King Charles has sparked a firestorm of controversy with unprecedented actions, stirring ire among certain members of the Royal family and supporters of Prince Harry and Meghan, according to numerous reports.
It's been revealed that King Charles has formally notified the British Parliament of his intention to advance legislation aimed at stripping Royal titles and status from Harry and Meghan's children, Archie and Lilibet. Should this legislation pass, it would effectively revoke Lilibet's title as Princess and preempt any future claims Harry might have to the throne.
Supporters of the Sussexes are incensed by what they perceive as a petty and vindictive move by Charles, viewing it as a punitive measure to undercut Harry and Meghan's standing following their criticisms of the Royal family and their decision to step back from Royal duties. On the other side of the debate, defenders of Charles argue that as Monarch, he is well within his rights to regulate the use of Royal titles and privileges.
Let's delve into the specifics of what this proposed legislation entails and its potential ramifications. When Harry and Meghan tied the knot in 2018, the Queen issued letters patent granting titles to any offspring they might have. This granted Archie the title of His Royal Highness and bestowed upon Lily the title of Princess upon her birth earlier this year. However, Harry and Meghan's withdrawal from Royal duties in 2020 and their subsequent move to California, coupled with their televised criticisms of the institution in their Oprah interview last year, strained relations deeply.
Now, as King Charles seeks to delineate clearer distinctions between senior working Royals and those residing overseas, he categorizes Harry and Meghan firmly in the latter group. Sources indicate that Charles is resolute in his determination to reduce the number of key Royals, believing that the public no longer wishes to foot the bill for an expanding loosely affiliated Royal contingent.
The legislation Charles aims to push through Parliament would amend the letters patent issued by his late mother, altering the regulations concerning the use of Prince or Princess titles. Specifically, it would restrict the use of these titles to grandchildren of The Sovereign who are in the direct line of succession. As Archie and Lily are great-grandchildren of the current Sovereign and not directly in line for the throne, they would forfeit their titles of Prince and Princess under these proposed changes.
This rule change would also affect any future children of Prince Edward and Sophie, who are further down the line of succession. Consequently, this move effectively strips formal Royal status from Harry and Meghan's children, symbolically significant given Lily's tender age. It also diminishes Harry's standing by distancing his children from the institution at a familial level, rendering them akin to any other private citizen.
There are potential implications for succession as well, as titles like Prince and Princess are typically hereditary within the Royal family. This alteration denies any potential children of Harry in the future a step towards direct inclusion, which could be argued as diminishing their qualifications for succession.
Supporters of Charles argue that he is modernizing the institution and streamlining it, merely revising rules that his mother adjusted. Some also contend that he has a duty as king to safeguard the Crown's resources from what they perceive as the commercialization of the Royal Family by the Sussexes in America. However, to supporters of Harry and Meghan, this move seems petty and directly targeted at the couple and their children.
Megan's allies have responded with anger, with one source telling The Daily Beast that such an action would be the final blow to the relationship. Journalist Omid Scobie echoed these sentiments, implying that the rift between Charles and the Sussexes may now be irreparable.
Given the widespread outrage, it remains to be seen whether Charles will press forward with these changes through Parliament. While the King does possess the authority to shape laws concerning the monarchy structure, alienating supporters across the Commonwealth could jeopardize his image as a modernizing monarch committed to diversity and inclusion. Already, some commentators are labeling the proposal as risky and divisive.
