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King Charles has not yet decided whether to allow the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children to use the titles Prince and Princess, according to a royal expert.
The Times royal editor Roya Nikkhaho wrote that the indecision is heightening tensions between Charles, 73, and his youngest son Harry, 38, and wife Meghan, 41.
Following the Queen’s death, who passed away peacefully in Balmoral on September 8, at the age of 96, Archie and Lilibet are entitled to the titles of Prince and Princess as the monarch’s grandchildren.
However, they are still listed on the Royal Family’s website as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.
About the lack of updated titles, the Times reports a spokesperson: ‘The king is focused on the mourning period. It’s unlikely you’ll be aware of any other titles during that period. I’m sure there will be discussions someday.’
King Charles (pictured walking behind his mother, the Queen’s casket as it is transported from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on September 14) is not said to have decided whether to let his youngest grandchildren Archie and Lilibet use the titles Prince and Princess
The reported indecision over the titles is ‘heightened tensions’ between the King and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (pictured at the Queen’s memorial service at Westminster Hall on September 14)
According to Roya Nikkah, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would now “understand their fears that the King will deprive Archie and Lilibet of their titles, following his reluctance to recognize their exalted status immediately after the Queen’s death.”
This comes after royal expert Kate Nicholl told True Royalty TV’s The Royal Beat that King Charles is willing to officially give his youngest grandchildren the titles – but ‘there is a caveat and that caveat is trust’.
Katie explained: “One of the interesting things that came out of all this was the speculation about titles, and Archie and Lilibet…whether they would be officially recognized as Prince and Princess, the titles they owed when Charles became king…’
She continued: ‘They remain ‘Miss’ and ‘Master’ at the moment [on the Royal Website].
“And I’m told that’s a very clear signal from the king. He is willing to give those titles, but it comes with a caveat, and that caveat is confidence.
“They need to know that they can rely on the… [Sussex] family.’
When Archie and Lilibet were born, they were too far in the line of succession to receive the titles of Prince and Princess, due to rules issued by King George V in 1917.
But the Queen’s death means they are now the monarch’s grandchildren, rather than great-grandchildren, and have the right to be addressed as Prince and Princess and to use HRH.
King Charles (pictured here performing official government duties from his red box at Buckingham Palace on Sept. 23) reportedly wants to know he can ‘trust’ the Sussexes
The Times royal editor Roya Nikkhah has written that the Sussexes (pictured) would be concerned that the king would deprive their children of the prince and princess titles
However, it has been reported that as non-working royals, they will not get the HRH titles.
Royal expert Phil Dampier previously told MailOnline that it would be a classic compromise to let them become prince and princess, but not HRH.
He said: ‘The same thing happened to Diana and Fergie after they separated from Charles and Andrew. And of course Sarah Ferguson is still the Duchess of York today.
Harry and Meghan should be happy because using prince or princess sounds good in the United States.
“But while their children are still high in the line of succession, they won’t be working royals, so it’s entirely right they shouldn’t have. [HRH] titles.’
It comes after a source told The Sun: “Harry and Meghan were concerned about the security issue and being prince and princess entitles them to certain levels of royal security. There have been many conversations in the past week.’
The source added: “But they are furious that Archie and Lilibet cannot take the title HRH.
“That’s the deal – they can be prince and princess, but not HRH because they’re not royals.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex during the long walk at Windsor Castle on September 10, two days after the Queen’s death
Meanwhile, the royal editor of the Daily Mirror, Russell Myers, who also appeared in the episode, said there is still some mistrust between the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Sussexes.
He said: ‘I spoke to someone who is very close to William and Kate and they said ‘Don’t let this fool you’ [the time the couples spent together following the death of the Queen].
“I know everyone wants them to come together and have this great truce, but the truce is very, very temporary. [The truce] was for the queen. The Queen was always about unity, especially of her family.
“And she would have wanted the boys to get together, and William certainly invited the Sussexes to come forward and join that walk. But as far as [William] is concerned, there is still a lot of mistrust in the camp.’