Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s son Archie is still bound by royal law

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s son Archie may still be bound by a restrictive royal rule when he becomes an adult – meaning he’ll have to ask permission from the monarch to marry.

While the Duke, 35, and Duchess of Sussex, 39, are raising their fourteen-month-old son in Santa Barbara, California, without a royal title, Archie remains seventh-in-line to the throne and will move up the line of succession as Prince Charles becomes King.

Under the 2013 Succession of the Crown Act rule, royals who are sixth-in-line to the throne and above must ask the presiding monarch for permission to marry, according to Iain MacMarthanne.

The royal expert told The Express that this means Archie may have to ask for his grandfather’s consent when he decides to wed – even if he doesn’t accept his HRH title at the age of 18. 

However if one of his three cousins, Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five,  and Prince Louis, two, marry and have children first, then Archie will not have to seek sovereign permission, as he will no longer be sixth in line to the throne. 

Alternatively, Archie won’t have to gain anyone’s approval if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have a fourth child. 

‘Should [Archie} marry, he will have to seek the sovereign’s permission unless one of his three cousins marry and have children first, as he will be sixth in line when his grandfather is king,’ explained the royal expert.

Meghan and Harry have recently been settling into their new £11million Santa Barbara mansion and are keen to raise their son away from the spotlight.  

Archie remains seventh in line to the throne and will move up the line of succession as Charles becomes king and could still be bound by royal laws. Pictured, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex leaving Canada House in London in January

It was revealed in the explosive new biography Finding Freedom that during her time as a senior royal, the Duchess felt she was expected to ‘serve Archie on a silver platter’. 

According to authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, Meghan ‘didn’t care’ about the criticism she received over keeping their son out of the spotlight, as she felt her role as a protective mother should come first. 

Speaking in the book an insider claimed the Duchess said: ‘The same people who have been abusing me want to see me serve my child on a silver platter. 

‘A child who is not going to be protected and doesn’t have a title. How does that make sense? Tell that to any mother in the world.’ 

It was revealed in the explosive new biography Finding Freedom that during her time as a senior royal, the Duchess, pictured posing with her newborn son, felt she was expected to ‘serve Archie on a silver platter’

Harry and Meghan released two pictures of Archie’s christening to the public, while Prince William, who is second-in-line to the throne, and wife Kate Middleton, had members of the press at the christening of their children. 

Some critics claimed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex should’ve allowed the public access to the christening, since the monarchy is part-funded by taxpayers.  

Senior royals including Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton were among the 25 guests at the intimate ceremony.

The Sussexes released two pictures – one in Windsor Castle’s Green Drawing Room, and a black and white snap of the occasion.