Meghan quietly removes royal titles from her children after Mothers Day launch backlash

The Duchess of Sussex has made a small, but significant, change to new products launched by her lifestyle brand ahead of Mother's Day.

Meghan's As ever line has unveiled a range of items available for purchase and two take direct inspiration from her and Prince Harry's children.

The new candles are being sold for $90 each, one in honour of Prince Archie, who is six, and Princess Lilibet, four.

Last week, in press materials announcing the launch, the full royal titles of Archie and Lilibet were included in the product descriptions.

The 'Signature Candle No. 506' is linked to Archie's birthday – May 6 – and was originally listed as "Prince Archie of Sussex's Birthdate".

"This candle is inspired by Meghan's son, Prince Archie," the release said.

The other candle, 'Signature Candle No. 604', is inspired by Lilibet's June 4 birthday and was listed as "Princess Lilibet of Sussex's Birthdate".

The press materials described the candle as having "a light, floral scent inspired by Princess Lilibet of Sussex's birthdate, adding a sense of brightness and openness to the home".

"This candle is inspired by Meghan's daughter, Princess Lilibet," the release added.

But now that the candles are officially available to purchase, nearly five days later, Archie and Lilibet's royal titles have been wiped from the website.

One is listed as being "crafted and curated by our founder, inspired by her son Archie's birthdate of May 6th".

While the other says it was "crafted and curated by our founder to honour her daughter Lilibet's birthdate of June 4th".

The use of the "Sussex" title has been an issue of contention amongst many royal observers, particularly when Meghan uses it for commercial gain.

Meghan and Prince Harry's recent non-royal visit to Australia was a blend of commercial and charity events, with the most publicised engagement being a $3000 ticketed speaking engagement featuring Meghan, who was promoted as 'the Duchess of Sussex'.

Archie and Lilibet were born without royal titles and were previously known as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, listed as such on the British royal family's official website.

Prince Harry and Meghan's children were not prince and princess at birth because they were not grandchildren of the monarch.

But they gained the right to these titles when King Charles acceded to the throne.

Prince Harry and Meghan started using the royal titles for the first time in March, 2023, when Lilibet was christened in California. A day later, the royal family's website reflected the new titles.

At the time, a spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan said: "The children's titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became monarch.

The Duke and Duchess' recent visit to Australia was heavily criticised for its commercial endeavours.

"This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace."

Last year, during an episode of the duchess' lifestyle show With Love, Meghan, she chastised guest Mindy Kaling for calling her "Meghan Markle".

"It's so funny you keep saying, Meghan Markle, you know, I'm Sussex now," she told Kaling, a comment that came across as a gentle admonish while at the same time reminding Kaling of her place in the pecking-order.

The duchess recently launched an online shopping platform allowing her to make a profit from her tour-worn clothing.

And in an interview with People, Meghan said of the Sussex name: "It's our shared name as a family, and I guess I hadn't recognised how meaningful that would be to me until we had children".

"I love that that is something that Archie, Lili, H and I all have together. It means a lot to me."

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