Archie and Lilibet: Their Names, Titles and Public Royal Role

Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet hold royal titles and places in the British line of succession, yet neither child works for the monarchy. Their family connection reaches Prince Harry, Queen Elizabeth II, and Diana, Princess of Wales, while their upbringing remains centered in California rather than palace life. Their position also fits a wider European pattern in which royal families separate titles, succession rights, institutional membership, and public duties instead of treating them as one status. That distinction explains much of the continuing interest in their names, titles, and future.

They are the children of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Archie was born in London on May 6, 2019. Lilibet was born in Santa Barbara, California, on June 4, 2021. As of July 9, 2026, Archie is 7 and Lilibet is 5.

What Archie’s Name Says About His Family

Harry and Meghan announced their son’s name as Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor on May 8, 2019, two days after his birth.

Archie is commonly treated as a shorter form of Archibald. Harry and Meghan have never publicly said that meanings associated with Archibald guided their choice, so claims about a private reason remain speculation.

Harrison carries a clearer family connection. The name literally means son of Harry.

Mountbatten-Windsor reflects the family line created by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Windsor is the royal house name. Mountbatten came from the surname Philip adopted before his marriage. Certain descendants use the combined surname when they need one.

Archie did not receive the title of prince at birth, so Mountbatten-Windsor appeared in his original public name. Reports later said the family began using Sussex as a shared surname in everyday settings. Prince William and Prince Harry used Wales at school and during military service because their father was then Prince of Wales.

Why Lilibet Diana Carries Two Direct Tributes

The couple announced their daughter as Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor on June 6, 2021. Their official birth announcement said Lilibet honored Queen Elizabeth II, whose family nickname was Lilibet. It also said Diana honored Harry’s late mother.

Her parents commonly call her Lili. The announcement stated that she was born at 11:40 a.m. at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces.

The choice of Lilibet led to conflicting media accounts. A Sussex spokesperson said Harry spoke with the Queen before the public announcement and would not have used the name without her support. Other reports, based on unnamed palace sources, disputed the suggestion that formal permission had been requested.

Queen Elizabeth II never issued a public statement that settled the disagreement. Claims about the exact private conversation remain unresolved. No public record proves either private account in full.

Why Neither Child Was a Prince or Princess at Birth

Archie and Lilibet were great-grandchildren of Queen Elizabeth II when they were born.

Rules established under King George V in 1917 generally extended princely status to the monarch’s children, male-line grandchildren, and the eldest son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales. Queen Elizabeth II changed part of that arrangement in 2012 so every child of Prince William could receive the title.

That change covered Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. It did not extend the same automatic status to Prince Harry’s children while Elizabeth remained Queen.

Archie could have used a courtesy title connected to Harry’s peerage, widely identified as Earl of Dumbarton. His parents did not publicly style him that way. Lilibet also remained without a princess title at birth for the same generational reason.

The Event That Changed Their Titles

Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, and Prince Charles became King Charles III. Archie and Lilibet then became male-line grandchildren of the reigning monarch.

That change made them eligible to use prince and princess titles under the established framework. Harry and Meghan first publicly used Princess Lilibet’s title when they announced her private christening in March 2023.

On March 9, 2023, the Royal Family’s website updated the children’s names to Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex. The official succession page continues to use those styles.

The titles identify their family and constitutional position. They do not assign a job. A prince or princess can hold a title without conducting engagements, receiving public funding for duties, or representing the monarch.

Their Exact Place in the Line of Succession

The official order currently places William, Prince of Wales, first. His children follow him: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Prince Harry is fifth. Archie is sixth, and Lilibet is seventh.

The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 ended the rule that allowed younger sons to move ahead of older sisters for people born after October 28, 2011. A younger brother would therefore not displace Lilibet solely because he was male.

Succession records who could inherit the throne under law. It does not provide a salary, palace office, schedule of appearances, or automatic future career for either child.

What Their Public Royal Role Actually Includes

Archie and Lilibet are not working royals. They do not conduct regular engagements for King Charles. They have no announced royal patronages and do not appear as routine representatives of the monarch in the Court Circular.

The Royal Family’s official Sussex page confirms that Harry and Meghan stepped back as working members in 2020. Buckingham Palace later announced in February 2021 that they would not return to that role. Their children were never assigned working positions.

The children’s public royal role is therefore limited to family identity, titles, and succession. The practical test uses three official systems. The succession page records their constitutional places. The Royal Diary publishes official engagements up to eight weeks ahead. The Court Circular records completed royal engagements. Archie and Lilibet appear in the first system, but they have no regular role in the other two.

Public discussion often combines HRH, prince or princess titles, and working royal duties. They are separate questions. No verified announcement gives Archie or Lilibet an active role based on an HRH style.

A Childhood With Limited Public Appearances

Archie appeared before reporters at Windsor Castle on May 8, 2019. Later that year, he accompanied his parents during their official visit to southern Africa and appeared at a meeting with Desmond Tutu in Cape Town.

On his first birthday in May 2020, Meghan read Duck! Rabbit! with him in a fundraising video for children affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Later appearances came through photographs, family footage, or projects controlled by his parents. None counted as an official engagement for the monarch.

Lilibet has had an even more limited public presence. Her first widely released photograph appeared on the family’s 2021 holiday card. Her parents later released a portrait taken around her first birthday during the family’s June 2022 visit to Britain.

She was christened at the family’s California home on March 3, 2023. The announcement of that private event introduced her princess title publicly. She has not attended a royal engagement in an official capacity.

Why Their Lives Differ From Their Royal Cousins

Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis appear at major royal events because their parents are senior working royals and William is heir to the throne. Their public exposure supports the future working monarchy.

Archie and Lilibet live primarily in California. Harry and Meghan handle charitable, media, and commercial work independently of the Royal Household. They release selected images and personal details but do not provide recurring press access or scheduled photocalls for the children.

A comparison with three European monarchies shows that Archie and Lilibet’s position is unusual but not isolated. Denmark removed prince and princess titles from Prince Joachim’s four children in 2023 while preserving their succession places. Sweden allows several of the King’s grandchildren to retain prince or princess titles while excluding them from the smaller Royal House and withholding the Royal Highness style. In the Netherlands, Prince Constantijn’s three children remain in the succession while sitting outside the legally defined Royal House. Britain follows a fourth model: Archie and Lilibet retain princely titles and succession places but hold no working role, regular engagement schedule, or announced patronages.

The Current Position in July 2026

The Royal Family website continues to recognize Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex. Archie remains sixth in line to the throne, and Lilibet remains seventh.

Neither has an announced program of palace engagements, public patronages, or duties for King Charles. A report published July 4, 2026 said Meghan and the children would not accompany Harry to his scheduled London events because of continuing security concerns. At that point, travel elsewhere in Britain had not been completely ruled out.

The comparison identifies four different ways modern monarchies manage relatives outside the central working institution. Denmark reduced titles but kept succession rights. Sweden preserved titles while narrowing Royal House membership and HRH status. The Netherlands separates succession from legal membership in the Royal House. Britain currently allows Archie and Lilibet to keep titles and succession positions without assigning public duties. Their status therefore reflects a specific constitutional choice rather than a general rule shared by every European monarchy.