Since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “stepped down” as senior royals and moved to their Santa Barbara mansion, their two children, Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, have only visited the United Kingdom once.
The royals were said to have had a magical moment, with King Charles being overjoyed to meet Lilibet for the first time. While they may not see His Majesty or their uncle, the Prince of Wales, very often because they live on opposite sides of the pond, King Charles and Prince William may have a big say in their future romantic relationships when they’re grown up.
According to Town&Country, the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 requires the first six people in the royal line of succession to request – and, crucially, receive! – the monarch’s consent before marrying. Archie is currently sixth in line to the throne, and Lilibet is seventh. So, if King Charles is still prevailing when his grandson wants to marry, Archie must seek his permission, whereas Lilibet does not.
But if Prince William is King at the time, she will have risen to sixth in line and will have had to ask her uncle for permission. In any case, both King Charles and Prince William could have a massive effect on Archie and Lilibet’s futures.
In accordance with this royal rule, at least one of them will have a say if Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis decide to marry. This requirement to seek permission before proposing and planning a royal wedding may surprise many fans – and it appears to have surprised Archie and Lilibet’s father, Prince Harry.
Prince Harry reflected in his memoir, Spare on the moment he had to ask the late Queen for permission to marry Meghan, as well as the Queen’s cheeky response. “I’ve been told that I have to ask your permission before I can propose,” he apparently said at the time, with the Queen supposedly replying, “You have to?”
Her grandson described being taken aback by her remark after being told he needed her permission and apparently wondering if she was joking or if she’d even agreed. He was reportedly later told by the Queen, “Well then, I suppose I have to say yes.” Prince Harry also stated in Spare that it “didn’t make any sense” to have to ask, even though he was sixth in line to the throne at the time.
And, while the Duke of Sussex may think it’s strange that he had to ask his grandmother’s permission before proposing to Meghan, their children will almost certainly have to do the same with their grandfather or uncle one day.