Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly frustrated after being forced to wait for British passports for their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, according to a new report.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are said to have suspected that their children's royal titles contributed to the holdup.

According to an insider close to the couple, reported by The Guardian, a delay in preparing the documents apparently prompted the couple to consider an alternative plan. There was a time when Harry reportedly considered using his late mother, Princess Diana's, maiden name, Spencer, as a new family surname.

Harry reportedly grew frustrated after facing a five-month delay in securing British passports for his children, during which he was met with a series of explanations that appeared to stall the process. The passports were expected to reflect the updated Sussex family surname following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The insider added, "Out of sheer exasperation, he went to his uncle to effectively say: 'My family are supposed to have the same name and they're stopping that from happening because the kids are legally HRH, so if push comes to shove... can we use Spencer as a surname?'"

The insider also claimed the couple believed that HRH's (His/Her Royal Highness) styling of their children's names could have delayed it.

Archie and Lilibet are a prince and princess following the accession of King Charles III in 2022. Their titles were confirmed publicly in March 2023, following the christening of Lilibet.

"The King hadn't wanted Archie and Lili to carry the titles, most of all the HRH, and the British passports, once created, would be the first and perhaps the only legal proof of their names," the source added.

Palace sources have consistently denied involvement in the alleged passport holdup, and the Home Office declined to comment last night. A spokesman for the Sussexes added that the couple does not comment on private matters related to their children.

The children of a US citizen and a British citizen are eligible for passports from both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Continuing Controversy Over the HRH Style

The Sussexes' use of their royal titles has been under public scrutiny since the couple stepped down as senior royals early last year. By the terms of their exit agreement with the Palace, they had ceased using HRH in public, although they retained the titles legally.

It came back into the spotlight earlier this year when Meghan allegedly used "HRH" in a personal gift basket sent to beauty entrepreneur Jamie Kern Lima. A card that came with the basket said, "With Compliments of HRH The Duchess of Sussex." The gift also featured a jar of Meghan's jam, one of her products under her As Ever lifestyle brand.

An explanation from a source added that,, for the time bein,g, the HRH style is retained in abeyan,ce, but with the duchessrepresentativeseps having emphasized that the couple does not use the titles commercially.

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Prince Harry, Meghan Markle