Baby Sussex's Chances At Becoming King Boils Down To The Line Of Succession

After the exciting arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's baby boy on Monday, May 6, a flurry of questions about his future emerged on social media. Some people, for instance, are curious about whether Meghan Markle's baby will be king. Although there's a good chance the little guy will lead a very charmed life, the probability that he'll sit on the throne one day is slim to none.

The new week began with a bang — aka baby Sussex's debut into the world. "We are pleased to announce that Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their firstborn child in the early morning on May 6th, 2019. Their Royal Highnesses’ son weighs 7lbs. 3oz," an announcement from the Sussex's Instagram account read. Huzzah!

The message, however, didn't reveal the baby's name or whether he'll be king one day.

So, what are the little guy's chances of becoming king? The possibility all boils down to the line of succession and his position on the list. To break things down, Prince Charles — his grandfather — is first in line, while his uncle, Prince William clocks in at second, according to Express.

After the Duke of Cambridge, his three kiddos — Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis — are up for the job. At number six is Baby Sussex's dad, Prince Harry.

Although the Queen's second oldest son, Prince Andrew, would have taken the seventh spot, Prince Harry's child now ranks higher in the line of succession, according to Entertainment Tonight. Translation: Baby Sussex is number seven in line to the throne.

Given the child's position in the line of succession, I don't think it's likely he'll be king one day — something extraordinary would have to happen before this possibility would ever come to fruition.

Of course, this might be welcome news for baby Sussex when he's old enough to understand his position in the world. Prince William, for instance, supposedly wasn't thrilled about the idea of becoming king one day. British broadcaster Jeremy Paxman touched on this sentiment during a recollection of a conversation he supposedly had with the brothers' late mother, Princess Diana.

“We talked about our children and she said William often told her that he didn’t really want to be king, and then Harry would say, ‘If you don’t want the job I’ll have it!'"

Prince Harry's childhood stance on the issue of king, however, has seemingly changed. “We are involved in modernizing the British monarchy. We are not doing this for ourselves but for the greater good of the people,” the Duke of Sussex said about the topic in June 2017, according to The Guardian. “Is there any one of the royal family who wants to be king or queen? I don’t think so, but we will carry out our duties at the right time.”

If the Duke of Sussex's opinion hasn't changed, then he's probably relieved about his son's position on the line of succession. The role of king isn't necessarily a walk in the park, after all.