Prince Harry was once seen as the perfect member of the Royal Family. He attended every occasion, served in the army, and dedicated his life to his country. However, his public image began to shift after marrying former actress Meghan Markle. Since then, the two have taken a massive step back from the public eye. After the birth of his daughter, Princess Lilibet, Harry refused to share any details regarding their private life. However, in a turn of events, he recently confirmed which royal family member she seems to take after. You may be surprised by what he had to say.
A Life of Drama
In 2021, the world learned of the passing of Prince Phillip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth. His death shocked the world and left the Royal Family in mourning. A massive funeral was held, which Prince Harry attended. However, Meghan was unable to attend, as she was heavily pregnant with Lili and was not cleared by her doctor to fly. Even though Harry was obviously shaken by this loss, the media hounded him.
This resulted in his return to America to be with his wife and children. Harry and Meghan appeared to have very little contact with the Royals following Phillip’s death. It seemed as though his visit to the UK for the funeral had not been a pleasant one. For this reason, fans were left wondering when and if he would return home again in the near future. After all, he did have a baby on the way, and surrounded by a tense atmosphere was no way to raise a child.
The Public Eye
After Meghan gave birth to Princess Lilibet, the couple took a few weeks to rest and recover before sharing the news with the world. The pair have always tried to shield their children from the media as much as they possibly could, but being Royals, they are required to give a certain amount of leeway.
So, after a short break, the news of Lilibet’s arrival made headlines around the globe. The public was delighted, and even though the couple had already stepped back from their royal duties, the royal family still released a statement congratulating them.
Congratulations
Unfortunately, tensions were high between Harry and the rest of his family. They had not yet forgiven him for stepping away from his duties. Because of this, the public was intrigued to see how the Queen would respond to the birth of Lilibet.
Would she simply ignore the announcement? Instead, the Queen, followed by Prince Charles and Camilla, released a public statement expressing their satisfaction with the birth of the newest addition to the Royal Family.
The Meaning Behind a Name
Even though there was some tension between the family members, everybody assumed that the Queen was delighted with the newest arrival. This was mostly due to the fact that Lilibet was even named after her.
In a joint statement, Harry and Meghan confirmed that their daughter was named after the Queen. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her late grandmother, the Princess of Wales.
A Christmas Speech
The Royal Family has to be very careful about what they say to the public. For this reason, nobody was really surprised that the Queen didn’t reveal too many of her true feelings over the birth of her 11th great-grandchild.
However, during her Christmas speech, she spoke out a bit more on the matter. Even though she didn’t mention Lilibet by name, she discussed how ecstatic she was to welcome four new children into the Royal Family.
More Details
For a while, the whole world was kept in the dark regarding Prince Harry, Meghan, and their life with their newest addition. However, that all changed after he released his book, Spare. The world was shocked to hear some of the stories that he included in this biography.
He discussed his life as a Royal, meeting Meghan, and how their lives changed after the birth of their two children. He even mentioned how he was the one to deliver Princess Lilibet because he ‘wanted to be the first face she saw.’
The Godfather
A few months after his book was published, the couple also released a Netflix docuseries. In this series, the public learned a little bit more about the people closest to Lilibet and her parents. The series also confirmed that they chose Tyler Perry as Lilibet’s godfather.
This didn’t come as much of a surprise, though, as everyone already knew just how close the family was to the actor. He even offered them a place to stay after they chose to step away from the Royal Family.
Sticking to Their Guns
However, while Perry was honored with their decision to make him Godfather, he couldn’t shake one hesitation. He didn’t want to have to travel to England in order to ‘do all that Church stuff’ with the Royal Family.
Luckily, at this point, Meghan and Harry had already stepped away from their Royal duties. For this reason, they stuck to their guns and made Perry Lilibet’s official Godfather, even though the Royal Family didn’t approve of this decision.
At the end of the day, whether a Royal Family member or not, no parent should have their child’s godparent decided for them. Certain things should be left alone, this being one of them.
A Momentous Occasion
The docuseries also gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at the day-to-day lives of the couple and their children. We even got a chance to see Lilibet and Archie in the flesh, playing and interacting with one another.
In one incredibly heartwarming scene, Lilibet celebrates her first birthday. The couple spends the special occasion at Frogmore Cottage, where they play in the garden with their children and enjoy their new, more private way of life.
Super fans couldn’t help but notice that Lilibet’s birthday cake was even made by the same baker who designed the couple’s wedding cake. Everyone could see just how loved the new Princess really was.
Like Mother, Like Son
In this series, the couple also spoke about their two children and who they think they take after. According to Harry, it’s no secret that Archie takes after his mother. If you look at a picture of baby Archie and baby Meghan, it’s easy to tell that they are related.
The mother-son duo look almost identical, which fans loved to see. It was also incredibly heart-warming to see just how happy the pair were to talk about their children. You can see just how much they enjoy the new life that they have made for themselves.
But what about Lilibet? The public had heard so little about the new Princess and was dying to hear more about who she would take after. Was she shy and sweet, like her father, or outspoken and confident, like her mother?
Princess Diana
As it turns out, Princess Lilibet is more like her grandmother than either Harry or Meghan. In an interview, the couple spoke about how they see more and more of Diana in Lilibet every single day. Not only does she look like the late Princess of Wales, but her personality has already begun shining through.
Even though Princess Lilibet was only one at the time of filming, her parents claim that she has so much personality that it’s hard to miss. They can tell that she will be just as confident and passionate as Diana once was.
On top of this, Lilibet looks like the spitting image of her grandmother. With her golden-reddish hair and bright blue eyes, it’s evident that she will be just as beautiful as the Princess of Wales was.
Keeping the Door Ajar
Harry and Meghan both bravely and boldly decided to leave the Royal Family after opting for a quieter and more private life. They didn’t want to share all of the details regarding their children’s lives with the public.
That said, they still share a few details with their fans every now and again. Even though they prefer their privacy, they both know that being famous comes with certain social requirements.
Because of this, the couple share snippets here and there, but never anything too personal. In 2021, Meghan even appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to discuss her new life.
Adjustments
In this interview, Meghan was very candid while still avoiding sharing too much detail. She discussed what it was like to be a mother and the various adjustments they had to make when the new baby came along.
More specifically, she discussed how Archie had to get used to not being the only child anymore. According to Meghan, having one child is a hobby, while having two children is real parenting.
Her face swelled with pride when she talked about her children. You could see just how much she loves them and that she has no regrets about her decision to step back from the Royal Family.
A Major Talking Point
While fans loved to see Meghan gushing over her children, there was one topic in particular that everybody wanted her to discuss. The Royal Family apparently had concerns over how dark Lilibet’s skin was going to be.
When asked about what her children look like, Meghan responded in a positive light, which relieved the fans. Apparently, Lilibet has slightly darker hair than Archie, but it still resembles the same light red of her father.
According to Meghan, Archie’s hair gets redder the older he gets, which is what she also expects from Lilibet. However, there is no denying that her children also resemble her a lot.
The Significance of Red Hair
Even though Harry and Meghan wouldn’t change a thing about their children, they also admit that Harry’s red hair was a bone of contention for many years during his time in the Royal Family.
He was the only member to have red hair, which confused a lot of people for many years. He stuck out like a sore thumb, which left him feeling alone a lot of the time. His hair color also fueled rumors that Prince Charles wasn’t actually his father.
Harry goes into more detail on this topic in his book. Even his own father would make jokes about his red hair, claiming that he was the illegitimate child of the Royal Family and that his real father was Major James Hewitt.
Couldn’t Get Enough
Harry openly wrote about his experience as a young prince in his book. He even discusses how Major Hewitt’s red hair wasn’t the only cause of speculation. Instead, he blamed cruelty as the main reason behind these rumors.
According to Harry, tabloids wrote of his ‘illegitimacy’ as though it was a big joke. He felt so separated from his family, and the public only worsened the situation. What’s worse, there wasn’t even any evidence behind the skepticism.
We will never know just how badly these rumors affected the young Prince, but it’s safe to say that he never wants his children to feel the same way he once did. He is evidently incredibly proud of his kids — red hair and all.
No Longer Alone
Now that he has two children with the same hair color as him, Prince Harry no longer feels alone. Instead, he is proud to closely resemble his son and daughter. For the first time, there are people who look just like him, and there is no speculation over who the father of Lilibet and Archie is.
Harry felt so alone growing up, which undoubtedly caused him to step away from his duties as a Royal Family member. He never wants his children to feel the same way that he once did.
This is especially true when it comes to his older brother, Prince William. He always felt as though he was the ‘spare’ brother, living in William’s shadow. He knows that Lilibet will never feel second-best because his kids will be treated equally.
The Irritating Younger Sibling
During an interview with Hello! Magazine in 2023, Harry opened up about how much he had learned since becoming a father. To be more specific, he has come to understand exactly what it means to be an ‘annoying’ younger sibling.
With his own children, he can see how Archie often needs space from Lili, as she is just infatuated with him. Everything Archie does, Lili wants to do. While we, as adoring fans of the Royal Family, love to hear stories like these, we also feel for young Archie.
Harry now understands what it must have been like for his older brother, William. Harry used to be exactly like Lili, running around after his brother.
The Life of a Father
Harry has also learned more about what it actually means to be a father. Before he had children of his own, he always questioned a few of the decisions that his father made when he was younger. However, as a parent, he now understands that sometimes hard decisions — that won’t always be popular — need to be made.
It seems as though Harry doesn’t want to end up like his dad. When he was young, he often felt like an outsider. He never wants his children to feel the same way, which is why he decided to step down from the Royal Family.
He explained that if any of the pain and suffering that he has felt in his life was due to past trauma on his own parents’ behalf, he wants to make sure that the cycle is broken so that his children never have to feel that same pain.
A Happy Family
More than anything, Harry and Meghan want to provide their children with the happiest childhood possible. In their eyes, stepping down from their Royal duties was the only option, even if it meant cutting ties with several family members.
Meghan Markle’s mom, Doria Ragland, has been very involved in Archie and Lili’s lives. While Doria has kept a low profile, Meghan’s dad, Thomas Markle, hasn’t been as quiet and has publicly criticized Meghan several times since she became a royal.
However, the public is more curious about Lili and Archie’s relationship with their great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. It’s heartwarming to know that the Queen did get to meet little Lilibet during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.
The First Meeting
It has been confirmed that the first time the Queen met Princess Lili was during her Platinum Jubilee. This was a massive event for the Royal Family — and the world as a whole — which meant that everybody came together in order to celebrate.
Meghan and Prince Harry, accompanied by their two young children, made a special trip to London to show their unwavering support for the Queen, their beloved grandmother. This marked a significant and heartfelt family reunion during the grand celebration.
With this being said, it is also believed that the Queen facetimed her grand-son, as well as Meghan, at the time of her great-granddaughter’s birth in order to ‘meet’ Lili and check in on the family. However, the first face-to-face meeting occurred at the Jubilee.
A Great Visit
The Jubilee is also where the current King Charles met Lili for the first time. According to tabloids, he was over the moon to see just how much Archie had grown since the last time that they had seen each other.
According to the media, it was a fantastic meeting for the entire family. Everybody got on like a house on fire for the sake of the children. For that one day, it seemed as though things had returned to normal between all members of the Royal Family.
Sources close to the family have admitted that this was one of the best gatherings they had had in many years. Everybody seemed to have put their differences behind them for a single day.
An Emotional Occasion
The same sources also told tabloids that the occasion actually made Prince Charles slightly emotional, as he hadn’t been able to spend proper quality time with his grandchildren since the fallout with Harry and Meghan. Many people wonder how the fallout affected Prince Harry, but not many consider its impact on Prince Charles.
It must’ve been incredibly difficult to see his two children feuding and for his youngest child to shy away from his family altogether. More so, he had only had a few occasions to actually meet and interact with his beloved grandchildren.
For Prince Charles, meeting Lilibet felt like the start of something new. For that one glorious day, everybody focussed on the children instead of the drama surrounding the adults. Even though most of them knew that it would not last forever, they appreciated the moment for what it was.
Regret
Even though Harry and his father still had a strained relationship after this meeting, both were incredibly happy that it took place. Both parties let bygones be bygones for that one day, allowing so many family members to meet Lili for the first time and see how much Archie had grown.
If Harry had not attended the Platinum Jubilee, he would have always regretted that his daughter could not meet the woman that she was named after, as Queen Elizabeth passed away just a few months later. The Queen hardly attended any Jubilee events anyway because of her frail condition.
This trip to London took place at the perfect time. While nobody was to know that the Queen would pass away shortly after, the occasion felt momentous. The air had not been completely cleared, but everybody knew there was still love amongst them.
Lili and the Queen
Sadly, Queen Elizabeth II passed away on the 8th of September, 2022. When the news broke, it’s safe to say that it rocked the world. Most people could not believe she was no longer with us after so many years of being an idol and role model to people across the country.
However, her legacy continues to live on through her many family members, including Princess Lilibet. The Queen was always seen as a beacon of peace in the family.
Fans were happy to know that the late Monarch at least had an opportunity to meet and get to know her great-granddaughter before her passing. More so, there is no doubt that Harry and Meghan will tell Lili stories of the Queen as she grows up.
A Time of Reflection
While Harry might not have the best relationship with many of the Royals, he did have a particularly close bond with his grandmother. He always spoke rather fondly of her, which is why her death is thought to have hit him hard.
From the other side of the world, he released a statement on Archewell’s Foundation website, expressing his sincere remorse and grief over her passing. In his statement, he commented on just how much of an influence she really had in their family.
More so, he mentioned how much of an impact she had on the whole of Great Britain, inspiring millions of people across the country. Even though she has passed, her legacy continues to live on.
Farewell
Even though many people do not agree with some of Harry’s choices in recent years, we can now see just how much his grandmother’s passing really affected him. It was clear that she had had a massive impact on his life and who he had become.
Nobody knew exactly where their relationship stood at the time of her passing. In fact, many people expected Harry to remain silent on the situation for at least a few weeks following the news.
However, promptly after, he released a final letter to his grandmother, in which he thanked her for everything she had done for him in her lifetime and for setting such a great example for his own children.
A Full-Circle Moment
Even though Prince Harry had distanced himself from the Royal Family, his final letter to the Queen made it clear that he never intended to separate his children from their blood. After all, he had named his daughter after her great-grandmother.
When Archie was born, the Royal Family shared photos of the Queen spending time with her great-grandson. In fact, an entire professional photoshoot had been arranged to document the occasion. Of course, tensions weren’t as high at this time.
However, the same did not happen to Lili, which left millions to wonder why. In this letter, Harry confirmed that both of his children had spent considerable time with their great-grandmother after the Platinum Jubilee. More so, they had grown very close in their time together.
The Final Parting
This letter was hard to read for so many Royal fans around the world, as you could feel just how raw and authentic Harry’s feelings really were. He wrote about all the good memories he shared with his late grandmother, including early memories from his childhood.
In addition, he discussed how open and caring Queen Elizabeth was when first meeting Meghan. This was a sensitive topic to discuss, as very few members of the Royal Family actually accepted Meghan as their own.
Just by reading the letter, you could tell that Queen Elizabeth had had such a positive influence on his life. You could also tell that he had experienced a lot of pain in his life as a Royal, and the Queen had played a major role in easing some of his suffering.
She Will Be Missed
Fans really appreciated the letter that Prince Harry released after the passing of his grandmother. Often, when a member of the Royal Family releases a statement, it feels very cold and calculated.
However, in Harry’s case, his letter was full of emotion and feeling. Even though it was sad to read, the public could see just how far Prince Harry had come since stepping away from his duties as a Royal. He was more open and honest.
Harry’s letter shared a lot of details regarding how his relationship, as well as that of his children, had stood with the Queen before her passing. While it was evident that he was still on bad terms with his father and brother, the Queen was more understanding and accepting.
All Eyes on the Family
By the time news of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing had hit the media, Harry and Meghan were under a lot of scrutiny from the public. Many did not agree with Harry’s decision to leave the Royal Family and, for this reason, were left wondering whether or not the Prince would even show up to his grandmother’s lying-in-state.
However, Harry and Meghan arrived hand-in-hand, clearly affected by the former monarch’s passing. During the ceremony, it was evident just how much of an impact the loss had actually had on the Prince.
While the whole country was reeling from the loss, all eyes were on Harry and his wife, as it was their first public appearance since announcing that they would be stepping down for their Royal duties.
Inappropriate
Even though the occasion should have focused on the Queen and all that she had done for her country, the media instead chose to focus on Harry and Meghan. The camera zoomed in on the couple a lot of the time, making it impossible for them to grieve in peace.
The pair simply could not escape prying eyes, and you could tell they were growing increasingly uncomfortable with all the attention. At some point, the couple would act affectionately towards each other in an attempt to comfort each other.
However, the public saw this behavior as ‘inappropriate’. Many people claimed that the pair weren’t acting appropriately for such a somber event. It was evident that the public had not yet forgiven Harry for his decision to step down from his Royal duties.
No Way to Win
Because of the reception they received at the Queen’s lying-in-state, Prince Harry and Meghan made an effort to act less affectionate towards each other at the funeral. Before, they had been criticized for holding hands. This time around, they hardly looked at each other.
They had hoped that this behavior would appease the people who had tried to tear them down after the lying-in-state. However, it actually had the opposite effect. The public then started to criticize the couple for their lack of affection.
Additionally, Meghan was heavily criticized for wearing a simple black dress to the occasion. Apparently, it was too plain for such an event. It is clear to us that the pair were in a lose-lose situation, as the public would never be happy with their behavior or decisions.
Frustration
Prince Harry went on to discuss just how angry this entire ordeal made him. In an interview with Oprah, he mentioned just how much he hates being in the public eye at all times. He feels as though he can’t make a single move without it being scrutinized by the media.
In his words, the media ‘makes his blood boil.’ While he can handle the attention himself, it bothers him even more when the public attacks the ones that he loves, such as his wife and children.
Additionally, Harry told the talk-show host that having cameras shoved in his face at all times reminds him of what happened to his mother. She lost her life while trying to escape aggressive paparazzi, and he doesn’t want anything similar to happen to anyone in his family.
Meghan Isn’t Welcome
Considering how poorly the British media has treated Meghan, Harry’s frustrations make a lot of sense. In fact, she has never been welcomed by either the British population or the Royal Family itself.
This fact became increasingly evident after the Queen’s passing. It is reported that both Prince William and Harry visited the Queen in order to pay their respects, while Princess Kate and Meghan remained home with their children.
While both wives were absent from this goodbye gathering, the British media chose to focus solely on Meghan’s absence. In fact, they publicly stated that she didn’t have respect for the Queen, which is why she chose not to attend. However, this simply wasn’t the case.
Safety
For this reason, it only makes sense that Harry wanted to be by his wife’s side during the funeral. In fact, people who attended the event even claimed that he would give her hand a squeeze every time they had to separate, as though trying to comfort her.
We couldn’t imagine just how difficult it must’ve been for her to sit in a room with the very people who publicly criticized her. Instead of focusing on her bravery in attending the event in the first place, the public chose to focus on how affectionate the couple was towards each other.
It’s no surprise that Harry and Meghan chose to leave the royal family. The British media continue to criticize their decision while behaving in the same manner that caused them to make it in the first place.
Home
Prince Harry and Meghan spent about two weeks in London before returning to the United States. They left their home and children behind, so it makes sense that they were in a rush to get back.
However, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the British media publicly criticized them for leaving so soon after the funeral. But fans commended the couple for spending so much time in England with the very people who continuously tear them down publicly.
In recent years, Royalists have struggled to come to terms with Harry’s decision to leave the Royal Family. Even though Harry has made a new life for himself in the US, they can’t help but hope that one day he will return home to England.