Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet may soon lose their royal titles in what is being described as a bombshell development that could permanently damage any chances of reconciliation between Prince Harry and Prince William.
According to a royal insider, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, and their children could all be removed from the royal titles list once Prince William takes the throne.
Titles at Risk Despite Stepping Away from Royal Duties
Meghan, 44, and Harry, 41, still hold the titles Duke and Duchess of Sussex, even after stepping back from royal duties five years ago and openly criticizing the monarchy. Their children, Archie and Lilibet, were officially recognized as Prince and Princess following the coronation of King Charles.
A Rare Move: Prince Andrew’s Title Effectively Removed
In recent days, the palace took an almost unprecedented step regarding Prince Andrew’s York Dukedom, effectively sidelining his title amid renewed attention on the scandal surrounding him. Although Prince Andrew issued a public statement saying he voluntarily chose not to use his titles, reports suggest this decision was heavily influenced by Prince William.
Historically, royal dukedoms granted upon marriage have not been revoked even during times of controversy. For example, Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson retained their Duke and Duchess of Windsor titles for life, despite living in exile.
William’s Alleged Plan to Restructure the Monarchy
Respected royal insider Tom Sykes claims that Prince William is preparing for a sweeping reform that will remove titles from non-working royals once he becomes king.
“Prince William will strip Prince Andrew, along with all other non-working royals, of their HRHs and princely titles when he ascends to the throne, friends and allies of the Prince have (said),” Sykes reported in the Daily Beast.
This major shift is said to include the Sussex family as well as William’s cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who would be stripped of both their titles and HRH status.
According to Sykes, “The dramatic change will be effected by an executive royal order known as ‘letters patent’ ratified by Parliament in the early weeks of the reign of King William V.”
Sykes claims this order “will remove princely titles not just from Andrew but also from Beatrice, Eugenie, Harry, Archie, and Lilibet.”
Meghan and Harry’s HRH Status Set to Be Removed
Although Prince Edward and Princess Anne’s children have never used princely titles, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are still officially HRHs, even though they were asked not to use them. According to palace sources, Meghan and Harry will finally have their HRH designations removed.
“Meghan continues to use her HRH despite being ordered not to do so by the late Queen Elizabeth II,” Sykes added.
Archie, now 6, and Lilibet, 4, reside with their parents in a luxurious estate in California and have minimal ties to the British royal family or the United Kingdom.
William’s Vision Aligned with European Monarchies
If Prince William proceeds with these changes, the decision would mirror recent actions taken by other European monarchies. Denmark’s Queen Margrethe made headlines after removing royal titles from several of her grandchildren to streamline the royal family.
Reports indicate William has long admired the Danish royal model, particularly the approach of King Frederik and Queen Mary, and intends to follow a similar path for his reign.