Harry and Meghan’s baby girl is now 8th in line to the throne – despite being born a US citizen

How the line of royal succession looks now: Harry and Meghan’s baby girl is 8th in line to the throne, ahead of Prince Andrew, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie – despite being born a US citizen

  • Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcomed their second child
  • The baby girl is now eighth in line to the throne despite being born a US citizen 
  • The first seven places in the line of royal succession will remain unchanged 
  • Prince Andrew and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie move to 9th, 10th and 11th


The Duke and Duchess of Sussex‘s second child is eighth in line to the throne despite being born a US citizen after the couple moved to LA to quit royal life. 

Lilibet, who was born on Friday weighing 8oz and is a sibling for Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, two, has entered the line of royal succession behind her older brother and is set to nudge senior family members further from the throne.  

The first seven places in the line of succession will remain unchanged – Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince Harry, and Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. 

However, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s new addition will bump her great-uncle, Prince Andrew, down to 9th place. When he was born in 1960 he was second-in-line to the throne behind his older brother, Prince Charles. 

How the order of succession now looks: Baby Sussex will take the 8th spot on the line, overtaking Prince Andrew, Prince Beatrice and Princess Eugenie (order of succession pictured)

Meanwhile his daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie move down to 10th and 11th place, respectively. 

Although Princess Eugenie will soon move one more place down the line when her niece or nephew arrives later this year. 

Eugenie’s son August, who was born in February, is in 12th place following the birth of Baby Sussex but will move down to 13th when his cousin arrives.  

Why Baby Sussex is immediately a US citizen 

According to the US Department of State, a baby born in the US is automatically a US citizen from birth. 

This means Baby Sussex is a US citizen.

The rules were slightly different for Archie.

According to the US Department of State, a baby born outside the United States to one American parent can acquire US citizenship at birth if that parent has been in the US for at least five years, two of them before they turned 14, prior to the birth.

As Meghan was born and grew up in Los Angeles, she meets these rules, meaning Archie will be granted citizenship.

Both children will be liable for US taxes if they are US citizens. American law dictates that income, wherever it is generated, is legally entitled to be taxed back in the States. 

Lilibet will not be entitled to be an HRH nor be a prince or a princess like Kate and Williams’ children, Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, six, and Prince Louis, three.

This is due to rules set out more than 100 years ago by George V, who limited titles within the family during the First World War.

She is allowed to be a Lady, but, in keeping with Harry and Meghan’s wishes, will be a plain Miss (first name) Mountbatten-Windsor instead.

As the first-born son of a duke, Archie could have become Earl of Dumbarton – one of Harry’s subsidiary titles – or been Lord Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.

The Duke and Duchess broke with royal convention by making a personal decision not to use a title, thought to be inspired by Harry’s wish to have been a normal child, rather than a prince, as he grew up.

Harry and Meghan’s baby is the fifth grandchild for Prince Charles, and the Queen and the late Duke of Edinburgh’s eleventh-great-grandchild. 

The monarch’s great-grandchildren so far are: Savannah and Isla Phillips; George, Charlotte and Louis; Mia, Lena and Lucas Tindall; Archie, and Princess Eugenie’s baby boy, August Brooksbank.

Harry and Meghan, who are currently living in California, shared their pregnancy announcement on Valentine’s Day by posting a black and white image of Harry resting his hand on Meghan’s head as she lay in his lap underneath a tree. 

The baby girl has entered the line of succession behind her older brother Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, two (pictured with Harry and Meghan in 2019)

The baby girl has entered the line of succession behind her older brother Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, two (pictured with Harry and Meghan in 2019)