Meghan Markle and Prince Harry gave royal fans a rare look at their family of four when they released their Netflix docu-series Harry & Meghan in December 2022. Since then, the couple has chosen not to share any new photos of their son, Archie, now 5, and daughter Lilibet, now 3.
There is a very good reason for this, a source explained to Us Weekly on Aug. 28, 2024. “I think every parent wants to share their kid with the world, but they just can’t,” a family friend said, pointing out that Harry and Meghan lost their U.K. taxpayer-funded police protection when they stepped back from their senior royal family roles in 2020. Harry has been fighting in court for the right to pay for it when they visit his home country.
Harry’s brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate Middleton share photos of their three kids on their birthdays and occasionally take them to royal events. Doing the same for Lili and Archie just isn’t an option, the source explained: “William’s kids, for example, have way more safety, even though they’re recognizable. And the same doesn’t apply to Meghan and Harry’s children. They know the world wants to see [them, but] I would expect them to live smaller lives until that gets sorted, if it ever does.”
One of the most recent photos Meghan and Harry shared of their family from their 2022 Netflix series.
Harry spoke on the ITV documentary Tabloids on Trial earlier this summer about why he won’t take Meghan or his kids to the U.K. either. “All it takes is for one lone actor who reads this stuff to act on what they’ve read [in the tabloids],” he said. “And whether it’s a knife or acid, these are things that are genuine concerns for me. It’s one of the reasons why I won’t bring my wife back to this country.”
The Us Weekly source, much like Harry and Meghan themselves from time to time, offered a little detail on what Lili and Archie’s lives are like in Montecito, California. “They’re so well-mannered,” the source said. “Archie is sweet and curious and playful, and Lili is vibrant and happy.”
Meghan and Harry are trying to give them a normal life. “They take the kids to school, they pick them up, and they are very active and present with them throughout the day,” the insider said. Conversations about the children’s ties to the British royal family and what those mean will happen “in due time,” the source added.
Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.