One of the most dramatic points in Prince Henry and Meghan’s interview with Oprah Winfrey was the allegation that her son was deprived of a royal title, possibly because of the color of his skin.
The son of Henry and Meghan, seventh in line to the British throne, is Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. In contrast, the children of Enrique’s older brother, Prince William, are Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Meghan said that while she was pregnant “they” – presumably the palace – “were saying they didn’t want him to be a prince … which would be different from protocol.”
He hinted that it could be the case of the “first colored member in this family not to receive a title in the same way that other grandchildren would receive.”
Was Archie scorned?
Queen Elizabeth II has nine great-grandchildren, including Archie. They are not princes and princesses, apart from the three sons of William, who is second in line to the throne and is destined to be king one day.
A decree issued by King George V in 1917 limits the titles of prince and princess to children of monarchs, children of children of monarchs and “the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales” – or Prince George , son of William.
Bob Morris, of the University College London’s Constitution Unit, said the rule was drafted to cut back on the growing number of difficult-to-handle titles of princely degrees.
“Queen Victoria had nine children who were all princes and princesses, and then they had children and others, and George V considered … that something had to be done to fix the situation,” he said.
The queen has the power to amend the rules, and in 2012 decreed that all children of Prince William and his wife Catherine, not just the eldest, would be princes and princesses.
Under the convention of George V, Archie is not a prince, but will become the grandson of a monarch once the current heir to the throne, Prince Charles, is king.
In her interview, Meghan said she was told she “wants to change the convention for Archie.”
It is unclear what he meant, but Morris said Prince Charles has reported that he “prefers a smaller royal family.”
Archie was eligible for a “courtesy title” at birth, as Lord Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. At the time, it was reported that Enrique and Meghan had decided not to give him a title.
But Meghan told Winfrey that “the decision was not ours.”
Does the title affect Archie’s safety?
Meghan expressed concern that without a title, Archie “wasn’t going to get security.”
But a real title like prince or princess does not automatically entail security protection. Full-time royalty members – including Meghan and Enrique before they moved to North America last year – receive taxpayer-funded bodyguards. Senior members of the royalty who have jobs outside the family, such as Princesses Beatriu and Eugènia, daughters of Prince Andreu, do not.
What does the palace say?
Buckingham Palace has not responded to specific allegations in the interview. In a statement, he said “the issues raised, particularly that of race, are worrisome. While some memories may vary, they are taken very seriously and the family will take care of them privately.”