Meghan Markle’s reason for only taking pictures and video showing the backs of her children’s heads has prompted speculation she is using them to promote her brand. During a discussion about images of the younger royals which appeared over Easter, The Sun’s royal editor Matt Wilkinson asked experts Charles Rae and Bronte Coy why Prince Harry and Meghan don’t share pictures and video showing Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s faces.
Charles claimed Meghan would like to include her children as she promotes her brand, but she wants to avoid criticism she is using them in that way. Bronte, a senior entertainment reporter at News.com.au, reminded viewers of Harry describing how troubling it was for him to grow up in the spotlight and the Sussexes’ work on tackling social media harms. She said by birth Archie and Lilibet are going to be extremely famous and parents have the right to decide whether or not their child appears online.
But she said an uptick in the number of images of the Sussex children appeared to conflict with Harry and Meghan’s social media campaigning.
The comments came after Meghan shared new videos of Archie, six, and Lilibet, four, celebrating Easter at home. Meghan posted clips on Instagram showing the family taking part in an Easter egg hunt, feeding chickens, and enjoying other festivities.
Bronte said it appeared to her that the increase in the number of images released so far this year was linked to the Duchess’s brand, describing the “half in, half out” approach to image-sharing as confusing.
Matt asked what the point of not showing their faces was if the Sussexes wanted to still share images of Archie and Lilibet for content and likes.
Veteran royal reporter Charles replied: “I agree. It astounds me that they’re getting older now and we’ve not had any look at what they look like.”
He said it was up to the parents to decide how much of Archie and Lilibet to share, adding the Prince and Princess of Wales handle it brilliantly in relation to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
The royal reporter quipped that all Sussex fans see now are pictures of the younger Sussexes feeding chickens, but described Meghan’s Easter video as “lovely”.
Charles told The Sun’s Royal Exclusive podcast: “It’s a pity we hadn’t seen their faces… I get the feeling Meghan wants to use her children to help promote her business and brand, but doesn’t want to give you a good look at the kids because then she’d be maybe criticised for using the children in that fashion…. It’s a matter for her.”
Bronte suggested the increase in Archie and Lilibet content may have been a response to criticism sparked by the Duchess’s “With Love, Meghan” series not being filmed inside the Sussex family home as fans wanted to see what her life was like at home and as a parent.
Charles speculated that eventually pictures of Archie and Lilibet’s faces would appear by accident from school functions where they appear in other parents’ photos.
He said: “We will eventually get to see the faces of these two children. But will it matter? I don’t think so.”