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Will Harry and Meghan’s second child get a Royal Title?

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News Desk

Updated on April 13, 2021

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expecting their second child in the near future, but will the royal baby be given a title?

Although the baby would be eighth in line to the throne when he or she is conceived, he or she is unlikely to grow up to be a part of the royal family.

When Archie, Prince Harry and Meghan’s eldest child, was born in May 2019, the couple decided not to give him a title. Archie could have been Earl of Dumbarton or Lord Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, but now he is regarded as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.

The scenario for Archie and the yet-to-arrive Baby Sussex will alter when Prince Charles ascends to the throne, according to the current laws. The Sussex children will pass from great-grandchildren to grandchildren of the current monarch, making them qualified for HRH titles. (For instance, Archie might become His Royal Highness Prince Archie.)

All male line grandchildren of a monarch are currently eligible to be His or Her Royal Highness. This is attributable to a Letters Patent authorized by King George V in 1917, which restricted the “HRH” designation to the sovereign’s children, grandchildren in the male line, and the eldest son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales. (In 2012, Queen Elizabeth granted her own Letters Patent to guarantee that all of Prince William’s children, not just his first son, would be given “HRH” titles and that his eldest child, regardless of gender, would be named as his heir.)

Harry is currently sixth in line to the throne, after his father, Prince Charles, his elder brother, Prince William, and William’s three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Despite the fact that he has no royal title, Archie is still seventh in line for the role. The latest Sussex infant would be the eighth in line to the throne.

RELATED: All we know about Archie’s baby sister

What is the due date for Meghan and Harry’s second child?

Meghan hasn’t said how far along she is with her pregnancy, although the baby is expected to arrive in the spring or summer of 2021.

The date they confirmed the pregnancy – February 14 – is notable since it is the 37th anniversary of Harry’s parents, Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, announcing their second pregnancy.

The Duchess and Harry announced they were expecting their first child in October 2018, seven months before Archie was born.

Meghan will give birth in September if they adopt this trend with baby number two.

Prince Harry’s birthday is September 15, so it’s possible that father and baby will share the birthday.

Having recently experienced a miscarriage after relocating to the United States, it’s doubtful that the royals would have announced the pregnancy as early as two months this time.

Meghan does have indications of a baby bump in the shared photo, suggesting that the next royal baby may come as early as May.