Sources close to Buckingham Palace have confirmed the latest decision King Charles III has made regarding Prince Harry's children. As several British media outlets have reported, the monarch has allegedly ordered a delay in the issuance of British passports for his grandchildren.
The conflict between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the British royal family continues to add new chapters. All of this, despite their decision to distance themselves from the monarchy after stepping down from their royal duties and moving to the United States.
However, King Charles III's recent decisions suggest that this bond is about to be broken for good. Although signs of distancing had been developing for months, they have now taken concrete form.
According to sources close to Buckingham Palace, the monarch has allegedly deliberately ordered a delay in the delivery of British passports for Archie and Lilibet. This measure has had a significant impact both inside and outside the United Kingdom.
Although there is no official communication, those close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex interpret this move as an attempt to make it more difficult for the children to formally approach the United Kingdom.
Archie was born on British soil, but Lilibet was born in the United States and hasn't yet traveled to her father's country of origin. This decision adds a new barrier to their already fragile bond with the royal family.
Buckingham Palace reveals the latest decisions King Charles III has made regarding Archie and Lilibet
Since Charles III took the throne, he has made clear his desire to reduce the number of active members in the royal house. In fact, those who live outside the country and have given up their official duties, such as Harry and Meghan, have automatically been excluded from duties and privileges.
In this context, not officially recognizing Archie and Lilibet as members connected to the monarchy is consistent with the "functional monarchy" strategy. The monarch seeks a more austere structure, where only members with real activity and constant presence have an institutional role.
In this scenario, sources very close to Harry and Meghan have stated that the couple may be considering a drastic decision: for their children to adopt the surname Spencer. This alternative represents a clear tribute to Princess Diana and a symbolic and legal distancing from the Mountbatten-Windsor surname.
Giving up the royal surname would mean severing ties with the British royal family, but it could also be a way to keep Diana's memory alive on their own terms. For the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, this would mean regaining control over their children's identity, outside the reach of the monarch's decisions.
In addition to the passport delay, what has most surprised the British public is, according to palace sources, that Charles III has decided that Archie and Lilibet will not receive any noble titles.
Neither now nor in the future will they be treated as princes or as active members of the royal family. Many have interpreted this exclusion not only as an institutional measure, but also as a personal decision by the king toward his youngest son.