Here's why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's children will never be Princes or Princesses

A century-old old rule binding the British Royal Family may stop the future children of Duke and Duchess of Sussex to have the royal title.

With the news coming out that Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle are expecting their first child, the people have shown similar excitement to the news that was once enjoyed by the pregnancy report of Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.

Not that the attention has shifted to the future children of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, reports have emerged suggesting that they may not enjoy the same privileges that are enjoyed by the children of William and Middleton.

As per a rule implemented almost a century ago, only the oldest living son of the oldest living son of the monarch should have the “titular dignity of Prince or Princess” before their Christian names, as stated by Imogen Lloyd Webber, an ABC news royal contributor.

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Webber further informed that the decree was made by Britain’s King George V in 1917 to slim down the monarchy.

“At the time, there were revolutions happening across Europe and many monarchies collapsing. So George V wanted a slimmed-down monarchy, kind of like Prince Charles is pushing for now.”

Imogen Lloyd Webber, TIME, October 15, 2018

This rule means that only Prince George will be granted the titular dignity of Prince, whereas other great-grandchildren of the Queen will be known as Lord or Lady. Consequently, they also would not be required to be addressed as “His Royal Highness” or “Her Royal Highness.”

Previously in 2013, the Queen updated George V’s decree by allowing William and Kate’s children special dispensation to have the royal title. Her rule ensured that all of William and Kate’s children would be styled, Prince or Princess.

In the case of the future children of Harry and Meghan, the Queen is highly unlikely to make any such updates in the rule book, Webber suggested.

“There aren’t really grounds for it,” she says. The unborn child’s place at seventh in the line of succession means he or she will probably never take the throne,” she stressed.

At the same time, Webber suggested that Harry and Meghan might not be too bothered about this news.

Harry has always been open about being troubled about being a member of the royal family. Meghan, similarly, is first a self-made woman before anything else. It is highly likely that they would be unfazed about their children having no titles.

The news of Duke and Duchess of Sussex expecting their first child came out back in October when Kensington Palace made the official announcement. According to the Palace’s Twitter account, the Duchess is expecting a baby in the Spring of 2019.

The couple got married in a fairytale wedding ceremony that took place back on May 19 this year.

Previously, another historical amendment was also made to the rule regarding succession to the royal throne, which ensured Princess Charlotte’s right to inherit the throne before her younger brother.