28 November 2023 , 08:00
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were left 'hurt' there was a delay in granting their children Prince and Princess titles, an explosive new book claims.
It was formally revealed in March of this year that the Sussexes' children were officially Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet after an update to the Royal Family website. As the grandchildren of the monarch, they were entitled to use their styles as soon as Charles ascended to the throne.
However, it took a full six months for this to be reflected on the official Royal Family website, whereas the new titles for the Prince and Princess of Wales' children George, Charlotte and Louis to reflect their new Wales status were updated much sooner.
Harry and Meghan were said to be left hurt in the delay over confirming titles for their children (AFP via Getty Images)And now in bombshell new book Endgame, royal biographer Omid Scobie writes that the King avoided the subject of new titles for Archie and Lilibet until early 2023 when he told Harry he would "make it official" - but nothing was done until a month later when a press secretary told Harry and Meghan's team the change would be made.
Mr Scobie writes: "The Palace blamed the delay on the site's periodic update schedule but refused to explain why they didn't just change the titles at the same time as publishing William and Kate's new Wales titles in September 2022. 'They see the way their children are treated differently and that's hard to feel comfortable with', said a friend of the Sussexes."
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Four-year-old Archie and two-year-old Lilibet weren't given HRH titles at birth due to their position in the line of succession. However, Harry and Meghan were understood to be keen to not deny their children their birthright and to allow them the chance to decide for themselves when older whether to drop or keep using the titles.
Harry and Meghan with their children Archie and Lilibet (alexilubomirski/Instagram)
Harry with his father King Charles (Getty Images)News of their new titles came when Harry and Meghan confirmed the christening of Lilibet had taken place back in March. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's spokesman said at the time: "I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3 by the Archbishop of Los Angeles, the Rev John Taylor."
The christening took place privately at the Sussexes' home in California but no other members of the royal family attended the intimate ceremony 'despite being invited'. A royal source told The Mirror at the time: "As the Duke and Duchess have now confirmed this, the website will now be updated in due course."
They confirmed the King was notified of Harry and Meghan's intention to use the titles for their children, adding: "The appropriate conversations have taken place ahead of today’s news (of Lilibet’s christening)." Among the other claims made in Endgame are that there is a rift between the King and the Prince of Wales, that Queen Camilla has "quietly thanked" Piers Morgan for "defending the Firm" and that a timid Princess of Wales has to be encouraged to perform engagements.
The book also makes a series of claims involving the Sussexes – including that William was involved in "things that have gone out about his own brother", that the elder brother ignored texts from Harry when the family were making their way to Balmoral before the late Queen died last year and that Charles and Meghan exchanged letters in the wake of her interview with Oprah Winfrey.
The alleged letters are said to reveal the identity of two people the Duchess claimed, in the TV interview, aired 'concerns' about the colour of then-unborn Prince Archie’s skin.