Harry's fears over Meghan Markle's plans for their children as 'he wants to protect them'
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly feeling “conflicted” over how much to have their children in the limelight, a source tells OK! , claiming that Harry’s past is “holding Meghan’s family plans back”. It is claimed the couple are struggling to agree on just how much their two children should appear in the public eye, as two of their projects prepare to come to the small screen.
Harry and Meghan have two new Netflix shows airing in the coming months, with a source telling OK! that the latter is keen to get their kids Archie, who turns five this week, and Lilibet, two, involved – something which Harry is firmly against. “Harry and Meghan have always had friendly debate over the children and the idea of them being in the spotlight," claimed the source.
"For Harry, the experience he had growing up in the public eye means he wants to keep his children out of it for as long as possible – that was one of his reasons for quitting royal life as he wanted to protect the kids"
Saying that Meghan, who was born in California and began acting at the age of 14, has different views, the source continued, “Meghan had a completely different childhood and grew up in LA, and doesn’t really see the problem as long as they are the ones who control it. “She would love for Archie and Lilibet to make guest appearances on her new show as being a mum is a huge part of her life and wants to show off that part of her world, just like Kate does occasionally when she takes her children to work events.”
Meghan and Harry’s two new shows are part of an $80 million deal with streaming giant Netflix, with one series seeing Harry delve into the world of professional polo, a sport he has often played through the years. The other is thought to be more lifestyle focused and will see Meghan cooking and gardening.
It is claimed that Meghan’s show will not be filmed in the couple’s £11 million Montecito mansion, which fans would surely have been keen to get a glimpse of, but at a neighbour’s home instead.
While Harry is keen to share his passions with the world, he is also deeply protective of his children, after growing up in the public eye himself. Harry and Meghan stepped down as working royals in January 2020, and have since cited “toxic” media pressures as one of their reasons for doing so. The prince has also previously accused the press of playing a “destructive role in my growing-up” and has likened his childhood to growing up in a “zoo”.
During his and Meghan’s explosive 90-minute Oprah interview in 2021, Harry vowed not to let his children “go through the pain” that he did. “Certainly, when it comes to parenting, if I’ve experienced some form of pain or suffering because of the pain or suffering that perhaps my father or my parents had suffered... I’m going to make sure I break that cycle so that I don’t pass it on, basically.”
Yet, while Harry is determined not to let history repeat itself, Meghan doesn’t think this is the same situation and wants him to see the more positive side of fame, the source claimed.
They said, “Meghan is super proud of her kids and thinks as long as they’re not over-exposed, then it’ll all be OK. She totally gets where Harry is coming from because he has been so traumatised by things that went on during his childhood and she admires him for wanting to protect the kids and she will always support him. But she’s trying to convince him that being in the spotlight isn’t all bad and feels he shouldn’t judge everything by his past and what he went through.”
“They’re in a completely different situation and Archie and Lili are never going to be anonymous and ‘normal’ kids because of who their parents are, so Meghan is hoping Harry will get on board with her plans soon.”
Since leaving the royal family, the couple haven’t shied away from the spotlight as a couple – first telling their story with a six-part eponymous Netflix documentary, then with Harry releasing his controversial 2023 memoir, Spare, in which he spilled numerous details on his life in the royal family, his father, King Charles, and brother Prince William.
While Archie and Lilibet have mainly been kept away from the spotlight since the family relocated to the US in 2020, Harry has expressed his desire for the little ones to have a relationship with their royal relatives. He said last year, “I would love nothing more than for our children to have relationships with members of my family, and they do with some, which brings me great joy.”
Perhaps the couple can meet each other halfway, both on how much the public gets to see of their precious little ones, and how much their kids are able to build a relationship with their royal relatives, back in the UK.
