT: Chris Allerton – copyright SussexRoyal NEWS EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL USE. NO MERCHANDISING, ADVERTISING, SOUVENIRS, MEMORABILIA or COLOURABLY SIMILAR. NOT FOR USE AFTER FRIDAY JUNE 7, 2019, WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM ROYAL COMMUNICATIONS AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE. This photograph is provided to you strictly on condition that these conditions and restrictions will apply (and that you will pass these on) to any organisation to whom you supply it. There shall be no commercial use whatsoever of the photographs (including by way of example only) any use in merchandising, advertising or any other non-news editorial use. The photograph must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified in any manner or form and must include all of the individuals in the photograph when published. All other requests for use should be directed to the Buckingham Palace Press Office in writing. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are joined by her mother, Doria Ragland, as they show their new son, born Monday and named as Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, to the Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle.
