Many people would say family is the most important thing in the world. However, even within the closest families, things can happen that quickly change everything. For the royal family, that happened when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided to leave the UK for a new life in the US. They are now raising their children, Archie and Lilibet, far away from the rest of the royal family, including Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Harry and Meghan’s children are growing up far away from their UK relatives. They barely know their cousins, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, and their grandfather, King Charles, has only seen his grandchildren a handful times.
Archie and Lilibet’s parents have pretty much cut all ties with the royals, and while there have been talks about Harry looking for a permanent UK home, the Sussexes are said to be afraid of bringing their children to the UK. Kate and William reportedly invited Harry, Meghan, and their children to visit. A royal expert has now revealed the actual relationship between William and Kate and Archie and Lilibet – and unfortunately, it’s not a joyful report.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved to the US to live a more private life, far away from the paparazzi press and the pressures and expectations 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 Firm long-term.
Archie & Lilibet
When Archie was born in 2019, the Sussexes had already taken a step towards becoming more private, vying to move away from being wheeled out by the Crown as a “marionette puppet” for fans and media worldwide.
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 certainly isn’t the norm when it comes to royal babies being born.
Lilibet’s birth was not quite the same. She was born in June 2021 in California, and there, no paparazzi press even got close. Even so, it wasn’t long before Harry and Meghan Markle brought their kids back into the spotlight.
Two years after Lilibet’s birth, the Sussexes announced that they had given their children prince and princess titles. Yet while Harry and Meghan claim the titles are their children’s birthright, not everyone agreed that this was the best move.
According to royal expert and author Angela Levin, it could have an unwanted impact on Archie and Lilibet’s futures.
Harry & Meghan criticized over giving their children royal titles
In a piece for Sky, Levin stated that Lilibet now has a significant burden on her shoulders due to her parents’ 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,” Levin said.
She added that by giving their daughter an official royal 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?” Levin asked, stating that Lilibet’s everyday life would be more challenging since she had the title of princess 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,” the royal expert concluded.
Archie celebrated his fifth birthday in May, and Lilibet turned three in early June.
King Charles has met Archie only five times and Lilibet just once. He is reportedly “heartbroken” over the non-existing relationship with his grandchildren, but according to royal expert Tom Quinn, the monarch have considered changing that.
King Charles to visit his grandchildren in the US?
He recently told the Mirror that Charles “has had discussions” about traveling to America to visit Harry and his family “at some time in the future.”
“There is no doubt if it goes ahead he would build in time to visit his youngest son and his grandchildren, but there are mountains of planning to be overcome before that becomes even a remote possibility,” Quinn said
“It’s certainly possible that he would make a discreet private visit to Harry and the children in California,” the royal expert added. “He is desperate to see them and hates the idea that Archie and Lily will not remember him as the warm friendly grandfather he wants to be.”
Relationship expert Louella Alderson told the Mirror that it would be a “significant gesture” if Charles would visit Harry, Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet in the US.
“The logistics behind King Charles’s making a trip to America, whether it’s private or not, and meeting with Harry without may prove difficult,” Alderson explained. “King Charles has many Royal obligations and now health issues as well, so a trip to America in any capacity would likely require careful planning and coordination.”
She continued: “This fact alone means if King Charles is willing to make the effort and put forth the time and energy to visit Harry in America, it could be a significant gesture of his desire to mend their relationship.”
“It’s possible that he may be more willing to address any issues and work towards finding a resolution than he has been previously.”
Meghan ‘declined’ William & Kate’s UK invite
Even though Charles could make a move to mend the relationship with his estranged son, other royal family members might be less interested. Prince William and Kate Middleton are in no contact with Harry nor Meghan, and how they ended things last time out was not pretty.
While the two couples’ relationship is at the bottom, Tom Quinn recently told the Mirror that William and Kate had urged Harry and Meghan to bring their children to the UK for a visit. Sadly, according to Quinn, Meghan refused.
“There is no way Meghan would bring the children to the UK. 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,” Quinn said.
Harry and Meghan have not brought their children to the UK the few times they have been back. So why would they not?
A source told OK! that Meghan fears for her children’s safety.
“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.
“Harry doesn’t want to keep making solo trips to the UK,” the source continued. “He would prefer it if the entire family made regular visits to see his family and build bridges, but there is so much going on behind the scenes that it just isn’t possible at the moment. “
Royal expert says William & Kate ‘have no relationship’ with Archie and Lilibet
The children’s safety isn’t Meghan’s only concern about returning to the UK. The OK! Magazine source stated that the Duchess doesn’t want to “be thrown back into an anxiety-fueled visit to England where she feels like she’s not wanted.”
Some days ago, royal correspondent Cameron Walker told GB News that William and Harry have “very, very” limited contact. Sadly, that has also affected William and Kate’s relationship with Archie and Lilibet.
“I think the feud runs deep there, and it’s getting to the point where every time you ask a question about Prince Harry to anybody close to Prince William, the barriers go up, which suggests to me that there is still a real issue there between William and Harry – I don’t see how that changes in the current circumstances;” Cameron said.
GB News’ royal editor Svar Nanan-Sen added, “William and Kate don’t have any relationship with Archie and Lilibet either. We know that King Charles has only met Lilibet once – the same probably goes for William and Kate.”
“Archie and Lilibet have no relationship with George, Charlotte and Louis – and they’re cousins. So this this feud between Harry and William and Kate and Meghan is creating a rift down the entire family that is crossing generations.”
“It’s really sad to see”
Cameron Walker concluded, “George, Charlotte and Louis are not going to have that with their two cousins, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet – it’s really sad to see, and it’s also not their fault.”
“It’s going to be interesting in 20 years’ time to see if there is any relationship between Archie and Lilibet – if they stay in California – and the three royal children here in the UK,” he told GB News.
Archie and Lilibet are growing up fast. There’s still plenty of time until they begin their studies, which include at least high school or college. Until then, they will likely attend a school in fashionable Montecito, California, where they live.
One journalist suggests that the Sussexes have begun looking at schools in the surrounding area. Inevitably, Harry and Meghan are now apparently facing much criticism for their choice of possible insitutions.
Speaking with the Mirror, Richard Mineards, with the Montecito Journal, revealed that Harry and Meghan have been eyeing a local private school. And it costs a pretty penny indeed.
“School fees in our area range from $60,000 to $50,000 plus for older grades, with most of the institutions having 100 percent of students going on to attend four-year colleges,” he said.
It can be assumed that Harry and Meghan have the funds to send their children to private schools. However, the fact that the Duke is considering such an expensive school doesn’t sit well with everyone.
Harry & Meghan branded “frauds” over school choice for Archie & Lilibet
US-based journalist Lee Cohen has moved to slam the royal couple, branding them “frauds.” In an interview with GB News, he said it’s “infuriating” that the Sussexes are planning to enroll their children in an “outrageously expensive” school, not least since they have the issue of equality close to their hearts.
“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.
“Their supposed commitment to progressive causes is nothing but a facade,” he continued. “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?”
Lee Cohen concluded, “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.”
