Would Harry and Meghan’s Children Be Legitimate Heirs to the Throne?

Since Harry and Meghan's marriage in May 2018, speculation has often centered on whether their children might one day replace the children of William as legitimate heirs to the British throne. This question has been answered many times over, but let's explore the facts and the rules surrounding the line of succession.

Marriage and the Line of Succession

Harry and Meghan are indeed married and have established their own family with two children. Their marriage has no immediate impact on the existing line of succession. Legitimacy of heirs to the throne is based on family relationships and official recognition, as opposed to speculations or personal choices. In fact, any children born to Harry and Meghan will join the line of succession after Harry, following the rule of male-preference cognatic primogeniture.

Current Line of Succession

As of 2023, the current line of succession stands as follows:

Charles, Prince of Wales - The eldest son of the current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge - The eldest son of Charles and husband to the now-King Charles III. Prince George, Prince of Wales - The eldest son of William and Catherine, now styled as Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (subject to change upon Charles’s ascension to the throne). Princess Charlotte of Cambridge - The second child of William and Catherine, styled as Princess William, Duchess of Cambridge (prior to her promotion to Princess). Prince Louis of Cambridge - The youngest of William and Catherine's children. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex - The third son of Charles and Diana, now remarried to Meghan. Archduke Jesus Josef Ignazio Louis Maria von Hohenberg - As far as we know, there is no Archduke in line for the British throne, and Harry’s children are currently ranked behind the aforementioned individuals.

It is important to note that any children born to Harry and Meghan will be eligible for the throne in the future, should the current line of succession remain unchanged and should a disruption occur that allows Harry to ascend to the throne.

Rules of Succession

The rules of succession in the United Kingdom are governed by the Sovereign Grant Act 2011 and the Succession to the Throne Act 2013. These laws ensure that the throne is passed to the eldest living male, followed by the oldest female if there are no eligible males in the line of succession.

The monarchy has undergone several reforms over the years to ensure a smooth transition of leadership within the family. Nonetheless, the primogeniture system means that any claims by Harry's children to the throne would come after William's children, as Harry is younger and William's children are already established as next in line.

Conclusion

The children of Harry and Meghan, while perhaps one day eligible for the throne, have no immediate claim that would surpass the current line of succession. Any shift in the succession would require significant changes to the laws and circumstances, making it a highly unlikely and far-fetched scenario.

For now, William and Catherine's children occupy the positions they have held and will remain the primary heirs to the throne. Any future changes will need to be officially recognized and enacted by the appropriate governing bodies.