Because of an old rule, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle do not have absolute legal custody of their newborn baby son Archie.

The Queen currently has legal custody of all of her grandchildren, including Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, according to the law.

The Royal Family has an unprecedented agreement with the Queen, according to an expert, which ensures she has absolute legal custody of all minor royals.

This ensures that Prince William and Kate Middleton do not have full custody of their three children, Prince George, five, Princess Charlotte, three, and Prince Louis, five months old.

This statute dates back to King George I, who lived in the 1700s, according to royal specialist Marlene Koenig.

“This goes back to King George I, and the law’s never been changed,” Koenig said. “He did it because he had a very poor relationship with his son, the future King George II, so they had this law passed that meant the King was the guardian of his grandchildren.”

When Princess Diana’s parenting style was being debated in Britain in the 1990s, the legislation was thrown into the spotlight. One constitutional expert said, “The Queen has the last word in the custody upbringing, education and even the right of abode of the princes, even during the lifetime of their father, Prince Charles. As for their mother, the Princess of Wales, her say is a matter of discretion and negotiation.”

“The sovereign has legal custody of the minor grandchildren,” royal specialist Marlene Koenig told The Sun’s Fabulous Online.

“Legislation passed during the reign of George I. It was known as The Grand Opinion for the Prerogative Concerning the Royal Family and it was about the King’s control over the education, the raising and the marriage of his grandchildren.

“He did it because he had a very poor relationship with his son, the future King George II, so they had this law passed that meant the King was the guardian of his grandchildren.”

The ancient rule dates back to 1717, when the monarch’s “right of supervision extended to his grandchildren, and this right of right belongs to His Majesty, King of the Realm, even during the lifetime of their father.”

This means that after the Queen dies, Prince Charles will be in charge of the royal minors.

Marlene stated that the legislation is still in effect today, and that it has lately influenced how the royals raise their children.

“When Harry was an infant, Charles asked the Queen if he and Diana could travel with both kids to Scotland (on a plane). The Queen said yes.

“Later, as Harry got older, he would fly with parents, and William would travel separately.

“Technically, they needed permission for travel. The Queen has the last word on parenting decisions like that.”

In the 1990s, Prince Charles was also forced to obtain permission for a young Prince William to attend a summer camp in America.

The rule was allegedly considered when Princess Diana and Prince Charles went through their high-profile divorce in 1996.

“Neither the Wales’ or Yorks’ divorces dealt with actual custody of their children because of this law,” Marlene said.

“Charles and Diana each saw their sons about 40 days a year after the separation.

“Charles and Diana certainly talked to the queen about their kids’ education. The Queen was unlikely to push her views. She would respect the parents’ wishes.”