Prince William's Reported Plan For Harry & Meghan's Kids Signals Point Of No Return For The Brothers

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, won't ever be working royals — not if Prince William has anything to say about it, anyway. The Guardian reported that, apparently, Harry was hoping his two kids could keep their HRH titles, which would technically allow them the decision to re-enter the royal fold when they're adults. But the future king absolutely doesn't want this to happen, apparently, signaling that the years-long feud between Harry and William has done far more damage than anyone could ever have imagined.

Sources told the Daily Beast that William plans on making sure Lilibet and Archie can never use their HRH titles once he ascends the throne. "William obviously isn't going to hire Archie and Lilibet," a friend of William's told the outlet. "The idea that somehow having a vestigial HRH as a baby later entitles you to be a working royal is beyond parody, even for them [Harry and Meghan]." The source added that, technically, Harry and Meghan agreed to stop using their royal titles after their abrupt exit from the United Kingdom, but have gone back on this arrangement a few times, something that clearly irks William.

Former government minister Norman Baker told the Daily Beast that William will have no trouble stripping Harry's children of their titles once he's king. "As the bestowing of an HRH is in the gift of the monarch, the monarch could remove the HRH title. It would basically be the equivalent to an executive order in the U.S.," Baker explained.

Word has it that the palace halls were abuzz after it came to light that Meghan Markle sent the CEO of IT Cosmetics, Jamie Kern Lima, a gift basket that contained a letter signed with Meghan's formal royal title. "With the Compliments of HRH The Duchess of Sussex," the card read, per the Daily Beast. Her insistence to keep using the title might very well be a sign that Meghan regrets leaving the royal family, but it's a big no-no, given the agreement Prince Harry made with Queen Elizabeth II when he and Meghan left their roles in the royal family. In fact, a subsequent statement from the queen read, "The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family." That seems rather simple, but apparently, Meghan understands that this simply means she can't use the title for commercial endeavors.

"Harry and Meghan retain their HRH titles; however, by agreement, they do not use them for commercial purposes. While they do not publicly use 'HRH,' this was a personal gift, and their titles remain," a source close to Meghan told the Daily Beast after the gift basket debacle. William's friend later told the Daily Beast that the future king is fed up with Meghan happily continuing to use her royal title when it suits her and plans to put a permanent stop to it, something King Charles III doesn't really seem all that focused on (perhaps he considers himself too old for all the drama). "They have asked the Sussexes politely to stop using the style, to no avail, so I imagine William will simply issue new letters patent to formally remove the entire family's right to use HRH when he becomes king," the friend said.

It would appear that a brotherly reunion between the two princes is becoming all the more unlikely. Only time will tell how harshly William will treat his younger brother once he bears the title of king.