They fled the UK for a new life in California because they felt trapped by being royal. But now Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are open to their kids one day being working royals. Sources close to the couple say the Sussexes want Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to keep their titles. To support the monarchy by carrying out official duties if they choose to when they’re older. The surprising claim was made after it was revealed that the children having titles was believed to have held up their applications for British passports.
Royal expert Jennie Bond says it’s perplexing that Harry and Meghan would be happy for Archie, six, and Lilibet, four, to experience what they were so desperate to escape.
“I really don’t understand why, having extricated themselves from a life they did not enjoy and in which Harry has publicly spoken of feeling trapped, they want to give their children the option of re joining,” says Jennie.
“It makes no sense.“Who knows what’s going to happen in the future? But it’s very hard to see how two children who are clearly now more American than British would want to change their whole way of life and become working members of the royal family.”
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Privacy vs. the public eye
Archie and Lilibet received the prince and princess titles after their grandfather became King Charles III in 2022. In 2023, Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, applied for passports for the children that included their full titles. According to British media, Harry was frustrated that a process that should have taken three weeks dragged on for six months. Due to alleged “technical issues” he blamed the royal titles. But he wants to make sure they’re on legal documents, says one source “so that when they’re older, they can decide for themselves whether they want to become working royals or stay out of public life”.
Meanwhile, the couple has copped flak for posting photos and videos of the children at Disneyland. Where they spent two days celebrating Lilibet’s fourth birthday. They’ve followed their self-imposed rules of not showing the youngsters’ faces. So the clips and photos are either shot from behind or hearts have been used to cover their faces.
However, some media commentators say this is another example of the couple using their children for publicity. While at the same time complaining about their lack of privacy.
Columnist Jan Moir says, “They shriek about privacy while pushing themselves further on the public stage. These are the actions of a couple desperate to matter.”
The delivery room dance debate
There was also a backlash when Meghan posted a throwback video of herself and Harry dancing in a hospital delivery suite, shortly before she gave birth to Lilibet in 2021. The duchess can be seen enthusiastically twerking to bring on labour. Something she resorted to after spicy food, walking and acupuncture didn’t work, according to her caption. While many people – especially those in the US – responded positively, saying it made the duchess more relatable, it did not go down well in the UK.
“I assumed it was AI generated,” says royal writer Richard Eden.
“It’s not what you expect to see from members of the royal family. I think you have to maintain some dignity and decorum.”
Royal correspondent Rebecca English, who points out that Meghan has previously talked about struggling with the expectation that royals have to share family pictures. Says she can understand the couple making a fun video. But that it should be kept as a private moment.
“To then share that with three million followers on Instagram and to know that it is going to spread around the world… I can’t understand why you would do that. I think a lot of people will find this very hypocritical.”
