This week, we have to watch as monarchists and derangers pretend that royal titles are based on “merit” or “popularity” rather than birthright, primogeniture, proximity to the monarch and an ancient and archaic system built on bloodshed, racism, theft and property. Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet were always going to be prince and princess because of the Letters Patent, because their grandfather became king last September. While Charles has talked a big game about changing the Letters Patent and while he’s done the most to shun and exile his mixed-race grandchildren, he didn’t end up changing jacksh-t. So Archie and Lilibet have had those titles since September. The palace tried to play fast and loose when they updated the line of succession list following QEII’s death and they didn’t include Lili and Archie’s titles then. It’s only now, today, at approximately 9:30 am GMT, that the palace changed the kids’ titles on the line of succession:

“Sources” told the Daily Mail that the Sussexes were “frustrated that Buckingham Palace failed to immediately recognise Archie and Lilibet’s titles after the Queen’s death six months ago,” especially since Prince William’s kids’ titles changed immediately. Buckingham Palace claims that “they were waiting for Harry and Meghan to make a final decision,” except that the palace and the Sussexes were apparently in communication over the kids’ titles for months. Royal sources also insist that “Charles not blocking it – despite the turmoil Harry and Meghan has caused – is seen as an olive branch….[but] Charles would never have ‘punished’ his grandchildren like that.” He certainly let everyone believe he would punish his grandbabies that way, and he continuously refused to update the line of succession to reflect his grandchildren’s titles for months, so this is not the win for Charles. Meanwhile, the Sussexes’ spokesperson released another statement:

“The children’s titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became monarch,” a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told PEOPLE. “This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace.”

[From People]

Yeah, again – the Sussexes are saying the palace has known for “some time” that the Sussexes had “made a decision” (again, that’s not how it works) on titles and King Charles still assumed an air of punitive manipulation, that he would remove the kids’ titles to punish Harry for writing Spare. Charles turned what could have been a positive story for him into yet another fumble.

Photos courtesy of Misan Harriman/The Sussexes, SussexRoyal IG and Netflix.