Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s life in the US is incredible different from the one they experienced in the UK, not least because they get to raise their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, far away from the spotlight, the paparazzi press, and all the scrutiny comes with being a member of the Royal Family.
In recent days, however, Meghan has decided to share more pictures of her children, though she continues to hide their faces. Now, a new image of Lilibet and Harry has left fans enraged. Are the Duke and Duchess breaking the law?
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet have been kept outside of the spotlight their entire lives. Neither Harry nor Meghan’s children have ever made a public appearance with their parents, and sadly, they don’t have any real sort of relationship with their family members within the British monarchy.
Archie was just a year old when Harry and Meghan left the UK and royal life, and Lilibet was born in the US. While Archie at least met his grandfather, King Charles, his uncle Prince William, and his cousins Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, he didn’t reside in the UK long enough to create a proper bond with any of them.
Several royal experts have criticized Harry and Meghan for not allowing their children the opportunity to forge a lasting connection with their UK-based family. Last summer, Meghan’s estranged father, Thomas Markle, lashed out at his daughter and son-in-law, accusing them of denying their children the right to know their royal relatives.
“They are getting to the age where they will start to ask questions, as all kids do,” Markle told New Zealand Woman’s Weekly, as per The Sun.
“I find myself wondering how Archie and Lilbet will feel in a few years’ time when they realise all the things they have missed out on,” he added.
Prince Archie & Princess Lilibet
Archie and Lilibet will likely live in luxury as they grow up, and eventually, they’ll become fully aware of the feud between their parents and the Royal Family. A source close to the Sussexes told Us Weekly that Harry and Meghan will have “those conversations in due time” regarding their kids’ royal heritage, but for now, traveling to the UK to visit their royal relatives is not an option.
A significant difference between Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet and their cousins, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, is that the three royal children of Prince William and Kate Middleton have lived their lives in the spotlight. Sadly, they have not had a chance to bond with Harry and Meghan’s children. Royal author Phil Dampier told The Sun that it’s a “very sad” situation.
“It’s not thought that George Charlotte and Louis have ever met Archie and Lilibet,” Dampier said, adding that the one time the royal children could’ve spent time with Archie and Lilibet at Windsor, they weren’t there.
“Although they were invited to Lilibet’s first birthday party at Frogmore Cottage, they did not go,” Dampier continued. “In many ways the children of Zara and Mike Tindall have replaced Archie and Lilibet as the closest cousins of George, Charlotte, and Louis.”
The royal expert concluded: “It’s something Archie and Lilibet are missing out on and you just wonder if in years to come, when they grow up, they will start asking their parents why they are estranged from the royal family.”
So why don’t Prince Harry and Meghan travel to the UK with their children so they can meet their cousins, uncle, and grandfather? Put simply, the Duke and Duchess are concerned that they won’t be safe enough as they no longer can enjoy the royal benefit of paid protection.
King Charles “heartbroken” over his non-relationship with Archie & Lilibet
In April, Harry is set to appeal a High Court ruling which upheld the decision to remove publicly funded security for him and his family.
“He wants to ensure the safety of himself and his family while in the U.K. so his children can know his home country and so he can help support his patronages and their important work,” a friend close to Harry and Meghan told Us Weekly in January.
Another relationship that has suffered a considerable blow is the one between Archie and Lilibet and their grandfather, King Charles. The monarch has not seen his US grandchildren in years, and reports say he is “heartbroken” over it.
A source told the Daily Mail: “While he is sorry that he does not have a relationship with his grandchildren in America, it is easier for his peace of mind that there’s an ocean between him and Harry.”
Whether Archie and Lilibet will have a relationship with their grandfather in the coming years is still to be decided, and much, if not the whole situation, depends on whether Harry and Meghan will have their paid security restored. If Charles does get to spend more time with his grandchildren, they will have one significant interest in common.
On Meghan Markle’s new Netflix lifestyle and cooking show With Love, Meghan, the Duchess explained that just like Charles, Archie and Lilibet have grown fond of gardening.
She explained that they “take their gardening very seriously,” and even have their own gardening tools. Arche and Lilibet love spending time outside, just as their grandfather does. Moreover, Meghan revealed that Lilibet enjoys being in the kitchen too.
“Lili and I actually made this batch together,” Meghan said as she scooped strawberry jam into cups. “She picked these with me, she is like, ‘No, Mamma, I will stir it,’ but she is proud-that part feels good.”
King Charles has spoken about his passion for gardening many times. Many years ago, he took the initiative to construct the garden in Highgrove, while he retains an interest in for flowers and planting trees.
“Before you rush into things, see what you like and don’t like and then get stuck in. For me it’s the most marvellous, therapeutic business. You can get reward from it, but you can also be driven mad by it,” Charles once said when advising on garden work.
The king is a big advocate for preservation, too.
“We’re losing so much that’s really precious. Just one example is the wildflower meadows all over this country. Most of them have disappeared. Dug up, ploughed up, sprayed. At the time, in the 60s and 70s, I hated it to such a degree. It seemed to be going too far,” he said.
“Eventually it all comes round again and everybody’s running around like headless chickens, trying to save desperately what’s left… Suddenly they realise what has been done and the damage that’s been done. You want to be able to use nature as your assistant, but you want to give back in return for what you take.”
Prince HArry & Meghan Markle face huge backlash over new Lilibet picture
As mentioned earlier, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not been keen on showing too much of their children on social media. They released a picture of their children, without revealing their faces, for last year’s Christmas card, and as Meghan now has a new Netflix show, newly-taken pictures of their children have reached the public.
On Instagram, Meghan shared a photo of now-three-year-old Lilibet in a boat, sitting in her dad’s lap as he kisses her head.
Lilibet wore a pink shirt and floral leggings, while Harry sported shorts, a t-shirt, sunglasses, and a cap.´
“Happy International Women’s Day! Celebrating the strong women around us & the girls with dreams who will become women with vision. Also thanking those who uplift us every day,” Meghan wrote.
Although many enjoyed the new picture of the daughter-dad duo, Harry and Meghan also faced backlash. Social media users noticed Lilibet wasn’t wearing a lifejacket and were subsequently quick to label the Duke and Duchess “irresponsible.”
“Isn’t it illegal not to have a lifejacket on your child? Very irresponsible,” one user wrote, as per Sky News.
“My family has been in the boating industry for four generations. A very big no-no — things happen in a blink of an eye,” another added.
A third user stated: “The self-absorbed, brain-dead parents didn’t put a lifejacket on that child.”
Could be illegal
It’s unclear where the photo of Harry and Lilibet was taken or under which circumstances. However, per Sky, California law requires children under the age of 13 to wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket when traveling on a moving recreational vessel of any length. The only exception is when they are in an enclosed cabin or wear a harness while on a sailboat. Violators can face a fine of up to $250.
Several other social media users questioned the choice that Lilibet wasn’t wearing a lifejacket and argued that the picture may have been altered.
“As ever, it’s always weird. The yellow circle shows Harry’s left hand, and the green circle shows another two left hands,” one person commented.
Although Harry and Meghan received criticism, some defended the couple.
“While safety is crucial, it’s also important to recognise that not every moment in a family’s life will be perfect or picture-perfect. Let’s focus on the overall well-being of children rather than nitpicking isolated incidents,” one user wrote, while another simply stated, “Bunch of Karens.”
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