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.
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 as a “marionette puppet” by the Crown for fans and media worldwide.
Harry & Meghan ‘tricked” reports when Archie was born
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.
Yet as millions of loyal fans and the majority of the public sought information about the little boy, Harry and Meghan’s desire for secrecy was ignored, instead dubbed part of the “unwritten contract between the royals and the public.”
“Behind the scenes, matters were so fraught that more than one official — as I know from personal experience — was reduced to tears of frustration and despair,” Rebecca English, royal editor of the Daily Mail, added.
Usually, when a royal baby is born, the parents find themselves on the hospital steps with their new son or daughter to pose before the media. After photographs are taken, the proud mother and father answer a few questions before retreating to privacy.
According to Katie Nicholl, Harry and Meghan wanted to approach Archie’s birth differently. Instead of facing the media openly, they tricked reporters and photographers.
Prince William, Prince Harry, and William’s children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, were all born at St Mary’s Hospital; thus, the traditional first baby photos were taken there. However, Meghan’s doctor worked at Portland Hospital, so it made sense for Meghan to deliver Archie there.
Prince Archie & Princess Lilibet
An added bonus for the Sussexes was that the place would make photos impossible due to safety considerations around the entrance.
“Harry had always enjoyed outfoxing the media,” Nicholl wrote in The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown.
“He and Meghan were thrilled to be safely delivered of their son in London’s private Portland hospital even before the palace press office had confirmed the duchess was in labor.”
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 Sussees announced that they had given their children the respective titles of prince and princess. 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.
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 at the time.
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 will be more challenging since she’s has the title of princess attached to her name.
King Charles ‘desperate’ to meet Archie & Lilibet
“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.
Needless to say, Archie and Lilibet are growing up fast. Archie celebrated his 5th birthday in May; Lilibet turned three a little over a week ago. On June 5, the young princess’s big day was marked with a party, though no members of her family of the royal side was in attendance. In fact, it’s understood that Princess Eugenie is the only royal who has made a trip to visit Harry, Meghan, and their children in California.
Interestingly, while King Charles’s ties to Harry and his daughter-in-law remain strained, he is reportedly “heartbroken” about the non-existent relationship he shares with Archie and Lilibet.