Prince Harry and Meghan Markle didn’t move to the US alone; their son, Prince Archie, was with them on their so-called “freedom flight” to Canada. In 2021, they settled into their multimillion-dollar mansion in Montecito, California, and welcomed their daughter, Princess Lilibet.
Even though Archie and Lilibet are still very young, they’ve been a hot topic in the news. Lilibet just celebrated her third birthday, but sadly, no members of the Royal Family were present at her party. There’s been much speculation about what kind of relationship Archie and Lilibet will have with their UK-based cousins – Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Recently, there have been rumors that King Charles is eager to play a bigger role in the lives of Harry and Meghan’s children.
This fall, Archie is starting kindergarten, and Lilibet is getting ready for preschool. Harry and Meghan have begun looking at schools for their kids, but a US journalist recently criticized the couple, calling them “frauds.”
Harry and Meghan moved to the US seeking a more private life, away from the paparazzi and the pressures of the monarchy. It’s been said that the couple knew “within days” of their wedding that they didn’t want to stay in the Royal Family long-term.
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When Archie was born in 2019, his parents, Harry and Meghan, had already decided they wanted more privacy. They didn’t want to be constantly shown off by the Crown to fans and the media.
In her book “The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown,” royal expert Katie Nicholl said that Harry was extremely focused on keeping Archie’s birth a secret, which is very unusual for royal births.
However, many fans and the general public wanted to know more about Archie. Harry and Meghan’s wish for privacy was not respected and was seen as breaking an “unwritten contract between the royals and the public.”
Rebecca English, the royal editor of the Daily Mail, mentioned that things were so tense behind the scenes that some officials were brought to tears out of frustration and despair.
Normally, when a royal baby is born, the parents pose for photos on the hospital steps with their new baby and answer a few questions before going back to their private lives.
According to Katie Nicholl, Harry and Meghan wanted to handle Archie’s birth differently from other royal births. Instead of facing the media openly, they misled reporters and photographers.
Unlike Prince William, Prince Harry, and William’s children, who were all born at St Mary’s Hospital where the first baby photos are traditionally taken, Meghan gave birth to Archie at Portland Hospital because her doctor worked there. This also helped them avoid photos due to the hospital’s secure entrance.
“Harry always enjoyed outsmarting the media,” Nicholl wrote in her book, “The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown.” Harry and Meghan were happy that Archie was born safely at Portland Hospital even before the palace press office announced Meghan was in labor.
Lilibet’s birth was different. She was born in June 2021 in California, where paparazzi couldn’t get close. However, Harry and Meghan soon brought their kids back into the public eye.
Two years after Lilibet’s birth, the Sussexes announced that their children would have the titles of prince and princess. Harry and Meghan said these titles were their children’s birthright, but not everyone thought this was a good idea.
Royal expert and author Angela Levin suggested that giving these titles to Archie and Lilibet might have a negative impact on their futures. In an article for Sky, Levin said Lilibet might face a significant burden because of her parents’ decision.
“It will take a long time for little Lilibet to understand the burden her parents have placed on her young shoulders,” Levin said.3
She added that by giving their daughter an official royal title, Harry and Meghan have now “attached her closely to the British Royal Family,” the same group they’ve criticized for many years.
“Why would you want your daughter to go through such difficulties?” Levin questioned, saying that Lilibet’s daily life will be tougher because she’s now called a princess.
“Most girls love being princesses at parties, but if Lilibet is the only real princess in her class, it could cause jealousy that could have been avoided,” the royal expert concluded.
Archie and Lilibet are growing up quickly. Archie turned 5 in May, while Lilibet celebrated her third birthday just over a week ago. On June 5, there was a party for the young princess, although no royal family members attended. Princess Eugenie is reportedly the only royal who has visited Harry, Meghan, and their children in California.
Interestingly, even though King Charles’s relationship with Harry and Meghan is strained, he is reportedly “heartbroken” about not having a close relationship with Archie and Lilibet.
According to royal expert Ingrid Seward, who spoke with the Mirror and wrote “My Mother and I: The Inside Story of the Queen and Our Late Mother,” Charles’s recent cancer diagnosis has made his relationship with Archie and Lilibet “even more poignant,” as he knows he “won’t be here forever.”
“Family has always been important to the King. He remembers his own somewhat fragmented childhood because his parents were always busy with their duties. It’s a great sadness to him that he doesn’t see more of Archie and Lilibet,” Seward explained.
“That’s why he’ll always stay connected to Harry. He doesn’t want just a FaceTime relationship with his grandchildren. He wants to be part of their lives, to share his wisdom while they’re young enough to learn from him. His cancer has made this even more meaningful because he knows he won’t be here forever.”
We’ll have to wait and see what Harry and Meghan’s children choose to do as they grow up. They can be anything they want, even working royals, but their parents probably imagine a future where they attend some of the best and most expensive schools in the world.
Their relatives in the UK have gone to famous schools like Gordonstoun in Scotland and Eton in England. However, it’s said the Sussexes won’t send their son to school in the UK.
In a 2022 article in The Cut, journalist Allison Davis remembered a talk with Meghan Markle. Meghan said she didn’t want Archie to go to school in the UK because of safety worries.
“Earlier, we talked about her dreams for the life she’s building here. She said if Archie went to school in the UK, she’d never be able to drop him off or pick him up without it being a big deal with 40 photographers taking pictures,” Davis wrote.
Meghan told Allison, “I’m sorry, but I can’t accept that. It’s not about wanting privacy too much. It’s about being a strong, good parent who protects her child.”
Archie and Lilibet still have a lot of time before they start school, possibly not until high school or college. For now, they’ll likely go to a school near their home in Montecito, California, where they live.
A journalist suggests that Harry and Meghan are already looking at schools nearby. But their choice is causing a lot of criticism.
Rochard Mineards from the Montecito Journal told the Mirror that Harry and Meghan have been checking out a local private school. It’s quite expensive.
“The Riven Rock couple were seen visiting the school’s campus last week, getting closer to making a decision,” Mineards said.
He added, “School fees around here range from $60,000 to over $50,000 for older grades, and almost all students go on to four-year colleges.”
Harry and Meghan likely have enough money to send their kids to private schools. But some people aren’t happy that Harry is looking at such an expensive school.
US journalist Lee Cohen criticized the royal couple, calling them “frauds.” In an interview with GB News, he said it’s “upsetting” that the Sussexes want to send their children to a school that’s “outrageously expensive,” especially since they care about equality.
“It’s really frustrating to hear that Harry and Meghan, who say they fight for fairness and social fairness, are considering sending their kids to an expensive, exclusive school,” Cohen said.
“Their support for progressive causes seems fake,” he went on. “If they’re okay with this extreme elitism, they’re not really for fairness. They’re okay with paying lots of money each year for their kids’ schooling. How can they say it’s fair when so many families struggle to afford basics?”
Cohen finished by accusing the couple of keeping up “systems of privilege” they say they oppose.
“Sending their kids to such a fancy school shows that Harry and Meghan aren’t honest. They’re keeping up the systems of privilege they claim to fight against,” Cohen told GB News.
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