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The royal baby has arrived! Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have welcomed their first child together. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed the joyous news on social media on Monday. The baby, a boy, was born on May 6. You can see the message from the new parents below.
Now that the royal baby is here, some are wondering if the newborn will ever become king. The short answer to that question is “no.” The newborn is very far down the line of succession. In fact, it’s unlikely that Prince Harry will ever hold the title of king.
Here’s what you need to know:
Prince Charles Is Next in Line to the Throne, Followed by Prince William
When Queen Elizabeth II abdicates, retires, or dies, her son, Prince Charles, will take the throne. The line of succession sees Prince William following his father. Since he and his wife have three children, those children fall in line, moving Prince Harry to sixth in line.
“Since the news broke that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Harry and Meghan) are expecting a child in spring 2019, he or she will take the seventh place in the queue, bumping Prince Andrew, the Duke of York down to eighth place,” The Sun reports.
Interestingly, prior to 2011, the law stated that daughters could only inherit the throne if there were no living sons. The law was changed, however, which means that Princess Charlotte could be queen despite having a younger brother (Prince Louis).
Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s Children Fall in Line Behind Prince Harry
While it’s unlikely that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s children will inherit the throne, it is possible. Basically, Prince Louis would have to abdicate, retire, or die (after his older siblings have passed away). If this happened, it’s possible that the newest member of the royal family will become king. And this might be more than okay for Prince Harry.
In a 2017 interview with Newsweek, Harry revealed that he doesn’t want to be king. However, if the line of succession reaches him, he will fulfill the duties “for the greater good of the people.”
“We are involved in modernizing the British monarchy. We are not doing this for ourselves but for the greater good of the people…. Is there any one of the royal family who wants to be king or queen? I don’t think so, but we will carry out our duties at the right time,” he told the outlet.
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