Inside The Lavish Lives Of Prince Harry And Meghan's Children
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle found themselves in the spotlight once again following the December 2022 release of their popular Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan." Perhaps unsurprisingly, this series has sparked quite a bit of controversy. While "Harry & Meghan" provides a look into the couple's life and relationship, it also details the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's decision to distance themselves from the royal family. This is a touchy subject for those who aren't fond of the couple, so as you might imagine, critics quickly took to the internet to share their opinions on the series.
Reuters reported that some claimed Harry and Meghan's decision to step away from the royal family meant they wanted their lives to remain private, so why did they film a documentary? A representative for the couple issued a response. "The Duke and Duchess have never cited privacy as the reason for stepping back," said the Sussexes' press secretary, Ashley Hansen (via BBC News). "This distorted narrative was intended to trap the couple into silence." Hansen went on to share, "They are choosing to share their story, on their terms, and yet the tabloid media has created an entirely untrue narrative that permeates press coverage and public opinion."
Meanwhile, the headline-making doc also shares exclusive details on the couple's little ones, Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor. The never-before-seen moments shown in the series have likely left many royal fans wondering about the lavish lives of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's children. Keep reading to find out more.
Archie traveled throughout South Africa with his parents
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's first child, son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, became very familiar with life as a British royal when he joined his parents on their tour throughout South Africa in 2019. Archie was only 4 months old at the time, but that didn't stop him from meeting anti-apartheid activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu during the tour. The Duchess of Sussex spoke about how important the interaction was during the ITV documentary "Harry & Meghan: An African Journey" (via Town & Country). "I think Archie will look back at that in so many years and understand that right at the beginning of his life he was fortunate enough to have this moment with one of the best and most impactful leaders of our times," the mother of two shared, adding, "It's really special."
While Archie's time in South Africa was full of special moments, things got scary after he almost lost his life in a fire. During an August 2022 episode of Meghan's "Archetypes" podcast (via The Guardian), she revealed that a heater caught on fire in Archie's nursery while he and a nanny were downstairs. The new mom was understandably startled, but she was still expected to attend engagements immediately after the incident. "Everyone's in tears," Meghan said on the podcast. "Everyone shaken. And what did we have to do? Go out and do another official engagement. I said, 'This doesn't make any sense.'"
Lilibet's first birthday brought in thousands of dollars
Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor's first birthday in June 2022 wasn't what you'd expect of the typical one-year-old. For starters, Lilibet spent part of her day meeting with Queen Elizabeth II. Of course, the late queen is the little one's great-grandmother, so this isn't unexpected for her. However, this birthday interaction was special because it was the first time Lilibet met the queen. An anonymous source spoke to Us Weekly about the event, saying, "Harry and Meghan visited the queen at Windsor Castle with Lilibet and Archie. After reluctantly pulling out of Party at the Palace, spending time with her great-grandchildren and seeing Lilibet turn 1 added some light to her day. She thinks they're adorable and gave Lili and Archie gifts."
Lilibet's first birthday also made headlines because of the donations made in her honor. According to People, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry worked with World Central Kitchen for their daughter's special day. This organization provides meals to communities facing crisis, and over $100,000 in donations were made in the one-year-old's honor. That's one influential baby!
On a more low-key and personal note, the Sussexes and their loved ones celebrated the tot's birthday with a picnic party held in the backyard of Frogmore Cottage.
Archie attends a prestigious preschool
You probably already know that like many royal kids — including cousins Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte — Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor likely won't ever attend a typical public school. In fact, an anonymous source shared details on the impressive curriculum at Archie's preschool. While speaking to the Mirror in early 2022, they revealed that the school teaches emotional literacy, sustainability, mindfulness, and more. The insider also claimed that students learn about gardening. There are even fruit trees, plants, and wildlife scattered throughout the campus.
Although this does not appear to be anything like the average preschool, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly aren't much different than the average parents. "Harry often drops Archie off and picks him up, and seems like a good dad," the source said of the seemingly humble prince. "All the parents have been laidback in welcoming Harry and Meghan, without making a fuss. And to the other kids, Archie is just one of them. They don't know his parents are royalty, and probably wouldn't care — unless Meghan was a Disney princess."
During an interview with The Cut that August, Meghan shared that because her kids are being raised in the U.S. rather than in the U.K., she's able to be involved in their schooling without a media frenzy. The school's values certainly seem to fall in line with those the Sussexes are teaching at home. Of Archie, Meghan noted, "We always tell him: 'Manners make the man. Manners, manners, manners, manners, manners.'"
Harry and Meghan's family live in a multi-million-dollar home
Although it seems that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are teaching Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor about remaining humble, many aspects of their lives are still quite luxurious. The family's multi-million-dollar Montecito, California home isn't exactly the most modest residence. Love Property reported that Harry and Meghan purchased the home in 2020 for $14.7 million. The property consists of nine bedrooms, an arcade, a movie theatre, a playground, and more. It appears that there are plenty of kid-friendly amenities to keep Lilibet and Archie entertained.
In case you were wondering, this isn't the same property featured in the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's interview segments of the "Harry & Meghan" Netflix docuseries. That home is actually owned by businessman Mark Schulhof, per Dirt. He purchased the property for $14.6 million, and it is back on the market for $33.5 million, as of this writing. This mansion has six bedrooms, six bathrooms, two half bathrooms, and sits on 2.08 acres.
Harry and Meghan haven't stated why they decided not to film in their actual home, but it seems likely that this may be due to privacy and safety concerns.
They'll likely attend pricey private schools
Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor have yet to embark on their grade-school journey, but when they do, their parents will likely make sure they received a top-notch education. As previously mentioned, Archie was reportedly enrolled in a rather prestigious preschool. It may be safe to assume that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will continue this pattern as their little ones get older.
Hello! magazine has already thrown out a few guesses regarding the pricey private schools Archie and Lilibet might attend. According to the outlet, the family is located near two schools with yearly tuition of over $30,000. One of these schools, Laguna Blanca, boasts that 100% of its graduates go on to attend college. Meanwhile, Crane Country Day School reportedly educates a number of well-off kids.
Lilibet and Archie may or may not attend one of these schools, because rumors have been circulating regarding Harry and Meghan making plans to leave their Montecito, California home. The couple is reportedly looking to relocate to the Hope Ranch community, which is just 10 miles away from their current residence. In July 2022, The Sun reported that Duke and Duchess of Sussex were dealing with ongoing security issues at their Montecito property. This could motivate the couple to relocate.
Lilibet's godfather is filmmaker Tyler Perry
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's status means that even their kids' godparents are famous. Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor's godfather, for example, is filmmaker Tyler Perry. The Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan" (via BuzzFeed News) tells the story of how Perry became part of the family. When Meghan was facing intense criticism from U.K. tabloids in 2019, she and Harry took a break in Canada. The mom of two phoned Perry to vent about the stressful situation.
"I called him — finally — after years at that point, the first time we ever spoke, and I was just a wreck," she said in "Harry & Meghan." "I was just crying and crying. Sometimes it's easier to just open up to someone who knows nothing at all, and that was that moment with me and Tyler." The family then finalized their decision to leave the U.K., and it seems that Perry supported them every step of the way. Meghan shared that the comedian offered to allow her family to stay in his home in Los Angeles. He also provided them with security, which they lost after they were no longer working members of the royal family.
Perry's acts of kindness led the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to ask him to be Lilibet's godfather. The director recalled the phone call. "I go, 'OK, what's going on?' [And they said,] 'Well, we'd like for you to be Lili's godfather,'" Perry revealed. "I had to take a minute to take that in, and I thought: I'd be honored. I'd be absolutely honored."