Prince Harry and Meghan Markle didn’t move to the US alone; their son, Prince Archie, joined them on their “freedom flight” to Canada. By 2021, after settling into their multimillion-dollar mansion in Montecito, California, the Sussexes welcomed their daughter, Princess Lilibet.
Even though Archie and Lilibet are still very young, they have already been frequently discussed in the media. Lilibet recently celebrated her third birthday, but sadly, no members of the Royal Family could attend her party. What Archie and Lilibet’s future relationship with their UK-based cousins – Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis – will look like remains uncertain. However, it has been rumored that King Charles is eager to have a more active role in their lives.
Archie is about to start kindergarten this fall, while Lilibet is preparing for preschool. Harry and Meghan are reportedly looking at schools for their children, but one US journalist has criticized the couple, calling them “frauds.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved to the US to enjoy a more private life, away from the constant paparazzi and the pressures of royal duties. It’s said that the couple knew shortly after their wedding that they didn’t want to stay in the royal family for long.
When Archie was born in 2019, the Sussexes had already begun to seek more privacy, trying to avoid being used as “marionette puppets” by the Crown for public consumption.
Harry and Meghan ‘deceived’ the media when Archie was born. In her book *The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown*, royal expert Katie Nicholl described Harry as “almost morbidly obsessed” with keeping Archie’s birth as secret as possible, which is unusual for royal births.
Despite the public’s keen interest in the newborn, Harry and Meghan’s wish for privacy was largely ignored, being seen as part of the “unwritten contract” between royals and the public.
Rebecca English, royal editor of the Daily Mail, noted that the situation was so tense that some officials were brought to tears out of frustration. Typically, royal parents are photographed on hospital steps with their baby and answer a few questions before retreating to privacy.
According to Katie Nicholl, Harry and Meghan wanted to handle Archie’s birth differently. Rather than engaging with the media openly, they deceived reporters and photographers.
Prince William, Prince Harry, and William’s children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—were all born at St Mary’s Hospital, where the traditional first baby photos were taken. Meghan’s doctor worked at Portland Hospital, so it made sense for Meghan to deliver Archie there.
An added advantage for the Sussexes was that the hospital’s location made it difficult for photographers to get close due to security around the entrance.
“Harry had always enjoyed outsmarting the media,” Nicholl wrote in *The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown*.
“He and Meghan were delighted to have their son born at London’s private Portland Hospital before the palace press office even confirmed the duchess was in labor.”
Lilibet’s birth was different. She was born in June 2021 in California, where the paparazzi were kept at bay. However, it wasn’t long before Harry and Meghan Markle brought their children back into the spotlight.
Two years after Lilibet’s birth, the Sussexes announced that they had given their children the titles of prince and princess. While Harry and Meghan believe these titles are their children’s birthright, some disagree with their decision.
Royal expert and author Angela Levin warned that this move could affect Archie and Lilibet’s futures.
In a piece for Sky, Levin said that Lilibet might face a significant burden because of her parents’ decision.
“It will take a long time for little Lilibet to understand the weight of the responsibility her parents have placed on her,” Levin noted.
She added that by giving their daughter an official royal title, Harry and Meghan have now “tied her to the British Royal Family,” the same establishment they have criticized for years.
“Why on earth would you want your daughter to experience such pain?” Levin asked, noting that Lilibet’s everyday life might be more challenging because of her princess title.
“Little girls love being a princess at parties, but if Lilibet is the only one in her class with that title, it could lead to jealousy that could have been avoided,” Levin concluded.
Archie and Lilibet are growing up quickly. Archie turned 5 in May, and Lilibet celebrated her third birthday a little over a week ago. On June 5, Lilibet’s birthday was marked with a party, but no members of the royal family attended. It is understood that Princess Eugenie is the only royal who has visited Harry, Meghan, and their children in California.
Despite strained ties with Harry and Meghan, King Charles is reportedly “heartbroken” about his lack of relationship with Archie and Lilibet. The King has met Archie only five times and Lilibet just once.
Royal expert Ingrid Seward, author of *My Mother and I: The Inside Story of the King and Our Late Queen*, told the Mirror that King Charles’s cancer diagnosis has made his desire to connect with Archie and Lilibet “even more poignant,” as he realizes he “won’t be around forever.”
“Family has always been important to the King. He remembers his own somewhat fragmented childhood due to his parents’ busy schedules. It greatly saddens him that he doesn’t see more of Archie and Lilibet,” Seward explained.
“That is why he will never break ties with Harry. He does not want a FaceTime relationship with his son’s children. He wants to know them and be involved with their lives while they are still young enough to benefit from his wisdom. His cancer has made this desire even more urgent, as he knows he won’t be around forever.”
**Meghan Reveals Why Archie Will Never Attend a UK School**
Only time will tell what Harry and Meghan’s children will choose to do as they grow up. While they could potentially follow in their parents’ footsteps or even become working royals, their parents likely envision a future where they attend some of the best and most expensive schools worldwide.
Notably, their UK relatives have attended prestigious schools like Gordonstoun in Scotland and Eton in England. However, it is said that the Sussexes would not allow their son to attend school in the UK.
In a 2022 article for *The Cut*, journalist Allison Davis recounted a conversation with Meghan Markle in which the Duchess explained her reluctance for Archie to attend school in the UK due to safety concerns.
“Earlier in our conversation about her goals for the life she’s creating here, she mentioned that if Archie were in school in the UK, she’d never be able to do school pickup and drop-off without it turning into a royal photo opportunity with a press pack of 40 people snapping pictures,” Davis wrote.
Meghan told Allison: “Sorry, I have a problem with that. That doesn’t make me obsessed with privacy. That makes me a strong and good parent protecting my child.”
There’s still plenty of time before Archie and Lilibet start their schooling, which will include high school and potentially college. For now, they are likely to attend a school near their home in fashionable Montecito, California.
**Harry and Meghan Checking Out Expensive Private Schools for Archie and Lilibet**
Reports suggest that Harry and Meghan have begun looking at private schools in their area. Their choices have attracted some criticism due to the high costs of these schools.
According to Rochard Mineards from the Montecito Journal, Harry and Meghan were recently seen visiting a local private school. The cost of these schools is quite high.
“The Riven Rock couple was spotted inspecting a school campus last week, bringing them closer to making a decision,” Mineards said.
He added, “School fees in our area range from $50,000 to $60,000 for older grades, with most students going on to attend four-year colleges.”
While it’s likely that Harry and Meghan can afford these schools, the choice has faced criticism. US-based journalist Lee Cohen has called the couple “frauds,” expressing frustration that they are planning to enroll their children in such an “outrageously expensive” school, despite their stated commitment to equality.
“Fraudulent Champions of Equality”
Lee Cohen Criticizes Harry and Meghan’s Choice of Private School
Lee Cohen has expressed frustration over Harry and Meghan’s decision to consider enrolling their children in an elite, expensive private school. According to Cohen, the couple’s actions contradict their public commitment to equality and social justice.
“It’s utterly infuriating to hear that Harry and Meghan, the self-proclaimed champions of equality and social justice, are even contemplating enrolling their children in an exclusive, outrageously expensive school,” Cohen said.
He continued, “Their supposed commitment to progressive causes is nothing but a facade. If they’re willing to indulge in this epitome of elitism, there is no advocating for equality. Yet they’re willing to pay staggering tens of thousands per year for their children’s education. How can they possibly justify this when so many families struggle to afford even the basic necessities?”
Cohen concluded by accusing the couple of sustaining the very privilege they claim to oppose. “Sending their children to such a prestigious institution completely exposes the frauds that Harry and Meghan are. By perpetuating the very systems of privilege that they claim to expose,” Cohen told GB News.