Prince Harry and Meghan Markle "Were Hoping the Palace Would Jump the Gun" on Announcing Archie and Lili's Royal Titles, Royal Expert Claims

When the Queen sadly passed away in September and Charles became King, Archie and Lilibet automatically became entitled to use "Prince" and "Princess" titles if their parents chose.

Until just recently, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle didn't show any sign of announcing whether or not their children would be using their royal titles. While the King could have barred them from using them if he chose, he didn't do that either.

Then, the Sussexes announced that their daughter had been christened in Los Angeles, with a statement that called her "Princess Lilibet Diana." Hours later, the royal couple stated, "The children’s titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became Monarch. This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace."

Soon after that, the Palace changed the children's titles to Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet in the line of succession.

However, reports are circulating that the King felt "blindsided" by the Sussexes' decision to use the titles all of a sudden, though it's hard to know what really went down.

For one royal expert, this whole situation didn't go the way the Sussexes hoped it might. Speaking to the Mirror, Ingrid Seward contrasted their announcement for Lili with the way the King so officially announced he was making Prince Edward Duke of Edinburgh.

"Harry and Meghan, on the other hand, asked their spokesperson to announce when their 21-month-old daughter Lilibet was christened in Los Angeles last week she would be baptized using the royal style Princess. Archie in turn would use the style, Prince," Seward said.

"How interesting they waited six months to do this. They were hoping the Palace would jump the gun and announce it before they did. No such luck."