Meghan Markle gave birth to a son on Monday, but because of an obscure rule, he is not technically a “royal” just yet.
On Monday morning, Prince Harry informed reporters that Markle had given birth to a happy, healthy son. There are few details on the baby so far, but according to a report by the Daily Mail, the infant still is not technically a royal thanks to rule set in place by King George V during World War I.
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King George V imposed a limit on royal titles within the family during the war. In letters patent published in December of 1917, he wrote: “the titles of Royal Highness, Highness or Serene Highness, and the titular dignity of Prince and Princess shall cease except those titles already granted and remaining unrevoked.”
This may have had something to do with the schism in the royal family at the time, as some of the king’s relatives had fought on the German side in the war. Still, the rule remains in effect to this day, withholding the style of “prince” or “princess” from anyone outside of the monarch’s children and grandchildren.
Thankfully, there is already a well-established precedent to get around this rule on a case-by-case basis. Queen Elizabeth II has already decreed that Prince William and Kate Middleton’s three children get their royal titles. They are known to the world as Prince George, Princess Charlotte an Prince Louis, although they were not technically born that way.
The Queen will presumably do the same for her new great-grandson, whose name we still do not know. Markle and Prince Harry’s child will be seventh in line for the throne, so it seems logical that he get his royal title from birth. Even if she did not issue this decree, the baby would assume the title when Prince Charles takes the throne, as he would be the new king’s grandson.
It may be a while yet before the public gets a look at Prince Harry and Markle’s son, or more details on his birth. The couple has decided to keep things more private than Prince William and Middleton did, with no same-day photo ops or formal unveiling to the press. Markle gave birth in a more private hospital outside of the city, and will recover in Frogmore Cottage rather than the palace.
