Insiders say Meghan Markle’s desire to bring Archie and Lilibet into the public eye clashes with Prince Harry’s thoughts on privacy
@UK Press via Getty Images; Peter Nicholls/Getty Images
She always causes a stir on social media, and Meghan Markle’s latest picture – which gave the public a glimpse of her daughter Lilibet’s face for the first time ever – has been her most-liked Instagram picture to date.
Meghan, 44, shared a sweet photograph of Prince Harry holding the couple’s daughter Lilibet earlier this month for Valentine’s Day, capturing it, ‘These two + Archie = my forever Valentines’.
The unprecedented look at their daughter marked a major shift in Meghan and Harry’s concerns about their children’s privacy, having previously gone to great lengths to hide their faces. And sources tell Closer that the new approach is one Harry’s not overly comfortable with.
Meghan and Harry are at loggerheads over their children ©Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images
‘The frenzy of interest in the kids is in another stratosphere. It’s more than Meghan and Harry could ever generate,’ a source tells us. ‘Meghan would never suggest throwing them into Hollywood and letting other people take control, but she does see the benefit of giving them a platform.
‘Meghan is very intentional about every social media post, but anytime the kids are involved it’s even more heavily planned. There were hours of discussions about the Valentine’s Day post. Harry had to be consulted and sign off on everything, which he did after a lot of convincing from Meghan.
‘It’s not the first time they’ve been split over something like this. It’s no secret he isn’t at all keen on her using the kids for her social media. He begrudgingly agreed to this shot, though he can’t bear to think what the future holds for them – he knows what a struggle it is to live a life in the spotlight. It would feel like a betrayal for him if they inadvertently open the floodgates of publicity onto Archie and Lilibet.
Harry doesn’t want their children in the spotlight ©Anadolu via Getty Images
‘As much as it came out looking like it was just a photo casually snapped at a special moment, it was heavily orchestrated and it took a tonne of work on her part to get Harry to agree. He’s adamant he doesn’t want their kids turned into stars.’
Harry has long been an outspoken critic of the media and the intrusion he has experienced due to being a member of the royal family. In 2019, he shared a statement regarding the ‘long and disturbing pattern of behaviour by British tabloid media’ and drew comparisons to the way Meghan had been treated and his late mother, Princess Diana.
He launched legal action to fight against press intrusion, leading to a lengthy court battle with Mirror Group Newspapers. A judge ruled the company had unlawfully gathered information about Harry for stories and he was awarded thousands in damages.
Harry and Meghan stepped away from the royal family in 2020 ©Getty Images
When Harry and Meghan opted to step away from the royal family in 2020, their stance on privacy was made clear. The couple relocated to the US immediately, and have brought up Lilibet and Archie, six, away from the spotlight – a huge contrast to the well-publicised childhood Harry had in the UK.
However, it seems this stance is beginning to soften, with Meghan starting to share more glimpses of Archie and Lilibet online. Both children featured on the Sussexes’ annual Christmas card, though they were facing away from the camera, and other Instagram posts show Meghan baking and collecting vegetables with them.
And with her latest post generating thousands of likes and comments, insiders say this could be just the start.
Meghan has been spending time with Emma Grede ©Variety via Getty Images
The source says, ‘Meghan sees what these kid influencers are doing and the worldwide impact they have. Archie and Lilibet could have such a huge reach, and they could be championing all the same causes that she and Harry believe in. Their impact would just be on a younger generation. They’ll have their own causes and interests, but she wants them to follow a similar path,’ an insider said.
‘The audience engagement was through the roof; there was an enormous response. No doubt she’ll use the numbers as justification when she lobbies Harry to loosen up his restrictions on posting the kids.’
It’s not just their children’s privacy that’s causing clashes between the couple. Meghan has been working hard to revive her relationship with the Kardashians after causing drama when photos were shared on Instagram of her and Harry at Kris’ 70th birthday party.
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It seems the misunderstanding is being put to one side now, as Meghan has been spotted spending time with Emma Grede, the boss of Kim’s brand SKIMS. But Harry isn’t impressed with his wife’s new inner circle, insiders claim, as he doesn’t think it’s a great look.
‘The Kardashian machine makes Harry uneasy. He is much more comfortable with more low-key, old-school Hollywood types. His credibility is everything when it comes to his charity work and plenty of people are warning him that he’s dipping into dangerous territory if he gets tied to the Kardashian brand. He feels like he’s justified in his concerns, but Meghan isn’t hearing a word of it,’ a source claims.
‘Meghan is looking at this from a strategic place and there is no denying the Kardashians are a juggernaut when it comes to creating successful brands. She also genuinely likes Kris, she says she’s funny and brilliant with a really big heart.’
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