Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines September 28
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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are said to be concerned that they are being iced out of the British royal family.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were demoted to the bottom of the official royal website alongside the disgraced Prince Andrew.
Royal biographer Phil Dampier confirmed to Fox News Digital previous comments he made about the seemingly deliberate move, which has been perceived as a snub.
"Harry and Meghan must be worried that they are slowly being eased out of the royal picture," he revealed Wednesday. "King Charles seems to be hesitating on whether to grant prince and princess titles to Archie and Lilibet. And the fact that they have been ‘demoted’ on the palace website is another indicator that they are not seen as working royals."
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, were demoted from the royal family's website. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
"The king will want to make it clear that they are not working royals and can’t pose as semi-official royals," he added.
"The Royal Family" tab on the royal website gives visitors the option to learn more about each member of the extended family. With the loss of Queen Elizabeth II, the page was updated to reflect the reign of the new king.
After Charles comes his wife, the Queen Consort Camilla, followed by the next successor to the monarchy, the Prince of Wales, William, and Princess of Wales, Catherine. Harry does not follow his older brother and his wife. Instead, the next mentioned is the Earl and Countess of Wessex, better known as Edward and Sophie.
Edward, the youngest child of the late Queen Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh, is not even in the immediate line of succession for the crown.
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Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Kate Middleton were quickly seen on the royal family's website. However, viewers needed to scroll all the way to the bottom for the profiles of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as well as the Duke of York. (Toby Melville - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
After the Countess of Wessex comes Princess Anne, followed by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Then comes Princess Alexandra and the Duke of Kent before viewers finally see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Andrew came last, right at the bottom.
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, as well as Marie Christine, have been removed from the website.
In 2019, Andrew announced that he was stepping back from public life following his disastrous TV interview where he attempted to address sex abuse allegations made against him. In 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they were stepping back as senior members of the royal family.
According to Valentine Low’s new book, "Courtiers: the Hidden Power Behind the Crown," it was the queen who felt the couple could "not be allowed to carry out official duties" unless they followed the rules that applied to all working roles.
One royal source claimed that when it came to Queen Elizabeth II, you were either in or out. The monarch passed away on Sept. 8 at age 96. (Tim Graham Picture Library/Getty Images)
"There was a very clear view: you can’t be in and out," a source told Low, as quoted in an excerpt published by the U.K. Times. "And if you’ve got such clarity of view, it’s very difficult to say, ‘Why don’t we go 10% this way instead of 20%?'"
In the wake of the queen's death, Harry's relationship with his family has been under intense scrutiny.
While the couple’s children may be entitled to royal titles now that Charles is king, no name changes have been announced for Archie and Lilibet.
Following the queen’s death on Sept. 8, the 73-year-old announced that William and his wife would inherit the titles of Prince and Princess of Wales.
King Charles III has not publicly made a statement about Archie and Lilibet receiving royal titles. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)
Some royal experts have speculated that Charles will make a decision about his grandchildren’s titles after Harry's upcoming memoir is published. While the book was originally slated to be released late this year, some believe the book has been pushed back to 2023.
Others have pointed out that Charles’ goal has always been to have a slimmed-down monarchy with fewer working royals. Reducing the number of royals would also mean reducing who is funded by the sovereign grant, or the public funds used to support them.
During her 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Markle said there was a conversation about titles ahead of Archie's birth.
"They were saying they didn't want him to be a prince or princess, which would be different from protocol, and that he wasn't going to receive security," said the 41-year-old. "This went on for the last few months of our pregnancy where I was going, hold on for a second."
This image provided by Harpo Productions shows Prince Harry, from left, and Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, in conversation with Oprah Winfrey. (AP)
The former American actress said she would have accepted a title for Archie if it "meant he was going to be safe."
"And it's not our decision to make," she said. "Even though I have a lot of clarity of what comes with the titles good and bad... that is their birthright to then make a choice about."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reside in Montecito, California, with their children.
Fox News Digital's Ashley Papa contributed to this report.
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