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Meghan Markle claims Palace didn't want Archie to 'be a prince', Internet reminds her of 'George V rules'

Under the original George V rules, great grandchildren do not receive the royal titles, unless they are the monarch's eldest-born first grandson

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry sat down with Oprah Winfrey for an exclusive interview over what happened during their Markle's time with the royal family and what led to them distancing themselves from the rest of the British monarchy. Markle opened up about her struggles and also reflected on having "suicidal thoughts," even stating that she did not receive any help from the royal family.

One of the many bombshell reveals was when Markle revealed that there were discussions among the royal family about what their firstborn's skin color might be. Markle also spoke about why her son, Archie, was not given a royal title.

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Oprah Winfrey asked Markle, "How did they explain to you that your son, the great-grandson of the Queen, wasn't going to be a prince?" The erstwhile host also added, "You certainly must have had some conversations with Harry about it and had your own suspicions as to why they didn't want to make Archie a prince. Why do you think that is?"

Markle responded that the palace decreed that Archie would not have any title, a move she said was "different from protocol." She said in the interview, "They didn't want him to be a prince . . . which would be different from protocol, and that he wasn't going to receive security."

She also said, "We have in tandem the conversation of, 'He won't be given security. He's not going to be given a title.' And also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born."

Many, however, took to social media that Archie would automatically be given the title of "prince" when Prince Charles becomes king, as Archie would the son of a child of the king. One user tweeted, "Let's start with the wholly false claim about Archie not being made a prince. Under the George V rules, he will automatically become a prince when his grandfather Charles ascends the throne. Harry knows that."

A user wrote, "what about Meghan LYING in front of millions of people suggesting that Archie didnt get to be a Prince because of some perceived racism when in fact HES NOT ENTITLED TO THE TITLE PRINCE (George V in 1917). NONE of the other great-grandchildren have titles except direct in line." Another opined, "Actually, Archie isn't entitled to the title of Prince; when Charles becomes king he will be. It's all laid by George V. Seems like they want their cake and eat it Step down but retain all rights and privileges. Self entitled or what?!"

What are the George V rules?

In 1917, King George V, during the First World War, ordered the British family to dispense with the use of German titles and surnames. He also issued a Letters Patent stating that the sovereign's grandchildren can have the "prince" or "princess" royal titles, writing, "the grandchildren of the sons of any such Sovereign in the direct male line (save only the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales) shall have and enjoy in all occasions the style and title enjoyed by the children of Dukes of these Our Realms.” These rules excluded great-grandchildren.

Under George V's rules, only the monarch's eldest-born's first grandson could legally be called a Prince -- as Prince William's son, Prince George is. However, under the rules, William's other children, Charlotte and Louis would have been Lord and Lady Mountbatten-Windsor. As such, when Charles becomes King, Archie can be entitled to be called a Prince, unless Markle and Prince Harry refuse the title.

In 2012, Queen Elizabeth II issued new Letters Patent, declaring that all of William and Kate's children would have the title of Royal Highness and be styled Princes and Princess.

One user referred to this while speaking in defense for Markle, tweeting, "The old convention says “Only the 1st great grandchild of the monarch gets a title of a Prince” but they forget that The Queen made exceptions for Charlotte and Louis (siblings to George) so then why didn’t she do the same exception for Archie the black one?"