Meghan Markle posts Prince Archie birthday tribute on Instagram

Q: As King William plans a 'slimmed-down monarchy,' are Archie and Lilibet's royal titles truly secure?

Yes—Archie and Lilibet’s titles are secure under current rules, even if a future King William pursues a “slimmed-down monarchy.” The key reason is legal entitlement. Under King George V’s 1917 Letters Patent, the children of the sovereign’s sons are entitled to be prince or princess. When Charles became king in 2022, Archie and Lilibet automatically became Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet as grandchildren of the monarch through Prince Harry. Buckingham Palace later recognized those titles. What is less secure is not the titles themselves, but any future royal role. A “slimmed-down monarchy” generally refers to reducing the number of working royals who carry out official duties and receive institutional support. Archie and Lilibet live in California, are not working royals, and there is no sign they are being prepared for public royal duties. In that sense, William could keep the monarchy tightly focused without touching their titles. Could a monarch remove the titles? In theory, yes—but it would be politically difficult and constitutionally sensitive. It would likely require a formal legal step, such as new Letters Patent, and could trigger wider debate about precedent, fairness and the line between family status and public function. There is no confirmed move underway to do that. So the practical answer is that their prince and princess titles remain intact, while their future as active royals looks far less certain. That distinction matters more than the speculation.

3 articles · Updated · E! NEWS · May 6

The post for Archie’s seventh birthday on 6 May included two photos, one showing his face as a baby on Prince Harry’s chest and another with Princess Lilibet, 4, on a beach.
The latest tribute adds a clearer glimpse of Archie, whose birthday was previously reported as being celebrated privately with family in California.
Archie, born in London on 6 May 2019, has largely been kept out of public view since Harry and Meghan moved to California after stepping back as senior royals.