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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's son will get a royal title after all, but it's not what you think

Meghan, Harry and baby
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and baby Archie. Dominic Lipinski/ AFP/ Getty Images.
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All eyes were on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry this week, as they introduced their son, Archie, to the world. 

When the couple announced his name as "Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor" without a title in front of it, royal fans started to wonder whether the little one would go without HRH status. 

 

It turns out the answer is, confusingly, both yes and no. 

Harry and Markle's son wasn't given a title at birth, but that's not to say he won't have one in the future.

Archie will be given the chance to become a prince, but only when Charles succeeds to the throne. 

This is due to an ancient decree written in 1917 by Queen Elizabeth II's grandfather, George V, which states that only the children and great-grandchildren on the direct male line of the monarch will gain official royal titles.

Read more: Many Americans were surprised Meghan Markle and Prince Harry named their son Archie, but it's more common than you might think

This means that, because Queen Elizabeth II still reigns, Prince Harry, her grandson, is entitled to HRH status. His son, however, will not be entitled to this honor until his grandfather, Prince Charles, ascends to the throne.

An exception was made for Prince William's children when Prince George was born in 2013. The queen issued Letters Patent, which ensured that all of his future children would receive HRH status. 

Kate Middleton and Prince William prince george birth
Prince George was born on July 22, 2013.  Chris Jackson/Getty Images

It is not known whether the queen made this same offer to Harry for his children. It's likely that if she did, he declined the offer. That's because the couple already declined a "courtesy title" — the Earl of Dunbarton — for their son.

However, the child will follow in his father's footsteps and become a duke, according to Richard Fitzwilliams, royal commentator and former editor of "The International Who's Who."

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex wanted their son to be as normal as possible to begin with, hence no use of the title Earl of Dumbarton," explained Fitzwilliams.

"He will, however, inherit Dukedom from Harry."

This wouldn't be entirely surprising. The title of duke is often given to royal men when they reach adulthood or when they get married.

Read more: How Prince Harry and Meghan Markle bucked royal tradition by naming their son Archie

Prince Harry became the Duke of Sussex when he married Markle in 2018, as did Prince William when he became the Duke of Cambridge upon marriage to Kate Middleton in 2011.

So, it appears Archie could be given the titles of both prince and duke when the time is right — but whether he will accept those titles or not are another matter entirely. 

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Mikhaila Friel
Mikhaila Friel
Mikhaila Friel was a senior reporter at Business Insider in the UK, where she covers news and lifestyle topics. Mikhaila began her career at BI in 2019, covering the royal family. Since then, she has covered every major royal event and has been interviewed on global broadcasters, including BBC News and BBC Radio. She interviewed royals around the world for BI's Royally Told series and hosted two virtual panels.Mikhaila also enjoyed writing visual travel features about her adventures at home in Scotland and abroad. In 2023, she shared her experiences island-hopping in Scotland and she also reviewed the 5-star hotel in Sicily where "The White Lotus" was filmed.Major outlets have cited her work, and in 2023, her essay about going on a second date in a graveyard was featured on The Drew Barrymore Show.