Royal offspring have always captivated the attention of the media and the public. And no, this trend didn’t start with Prince George and his siblings or with the children of the Sussexes, but it has always been like that.
When William and Harry were children themselves, they were under the spotlight and the media followed their every move with great attention.
However, not all children born into royalty receive the same amount of attention, and this is not due to the lack of interest by the media for them, but because their parents made a decision to shield them from the public.
Following the Sussexes’ departure from the royal family and them stepping down from the royal duties and settling in sunny California, their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, were removed from the public sphere. Of course, had their parents decided to continue living in Britain, this wouldn’t be the case.
However, while Harry and Meghan navigated their transition to a more private lifestyle, their numerous interviews and Harry’s book, Spare, have kept them in the spotlight.
Harry and Meghan have been adamant about protecting their children’s privacy, limiting access to photographs, but the public was still able to take a glimpse of the young prince and princess when the two were featured in the Netfix documentary about Harry and Meghan released in December 2022.
Back in 2023, the children, Lilibet and Archie, received royal titles and became a Prince and a Princess.
“The children’s titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became monarch. This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace,” a spokesman for the couple said.
The Royal Family’s website was updated accordingly. Archie and Lilibet are now listed as Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex. When it was updated, it was the first time their royal titles have been used publicly.
Mirror reported that Harry and Meghan allegedly didn’t want to deprive their children of their rightful titles. Instead, they desire for Archie and Lilibet to have the autonomy to choose whether to retain or relinquish their titles as they grow older.
It’s anticipated that the Sussex children will primarily use their royal titles on rare occasions.
Many have been left puzzled as to why Archie and Lilibet got to receive the titles of Prince and Princess, but the explanation is in fact a very simple one.
In 1917, George V created the rules that are still in place today. He decided that the children of the sons of any Sovereign “shall have and at all times hold and enjoy the style title or attribute of Royal Highness with their titular dignity of Prince or Princess prefixed to their respective Christian names or with their other titles of honor.” So, when the Queen passed and King Charles became the monarch, Archie and Lilibet became eligible for their own royal titles.
“It wasn’t clear if they would use them or not since Harry and Meghan have left the family as working royals and headed to the States,” TalkTV Royal Editor Sarah Hewson told Sky. “We understand discussions took place after the Queen’s funeral and it has been agreed that they will be known formally as prince and princess – although Harry and Meghan won’t be using it in everyday life.”
According to royal author Angela Levin, “It will take a long time for little Lilibet to realize the extent of the burden her parents have placed on her young shoulders.”
She argued that by giving their daughter a princess title, Harry and Meghan have now “glued her to the British Royal Family,” the same establishment they have been critical of during the recent years.
“Why on earth would you want your daughter to experience such anguish?” the royal expert said. “Little girls obviously love being a princess at parties, but if Lilibet is the only one in the class who is a real princess, it could lead to jealousy that could easily be avoided,” Levin concluded.
Since Harry and Meghan have only visited Britain during few occasions since stepping down from their royal duties, most Britons believe their children don’t deserve the royal titles. According to a YouGov poll published in March 2023, 51% of respondents said Archie and Lilibet shouldn’t have royal titles, while 25% thought they should.
In a matter of weeks, it’s speculated that Harry and Meghan will visit London to attend the Invictus Games 10th Anniversary Service at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
According to reports, they intended to bring their children along, and there have even been assertions that William and Kate have invited them to bring their children, partly to allow their UK cousins, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, to spend time together.
Meghan, however, was said to have rejected the offer because she’s afraid for her children’s safety.
“There is no way Meghan would bring the children to the UK,” royal expert and author Tom Quinn told the Mirror in early April.
“William and Kate have suggested that Meghan and Harry bring the children and that the two couples and their families try to make up, but the suggestion is not leading anywhere so far.”
A source told OK! Magazine that Meghan fears for her children’s safety if returning.
“It’s now got to the point where Meghan doesn’t want to come to the UK with the children. She just doesn’t feel safe. The situation is now about whether the family should attend with increased security or Harry should go it alone,” the source said.
Prince Harry, who is an avid enthusiast of polo, has been frequently seen engaging in polo matches at the Santa Barbara Polo Club, as well as participating in numerous charity polo events. Just last weekend, he showcased his skills by playing on the Royal Salute Sentebale Team during a charity polo match in Wellington, Florida.
One of his close friend, Nacho Figueras, who also competed in the polo match, shared his aspirations for Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to one day follow in their father’s footsteps and take up polo.
“I really hope so, I hope that Archie and Lili get to love horses as much as he does,” Figueras told Hello!
“There’s something about the outside of a horse that’s great for the inside of a human. Hopefully, that love and passion will be transmitted. I know my kids love it. and they love to play. It would be a dream that one day we all get to play polo together.”
Since they moved to the States, Harry and Meghan’s life changed a great deal compared to the life they led in Britain. With their decision to leave Harry’s family behind, their children were left with no close relatives close by. This decision also affected their children’s future.
Royal expert Tom Quinn now claims that Meghan fears that both Archie and Lilibet will “blame her for depriving them” of the chance of becoming working royals.
“On the other hand, we should always remember that phrase – ‘never say never,’ because it will come back to haunt you when you change your mind, especially if you are a public figure like Meghan,” Quinn told the Mirror.
“A friend of the couple – one of Meghan’s few aristocratic friends from her time in the UK – told me Meghan does miss some aspects of life in the UK and worries that her children will blame her if they never get to see their cousins and feel as adults that they have been deprived of what might have been a fun and meaningful existence in the UK as working royals.”
Only time will tell if Archie and Lilibet harbor any inclination towards royal life, a path their parents chose to diverge from.
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