Prince Harry and Meghan may want to 'keep their children in private', royal correspondent claims

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have welcomed two children into this world, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3. Their children inherited the titles of Prince and Princess when King Charles ascended the throne.

Since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex left the UK and quit royal life, their children have only been seen a handful of times. Indeed, Archie went on a tour with his parents while they were still working royals. Since then, the couple has shared the odd photo, a family picture for Christmas, and for Lilibet’s first birthday, they shared an official portrait.

Their children also featured in Prince Harry and Meghan’s Netflix docu-series, which wasn’t filmed in their Montecito mansion. Since then, neither child has been pictured, have they entered a new outlook for their young? A royal expert believes so.

Prince Harry and Meghan’s ‘new era’ of privacy

As reported by Newsweek, Prince Harry and Meghan, who are looking for new private schools for their children, did not publicly acknowledge Father’s Day, which was on 16 June. It is typically for celebrities and members of the Royal Family to share photos of their children with their father to mark the special day.

However, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex opted not to post this year, perhaps indicating they are taking a new approach to their children. According to Jack Royston, Newsweek’s chief royal correspondent, the couple could be entering a ‘new era’ of privacy.

Royston told Sky News anchor Kay Burley on Monday, June 17:

It's interesting that we didn't get any Father's Day content from Harry and Meghan. I think they really have hit a new era of definitely wanting to keep their children in private.

As mentioned above, Archie and Lilibet haven't been pictured since the couple’s Netflix docu-series. However, other reports suggest that Meghan would like to feature her children on an upcoming project.

Prince Harry and Meghan have been adamant about setting boundaries with the press and keeping their children hidden from the paparazzi, as per Newsweek. Amid the couple’s want of privacy, it has been said that Prince Harry is upset about the lack of bond his children have with his father, King Charles.

Prince Harry allegedly wants his children to bond with King Charles

As the couple has rarely visited the UK, and when they do, they don’t bring their children, Archie and Lilibet haven’t had the occasion to develop that special grandfather-grandchild relationship. Up until now, June 2024, the Sussex children have met their grandfather, King Charles a handful of times.

Young Archie spent the first few months of his life living in the UK, meaning he had the chance to bond with him, but he may not remember as much given that he was very young. Since then, they have travelled to Prince Harry’s home country once, in June 2022 for the late Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, which was Lilibet’s first time in the UK.

Since then, neither child has had the chance to spend quality time with their grandfather. As per Express, Prince Harry is allegedly ‘desperate’ to bring his two young children to his home country so they can form a close relationship with King Charles.

A source has claimed that the Duke of Sussex would like to bring his children to the UK, even if it’s just for a holiday.

Harry is desperate to bring his kids for a holiday to the UK and allow them that precious bonding time with their grandfather.

The source also added that the situation has ‘saddened’ the Duke of Sussex due to having ‘no solution in sight’. However, it has been suggested that Prince Harry is looking for a UK home, and he may have settled on an area.

Prince Harry allegedly looking for a secluded Georgian house

Prince Harry and Meghan do not have a UK residence since they had to move out of Frogmore Cottage in the summer of 2023. As a result, on the rare occasions Prince Harry visits his home country, he stays at a hotel.

However, it is rumoured that the Duke of Sussex is looking for a UK base as he misses his friends and wants his children to have a relationship with their grandfather. According to royal author, Tom Quinn, Prince Harry is looking for somewhere away from prying eyes.

He told Mirror:

He has no experience of living in anything other than well protected houses that are also well away from the public, so he has a huge problem. Every house he looks at has drawbacks.

Quinn goes on to add that the Duke has little chance of being allowed a home that belongs to the Firm, therefore he will have to purchase a house. He explains that Prince Harry may decide on a ‘secluded Georgian house’ on the ground of Highgrove, in Gloucestershire, one of the King’s country residences.

With no chance of returning to any of the houses in the gift of his family, Harry has looked at buying the kind of secluded Georgian house in its own grounds that his father has at Highgrove in Gloucestershire.

One of Prince Harry’s main issues about returning to his home country with his children is with security. Indeed, he and his wife lost security privileges when they quit life as royals and moved to the US. The father-of-two is currently appealing the court’s decision to strip him of his security.

Despite not having a base in the UK, it has been suggested that King Charles may plan a secret visit to the US to see his grandchildren.

King Charles may secretly visit the US

As monarch, one of King Charles’ duties is to visit other countries. However, His Majesty does also conduct ‘secret’ visit to some countries. As per Mirror, King Charles allegedly visited Transylvania to check on his rental properties, and now there are talks that he may follow the same procedure to visit his grandchildren in the US.

According to Tom Quinn, the King has had ‘discussions’ concerning an ‘official visit’ to the US, he told Mirror:

Charles has had discussions about an official visit to the United States at some time in the future, and there is no doubt if it goes ahead he would build in time to visit his youngest son and his grandchildren

But he may opt for an unpublicised visit instead:

King Charles has privately visited many other countries – he made an unpublicised visit to Transylvania for example to check up on his rental properties – so it’s certainly possible that he would make a discreet private visit to Harry and the children in California.

The royal author claims that King Charles is also ‘desperate’ to see his grandchildren and ‘hates’ the fact that Prince Harry’s children won’t see him as the ‘warm friendly grandfather he wants to be’.

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.

Read more:

Prince Archie allegedly wants to visit the UK but his parents don’t encourage it, claims a royal expert

Who is Tom Quinn? The royal expert who is commenting on Prince Harry's relationship with King Charles

Prince Harry & Meghan: Could their children, Archie and Lilibet become working royals in the future?

Sources used:

Newsweek: ‘Prince Harry and Meghan's 'New Era' of Privacy Over Archie and Lilibet’

Express: ‘Prince Harry 'desperate' for 'isolated' children to visit UK to bond with King Charles’

Mirror: ‘Prince Harry 'hunting for secluded Georgian house near King Charles at Highgrove'

Mirror: ‘King Charles 'in discussions to visit America amid desperation over Prince Harry feud'