Prince Edward and Sophie: Expert discusses children’s titles
The Royal Family’s tradition of handing out titles to the Queen’s descendants has come under scrutiny this week. During her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan Markle expressed concern that her son Archie had not been given the status of a prince. She also said that it had been neither her nor her husband’s decision, and suggested that her son’s title was not just a gesture of grandeur, but directly tied to the level of security he might receive from the Royal Family.
However, the Queen’s youngest son Prince Edward agreed not to pass an HRH prefix, or the titles of Prince or Princess, onto his children when they were born, either.
As male-line grandchildren of the reigning monarch, his offspring have the same right to a princely title as the children of both Prince Charles and Prince Andrew.
Yet, on the day Edward married Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999, it was announced that they would take the titles of the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
While they both received the style of HRH, Edward was the first son of a monarch since King George I of the 18th Century not to be made a Duke upon marriage.
The statement from the couple’s wedding announced, with both Edward and Sophie’s consent, that any children they had would not be given the style of HRH.
Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and Prince Edward (Image: Getty)
Edward’s children do not have titles — neither do Meghan’s (Image: Getty)
It read: “The Queen has…
