King Charles and Prince William could have a major say in Archie and Lilibet’s future relationships

King Charles and Prince William could have a major say in Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor’s future relationships. 

• His Majesty and the Prince of Wales might reportedly have a key part to play in the future romantic lives of Prince Harry and Meghan’s children Archie and Lilibet. 
• It’s said that the first six royals in line to the throne have to ask the monarch for permission before they get married.  
• This royal news comes as Queen Camilla exuded elegance in a regal blue tunic dress with go-to accessories and newly preferred neckline at a poignant meeting. 

Since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “stepped back” as senior royals and relocated to their Santa Barbara mansion their two children Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor have only returned to the UK once. This was understood to have been a magical moment for the royals, with reports of King Charles being thrilled to meet Lilibet for the first time. Though whilst they might not see either His Majesty or their uncle the Prince of Wales very often given they live different sides of the pond, King Charles and Prince William could have a major say in their future romantic relationships when they’re grown up. 

According to Town&Country (opens in new tab), the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 means that the first six people in the royal line of succession have to request - and, crucially, receive! - consent from the monarch before marrying. Archie is currently sixth and Lilibet is seventh in line to the throne. So if King Charles is still monarch when his grandson wants to marry Archie would technically need to receive his permission, whilst Lilibet would not.

But this could all change if Prince William is King at the time as she would have risen to sixth in line and would have to ask her uncle for permission. Either way, both King Charles and Prince William could have a major influence on Archie and Lilibet’s futures. 

In line with this royal rule, at least one of them will also get to have a say if Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis want to marry someday too. This requirement to ask for permission before proposing and planning a royal wedding is something that might come as a shock to many fans - and it was apparently just as surprising to Archie and Lilibet’s dad Prince Harry. 

In Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, he reflected upon the moment he had to ask the late Queen for permission to marry Meghan and 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 recounted being surprised by her remark, having been told he needed her permission and apparently wondered 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 expressed his belief in Spare that it “didn’t make any sense” to have to ask, though as sixth in line to the throne as he was then, it does follow the rule. 

And whilst the Duke of Sussex might consider it slightly unusual to have to ask his grandmother’s permission before he popped the question to Meghan, their children will likely have to go through the same experience with their grandfather or uncle one day in the future.