Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been accused of forcing King Charles III into giving their children official royal titles.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex christened their daughter Lilibet at their Montecito home and described her as a Princess for the first time last week.
After the move, King Charles has officially recognised Prince Archie Harrison with his royal title. But the couple have been accused of forcing King Charles' hand through their tactics.
Christopher Andersen, author of The King: The Life of Charles III, said that the pair bounced the monarch into recognising his grandchildren's royal title with their statement.
Andersen said that the Sussexes were "basically making the king's decision for him." He also hinted that palace aides would have found the move deeply frustrating.
"The largely faceless courtiers who run the monarchy — Diana used to call them the ‘men in gray’ — were clearly taken by surprise and none too happy that they were placed in the awkward position of having to update the royal website, and quickly," Anderson told Fox News.
He also mocked Prince Harry and Meghan for taking the royal titles despite repeatedly attacking the monarchy in media interviews, the Spare memoir and in their Netflix series.
Anderson added: "It was obviously more important to Harry and Meghan that Archie and Lilibet get the full treatment, which seems highly ironic since the Sussexes are no longer working royals, live half a world away and spend a great deal of time lobbing grenades over palace walls."