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Daily Record
Daily Record
Entertainment
Ryan Merrifield & Tasha Hall & Liam Buckler

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry say royal titles are 'birthright' of their children in new statement

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have said they believe their children's royal titles, Lilibet and Archie, are a "birthright" in a recently released statement.

The news comes following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex having baptised Princess Lilibet Diana earlier this month, confirming the news on Friday despite Charles, Camilla, William and Kate not being present.

We previously reported how the private christening took place at the Sussexes’ home in California with around 20 to 30 people in attendance for the celebration.

A spokesman for the couple said, as reported by The Mirror: "The children's titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became Monarch. This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's spokesman said: “I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3 by the Archbishop of Los Angeles, the Rev John Taylor.”

Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor has been referred to as 'Princess' for the first time (PA)

A royal source told The Mirror: “As the Duke and Duchess have now confirmed this, the website will now be updated in due course.”

The online website's 'line of succession' previously described the Sussex children as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.

Lilibet, one, and her older brother Archie, three, weren't given HRH titles at birth due to their position on the list - sixth and seventh, respectively.

Harry and Meghan have reportedly been keen to not "deny their children" their birthright and rather allow them the chance to decide for themselves when they become older to keep the royal titles or drop them.

But it is the first time Lili has been publicly referred to as Princess.

It is understood Lili's title of princess and Archie's title as a prince will be used in formal settings, but not in everyday conversational use by the couple.

When they were born, they were great-grandchildren of the Monarch (late Queen Elizabeth), which meant they were eligible for HRH titles.

The rules set out by King George V in 1917 mean Archie and Lili, as the children of a son of a sovereign, are automatically a prince and a princess and also now have an HRH style if they choose to use it.

It was the same situation for Prince William and Princess Kate's children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Prince George is required to be HRH as he will one day be king. However, as Harry is less senior than his brother William, it didn't apply to his children.

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