The King Charles III era has begun, and some aren't quite sure they like it.
Despite the expectation that Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor would become prince and princess, respectively, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, their royal titles have thus far not been updated. As stated by the Letters Patent issued by King George V, as the grandchildren of the reigning monarch, the two should have automatically had the titles conferred on them.
The royal family's official website has updated the line of succession to reflect changes that have already taken place following the Queen's passing. The top seven positions are as follows: The Prince of Wales, Prince George of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales, Prince Louis of Wales, The Duke of Sussex, Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.
In Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's now infamous interview with Oprah, Meghan spoke at length about how it was expected that Prince Charles would change the Letters Patent to deny her children their right to a title. The British media tore into the humanitarian for making the claim, but now it seems she might be right.
This update is particularly surprising as Meghan has expressed her hope that her children would receive titles, which among other things gives them police protection. Given that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are near-constant targets, especially when visiting the UK, that kind of protection matters.
It's also a startling omission as King Charles has previously been championed as a supporter of a more diverse Britain — but the only two biracial children in the royal family have been denied their right to titles that would help keep them safe.
In 1917, King George V set up rules that entitle the grandchildren of a reigning monarch to the titles of His/Her Royal Highness and/or prince or princess. In order to amend that rule, King Charles will have to issue his own Letters Patent denying his grandchildren that right.
It also can't be suggested that King Charles hasn't had the time to update his grandchildren's titles, as other family members had near immediate updates to their own. Most notably, Prince William and Kate Middleton's social media reflected their updated status as the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge in the immediate hours following the Queen's death.
The pair have inherited a massive fortune with their new Cornwall titles. The Duchy of Cornwall is the largest landholder in the UK and brings in millions and millions of pounds a year in rent and other related income.
