Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Son Archie Isn't a Prince—Here's Why
Sound the alarms: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal baby is here! The only surprise: The couple's new son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor doesn't have a title. The royal family has a lot of rules about who receives titles, but they're also known to turn them down from time to time. Here's what you need to know about the newest addition's official name.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Titles
The couple officially got their titles His and Her Royal Highness The Duke and Duchess of Sussex when they married last year on May 19, 2018. The Queen traditionally hands out new titles on wedding days - like Prince William and Kate Middleton becoming the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge - and this one came as no surprise.
Without the monarch's intervention, Meghan would have simply become Her Royal Highness, Princess Henry of Wales - not Harry, mind you, but the feminized styling of her husband's official name. Becoming a duchess served as a prestigious bonus, even if she's not "Princess Meghan" per se. (Princesses only descend from royal blood, which is why it's not "Princess Kate" or technically even "Princess Diana.")
The Royal Baby's Title
Even with their fancy-sounding addresses, the couple's son doesn't get the same treatment. In fact, the baby will not use a title at all, royal correspondents are reporting. His name is simply Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
They could have called their son the Earl of Dumbarton (his father's secondary title used in Scotland), peerage expert William Bortrick told PEOPLE, but apparently decided against it.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not the first royals to decline a courtesy title for their children. The Queen's daughter Princess Anne did the same thing for her kids several decades ago. "I’m very lucky that both my parents decided to not use the title and we grew up and did all the things that gave us the opportunity to do," Zara Tindall told The Times in 2012.
Prince Edward, the Queen's son, and Sophie Rhys-Jones also decided with the monarch in 1999 that their kids Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn would not be called a princess or prince even though they were entitled to it.
The couple attributed this to a "clear personal wish ... appropriate to the likely future circumstances of their children." With Archie already a distant seventh in line to the throne, Prince Harry and Meghan may also like the idea of a more subdued role for their child.
Speaking of subdued, there's a strong chance Archie would also go by another last name in school. Just like how Prince George is known as "George Cambridge" in his classroom, his cousin could use the last name "Sussex" when it comes time to enroll in preschool.
How the Title Could Change
Archie could still adopt a title later on. When Prince Charles becomes king, Archie's parents will have the option to call him "Prince Archie," royal contributor Victoria Murphy pointed out.
That's allowed under the Letters Patent issued by King George V in 1917. The decree essentially limited royal titles amongst the monarch's great-grandchildren, but permits them amongst grandchildren.
One thing's for certain: As of right now, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's baby isn't a prince. That doesn't mean that he isn't extraordinarily cute.
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