Prince William Could Hold the Ultimate Key to Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s Future
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet may need to take Prince William's permission before making a decision in the future.
While there may be no metric to calculate how deep a family rift runs, the fact that an uncle has never met his five-year-old niece is a good way to gauge how far apart Prince William and Prince Harry remain. Yet, if the two brothers continue down this estranged path, their families could face increasingly awkward situations in the decades ahead, particularly for Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
The Prince of Wales has likely never met Lilibet and hasn’t seen Archie since 2019. However, he will seemingly hold significant influence over their biggest milestones in the distant future. Given that Archie and Lilibet are still quite young, William will most likely be King when they reach marriageable age. Decades down the line—before either of them decides to tie the knot—they will technically need their uncle’s permission to marry.
When the Prince of Wales succeeds King Charles, Archie and Lilibet will move up one spot in the line of succession, becoming fifth and sixth in line to the throne, respectively. Under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, the first six royals in the line must obtain the sovereign’s formal consent before marrying. If the royal rift continues in the same way, it would certainly make for an awkward situation if Archie and Lilibet ever had to ask permission from an uncle with whom they have barely interacted.
In 2017, Harry had to ask Queen Elizabeth’s permission before going down on one knee. Although he followed protocol, he believed “it didn’t make any sense” for a grown man, and his true feelings for that particular rule showed when he asked his grandmother’s consent to propose to Meghan Markle. “I've been told that I have to ask your permission before I can propose," he wrote in his memoir. The Queen had a puzzling reply to his statement, saying, "‘You have to?’ then added, ‘Well then, I suppose I have to say yes.’”
Considering the protocols that he had to follow before proposing to Markle, his options to make it special may have become limited. However, he made do with whatever he had and popped the question in a beautiful setting of electric candles outside Nottingham Cottage. One day Archie and Lilibet will also want to recreate such special moments with their respective partners, and like their father, they will need to ask the monarch’s permission before doing so.
Royal rift or not, it is unlikely that William will ever refuse their request. However, it would undoubtedly be a tense moment for all three of them if the Waleses and the Sussexes remain estranged.
