How The Royal Feud Impacts Lilibet & Archie: From Birthdays To Never Seeing Their Cousins

Since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their departure from royal life back in 2020, it's safe to say that there's been a certain amount of tension between them and the royal family ever since. The couple's famous Oprah tell-all interview didn't do them any favors, as Meghan opened up about her mental health struggles and aired out purported racist remarks the palace made regarding her son's skin color. Plus, Harry has been at odds with his brother, Prince William, for some time now. Amid the family feud, the couple was living in Montecito, California with their two children, Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie. However, their time abroad officially came to an end when the family relocated back to the United Kingdom on August 26, 2026.

Their return was expected to make an impact on the family as a whole, but many royal watchers were waiting to see how Lilibet and Archie adjusted to their new life, especially with the amount of tension in the air. While the siblings have royal titles (Princess and Prince of Sussex, to be exact), they hadn't been exposed to royal culture at all before the big move. Granted, at the time of this writing, the two are still too young to fully understand just what kind of family they were born into. Archie celebrated his 7th birthday in May 2026, and Lilibet turned 5 the following month. Although they've just started their lives, the royal feud has already made its mark on both of them in more ways than one. The move brought them even closer to the fire.

The effects of the feud were definitely felt when it came to royal gift-giving for Princess Lilibet's second birthday. While the celebration was held in Montecito, it seems that members of the royal family were left off the invite list. Unlike other members of the royal family, Lilibet didn't receive a public birthday message. But when she turned 3 the following year, King Charles III reportedly came through with a birthday gift. Royal expert Tom Quinn revealed to The Mirror, "King Charles had no intention of completely ignoring Lilibet's birthday, so he has sent a gift, along with a message."

Specifics regarding the gift were kept private. There's still one special gift, however, that Charles is saving for Lilibet once this royal feud blows over. Quinn explained, "He gave Prince George a beautiful hand-made wooden swing with George's name carved on it, and he has plans to give something similar to Lilibet but not this year. And not unless and until the family feud dies down." Let's hope Lilibet hasn't outgrown the gift while we wait for this feud to pass. Given their move back to the United Kingdom, maybe her grandfather had it waiting for her.

Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie haven't had nearly as much media attention as their cousins, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Tucked away in California, Lilibet and Archie were vastly separated from the rest of the royal family and have barely had a relationship with their cousins. Before the move, the two had only been to the United Kingdom a handful of times. They traveled over for the late Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee in 2022, marking Lilibet's first ever time in the country, as she was born in the United States. In July 2026, King Charles was able to spend some quality time with his grandchildren when they came to visit.

Now that the family has officially relocated to the United Kingdom, Lilibet and Archie may have more opportunities to bond with their cousins. Unfortunately, royal author Phil Dampier doesn't think the children have a chance. He told The Sun's Fabulous Magazine, "It's so sad that the Wales' kids basically know very little about their cousins across the pond and are never likely to be close to them." Apparently, William and Kate's children have formed a close bond with the Tindall family's children. Phil explained, "In many ways the children of Zara and Mike Tindall have replaced Archie and Lilibet as the closest cousins of George, Charlotte and Louis."

While Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie are dual citizens of both the United Kingdom and the United States, as of this point in their lives, it's safe to say that they're Californians for the most part. The royal feud definitely influenced Princess Harry and Meghan Markle's original decision to move to the United States. It cannot be denied that the move has certainly impacted Lilibet and Archie's knowledge of typical British culture. Hopefully, it's something they pick up fast now that they've made the move.

A major element of their day-to-day lives that will be vastly different from what they're used to is their new school. Lilibet and Archie might be used to a typical school day lasting until 3 p.m. The school system in the United Kingdom is more intense, with classes running until 6 p.m. at times. Classes might be more advanced than what Lilibet and Archie are used to, which could result in some catching up on their end. Overall, it's simply a completely different agenda. Perhaps if the feud hadn't happened, the children would have already been used to it by now.