Ever since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hopped across the pond, people have been obsessed with how they're raising their family. It's wild to think about. Prince Harry's kids are growing up in Montecito, far away from the rigid protocols of Buckingham Palace, yet their lives remain a constant subject of international debate. They aren't just children; they are the first American-born royals with actual titles.
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are basically the center of Harry’s universe now. You can see it in the way he talks about them in interviews. He’s obsessed with breaking what he calls the "cycle of genetic pain." Honestly, that's a heavy burden for a parent to carry.
The Reality of Prince Harry's Kids and Their Royal Titles
For a long time, the kids didn't have titles. It was a whole thing. When Archie was born in 2019, he was just Master Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. People wondered why. Was it a snub? Was it Harry and Meghan wanting a "normal" life?
The truth came out later. Under the 1917 Letters Patent issued by King George V, only the children and grandchildren of the sovereign are automatically entitled to be HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) and Prince or Princess. While Queen Elizabeth II was alive, Archie and Lili were great-grandchildren. They weren't high enough up the ladder yet.
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Everything changed in September 2022.
When King Charles III took the throne, the kids technically became the grandchildren of the monarch. But the website didn't update right away. It stayed "Master" and "Miss" for months. The tension was palpable. Finally, in March 2023, after Lilibet’s christening, the Sussexes started using the titles. They made it clear: it’s their birthright. They want the kids to decide for themselves when they’re older if they want to use them.
Archie Harrison: The Firstborn
Archie was born at Portland Hospital in London on May 6, 2019. I remember the media frenzy. It was chaotic. Harry stood outside the stables at Windsor, looking absolutely exhausted but over the moon.
He's a "Californian boy" through and through now. He likes chickens. In the Netflix docuseries, we saw him running around their garden, feeding the birds at "Archie’s Chick-Inn." It’s a far cry from the manicured lawns of Kensington Palace. Harry has mentioned that Archie is very chatty. He apparently has a bit of a British-American hybrid accent, which is kinda fascinating if you think about the linguistic shift.
Meghan once told The Cut that they are teaching him about "manners making the man." They’re doing the whole "Gemma and salt and pepper" thing—where the salt and pepper shakers always move together, just like she and Harry. It’s a bit sweet, maybe a bit cheesy, but it shows they’re trying to instill a sense of partnership in him.
Princess Lilibet Diana: The Namesake
Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor arrived on June 4, 2021, at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. No royal doctors, no "Lindo Wing" photo op. Just a private birth in California.
Her name is a massive tribute. Lilibet was the Queen’s childhood nickname. Diana, obviously, is for Harry’s mother. Some people in the UK thought using the Queen’s private nickname was disrespectful, while others saw it as a beautiful olive branch. It depends on which side of the tabloid fence you sit on.
Lili is often described as having "blue, blue, blue eyes" and ginger hair, much like her dad and brother. Harry mentioned on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that the "Spencer genes" are strong in his kids. He sees a lot of his mother in them.
Privacy and Protection in Montecito
Living in California doesn't mean the paparazzi have disappeared. It just means the rules are different.
In the UK, there’s a "gentleman’s agreement" between the Palace and the press: the media gets scheduled photoshoots, and in exchange, they leave the kids alone at school. In the US, it’s a free-for-all. Well, sort of.
The Sussexes have been incredibly litigious about their privacy. They sued over drone photos taken of Archie in a private backyard. They don't post "first day of school" photos on Instagram like William and Catherine do. They are gatekeeping their children’s childhoods. It’s a polarizing move. Some fans feel entitled to see the kids because Harry is a public figure, while others totally respect the "let them be kids" vibe.
They live in a massive estate. Nine bedrooms. Sixteen bathrooms. It’s a fortress.
The security costs are astronomical. Since they lost their UK taxpayer-funded security, Harry has been paying for private protection out of pocket. This is a major point of contention for him. He has repeatedly stated that he doesn't feel safe bringing Prince Harry's kids to the UK without police protection. This is why we rarely see the children in London. Lilibet has only been to the UK once, for the Platinum Jubilee.
Education and Social Life
Archie is at the age where he’s in preschool/kindergarten. They reportedly chose a school that focuses on "emotional intelligence" and "how to be a good person," rather than just academics.
Imagine being the parent at pickup and seeing Meghan Markle or Prince Harry.
Apparently, the other parents are pretty chill about it. In Montecito, celebrities are everywhere. Oprah lives down the street. Ellen DeGeneres is a neighbor. The kids are growing up around people who treat fame as a background noise rather than a spectacle.
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They have playdates. They go to the beach. They do normal stuff, just with a team of former Secret Service agents nearby.
The Relationship with the Royal Family
This is the sad part.
Archie and Lili barely know their cousins. Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis are essentially strangers to them. There are no Sunday lunches at Highgrove. No Christmases at Sandringham.
The distance is both physical and emotional. Harry has admitted he wants his kids to have a relationship with his family, but the legal battles over security and the fallout from his memoir, Spare, make that complicated. It’s a high-stakes family feud where the kids are caught in the middle.
King Charles has reportedly seen his grandchildren only a handful of times. For a grandfather who is known to be quite fond of his grandkids, that’s gotta hurt. But when you’re dealing with international lawsuits and tell-all books, "popping over for tea" isn't really an option.
Misconceptions About the Sussex Kids
One big myth is that they are "hiding" the kids because they’re ashamed or trying to be mysterious.
Actually, it seems more like a trauma response from Harry. He blames the press for his mother’s death. He sees the flashbulbs and he panics. By keeping Archie and Lili out of the spotlight, he feels he’s protecting them from the "beast" that he believes consumed his childhood.
Another misconception? That they aren't American.
They are dual citizens. They are as American as apple pie and as British as Earl Grey. They will grow up with 4th of July parades and Thanksgiving dinners, but they also have a place in the line of succession for the British throne. Archie is 6th, and Lili is 7th. That is a wild reality to navigate.
What the Future Holds
As Prince Harry's kids get older, the pressure will mount.
Eventually, they’ll Google themselves. They’ll see the documentaries. They’ll read the things written about their parents. Harry and Meghan are trying to build a foundation of "service" for them. They want the kids to be involved in the Archewell Foundation.
But will they ever return to the UK?
It seems unlikely as a permanent move. California is home. The sunshine, the space, and the relative anonymity (compared to London) are hard to give up.
Actionable Insights for Following the Sussex Family
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If you're trying to keep up with the latest updates on Prince Harry's kids without falling for tabloid clickbait, here is how to navigate the news:
- Check the Source: Only trust official statements from the Archewell website or confirmed interviews with reputable outlets like People or The Cut.
- Ignore the "Drones": Most "paparazzi" shots of the kids are taken from extreme distances or are legally murky. Supporting these photos often encourages more intrusive behavior.
- Understand the Legalities: The debate over security isn't just about "wanting perks." It's a complex legal battle involving the Home Office and the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC).
- Watch for Milestones: The Sussexes usually release one high-quality photo for birthdays or special holidays. These are the only times you’ll get a clear, sanctioned look at how the children are growing.
- Respect the Boundary: Remember that these are young children. Regardless of how anyone feels about royal politics, Archie and Lili are just kids trying to grow up in a very strange set of circumstances.