Royal children have always been of enormous interest to fans worldwide. It didn’t start with this generation, with the likes of Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, but for decades, they have always had an extraordinary place in royal fans’ hearts.
Since their mother, Princess Diana, became a “princess of people’s hearts,” Princes William and Harry were always at the center of attention regarding the media. Sadly, her 1997 passing put an even greater spotlight on them.
Harry & Meghan – children Archie & Lilibet
Meanwhile, not all royal children are getting the same amount of attention. Two of them are not being followed around by the media because of their parents’ decision.
As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided to leave royal life to start a new one in the US, their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, were removed from whatever public life they would have been getting used to if the Sussexes had stayed in the UK.
Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan have yet to adjust to living a more private life, as their many interviews and Harry’s book, Spare, made them the center of attention. The many accusations against the royal family put them back into the spotlight, and in one way, it also meant Archie and Lilibet entered it, too.
Harry and Meghan have been very restrictive about having anyone take photos of their children. However, as their Netflix documentary series launched in December 2022, their kids both appeared and stole the show.
While the Netflix appearance was quite harmful, there were other events involving Archie and Lilibet, which resulted in Harry and Meghan getting a lot of criticism, mainly because their children haven’t been left with the choice of whether to be involved in public life.
One of those events was when Harry and Meghan announced that both Lilibet and Archie received royal titles in 2023 — becoming Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
“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.
Harry & Meghan received criticism for handing their children royal titles
The Royal Family’s website was updated accordingly. Archie and Lilibet are 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.
As per the Mirror, Harry and Meghan were understood to not to want to deny their children their birthright. Instead, they wish that Archie and Lilibet have a chance to decide for themselves whether to keep or drop their titles when they are older.
The Sussex children will likely only use their royal titles occasionally, reserved for formal settings alone.
But while Harry and Meghan have every right to acknowledge the royal titles they give their children, not everyone is equally happy about it.
Shortly after the news of Archie and Lilibet’s royal titles was announced, expert and author Angela Levin said it might negatively impact their futures.
The royal expert argued that Lilibet now has a significant burden on her shoulders due to her parent’s decision.
“It will take a long time for little Lilibet to realize the extent of the burden her parents have placed on her young shoulders,” Angela Levin wrote in a piece for Sky News Australia.
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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 criticized for many years.
“Why on earth would you want your daughter to experience such anguish?” the royal expert said, adding that Lilibet’s everyday life will be more challenging now that she has the princess title attached to her name.
“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.
Meghan fears for her children’s safety if returning to the UK
Like Angela Levin, a majority of members of the public didn’t think giving their children royal titles was right.
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.
Harry and Meghan have only been back in the UK on a few occasions since leaving the royal family. Lilibet celebrated her first birthday at Frogmore Cottage – the house Harry and Meghan were evicted from – and Archie lived his first year in the UK before his family moved to the US.
In just a few weeks, Harry and Meghan are believed to travel to London to be part of the Invictus Games 10th Anniversary Service at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
If reports were to be believed, they had plans to bring their children with them, and there has even been claimed that William and Kate have asked them to bring their children, not least so they can spend time with their UK cousins, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
However, just days ago, reports suggested that Meghan doesn’t want to bring her children to the UK at all. According to royal expert and author Tom Quinn, Meghan fears for her children’s safety if returning to the British Isles.
“There is no way Meghan would bring the children to the UK,” 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.”
