Upon returning to the US from their four-day trip to Colombia, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reunited with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Unfortunately, the young prince and princess appear to have been dragged into the newspapers for a disheartening reason.
Harry and Meghan’s children have basically had zero contact with the royal side of their family, and no one knows if or when that might change. It is clear, though, that their grandfather, King Charles, longs to meet his US-based grandchildren, and he might not be the only one.
As such, it’s hardly a surprise that Harry and Meghan’s choices relating to their kids have been called into question. In fact, the Sussexes have now been accused of ‘trapping’ their children by denying them a relationship with one half of their family.
Lilibet’s connections to the Royal Family – though her parents have made it clear they don’t want anything to do with the monarchy – go deeper than one might think. Sure, she’s named after her famous great-grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, but one heartbreaking thing stood out when Lilibet was christened and received her royal title. Harry and Meghan appeared to have chosen a date for the christening that had a greater significance than anyone could’ve imagined.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the UK years ago to live a quieter life in California. As the couple settled into their multimillion-dollar mansion in Montecito, many believed it was the beginning of the Sussexes slowly leaving their public lives behind, not least for the sake of their children, Archie and Lilibet.
Princess Lilibet
However, Harry’s brood still find themselves the talk of the town on a fairly regular basis, thanks in no small part due to the actions of their parents. In March last year, for example, Lilibet’s name made headlines worldwide after she received a royal title.
The young girl was christened by the Archbishop of Los Angeles, the Rev. John Taylor, and thereafter became Princess Lilibet Diana. Her brother, Archie, received the title of ‘prince’.
The christening occurred privately at the Sussexes’ home in Montecito, California, with around 20 to 30 people in attendance. In a statement, Harry and Meghan said they believe the prince and princess titles are their children’s “birthright.”
“The children’s titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became monarch. This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace,” a spokesman for the couple said.
Of course, many were left confused by the fact that Archie and Lilibet now bear the titles of prince and princess. Meghan spoke about the subject during the now-infamous Oprah interview.
“They were saying they didn’t want [Archie] to be a prince or princess, not knowing what the gender would be, which would be different from protocol,” she said.
It was understood that Harry and Meghan did not want to deny their children Archie and Lilibet their birthrights. Instead, they desired Archie and Lilibet to have the chance to decide for themselves whether to keep or drop their titles when they got older.
Royal expert says Princess Lilibet’s royal title is a “burden”
Archie and Lilibet aren’t likely to use their royal titles daily; instead, they will be reserved for formal settings alone.
However, though Harry and Meghan have every right to acknowledge the royal titles of their two children, not everyone is as enthusiastic. Royal expert and author Angela Levin commented on the decision in a piece for Sky News Australia, saying that it might have an unwanted impact on Archie and Lilibet’s futures.
Moreover, Levin argues that Lilibet now has a significant burden on her shoulders due to her parent’s decision.
“It will take a long time for little Lilibet to realise the extent of the burden her parents have placed on her young shoulders,” Levin said.
She added that by giving their daughter a princess 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 has the princess title 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.
According to royal expert and author Tom Quinn, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s royal titles expose them even more. He told Express that the children may soon feel “horribly trapped.”
