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Daily Mirror
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Jennifer Newton

Archie and Lilibet's unique lives so far - celeb pals, unusual pets and Queen gift

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's children Archie and Lilibet are largely growing up out of the limelight.

But several new details about the youngsters' unique lives in California have been let slip by their proud parents during their trip to the Invictus Games this weekend.

Both Harry and Meghan travelled to the Netherlands for the 2022 Games - although Archie and Lilibet both stayed at home.

It's likely they have been reunited with their mum as Meghan has now flown back to California, leaving Harry to enjoy the final few days of competition alone.

However, while apart, the proud parents were clearly missing their little ones as they were never far from the conversation.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with their two children Archie and Lilibet (alexilubomirski/Instagram)
Meghan and Harry at the Invictus Games over the weekend (Robin Utrecht/REX/Shutterstock)

And between new stories about the youngsters and what they've said in the past, we now have a better idea of what life is really like for Archie and Lilibet...

Chilled Lilibet

There has only been one photo so far released showing 10-month-old Lilibet, who was born in California last June.

But Harry and Meghan have given small updates about their daughter to let fans know how she is getting on.

In July, while attending the Well Child Awards, Harry told one of the guests: "We’ve been lucky so far, she’s very chilled and seems happy to just sit there while Archie is running around like crazy."

And in September, Meghan told reporters Lilibet was beautiful during a trip to New York City.

Archie's nursery

Archie as a baby on a trip to South Africa (WireImage)

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Unlike his younger sister, Archie was actually born in the UK, although has now spent most his two, almost three, years living in America.

It is reported he has already started a nursery after Meghan was spotted driving him to school, then carrying his green backpack and a space-themed lunchbox.

The nursery near the family's American home, will see Archie taught about “emotional literacy”, mindfulness and how to be kind and look after the environment.

A parent of one of Archie’s classmates said: “Harry often drops Archie off and picks him up, and seems like a good dad. 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.”

Celeb pals

Meghan with talk show host and neighbour Ellen DeGeneres (PA)

They may only be very small, but it seems both Archie and Lilibet can count on some celebrity pals.

In a recent interview on The Ellen Show, Meghan revealed that host Ellen DeGeneres and wife Portia had hung out with the family.

Ellen and Portia are thought to be neighbours of Harry and Meghan and had visited them for a Halloween get-together.

And during the chat with Ellen, Meghan revealed the cute costume Lilibet wore during the Halloween party.

Meghan said: "We wanted to do something fun for the kids but the kids were just not into it at all.

"Lilibet was a little skunk… like Flower from Bambi. Archie was a dinosaur for maybe five minutes."

Unusual pets

As well as sharing their home in Montecito with parents Harry and Meghan, Archie and Lilibet also have two dogs - a beagle called Guy and a younger pooch called Pula.

But in their bombshell chat with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan revealed they also have some more unusual pets - chickens.

A coop, shown to viewers as the couple gave Oprah a tour, boasts a sign reading: "Archie's Chick Inn. Established 2021."

The chickens were saved from a factory farm.

Gifts from Queen

Harry and Meghan with the Queen (Getty Images)

Archie and Lilibet weren't with their parents during their recent secret meeting with the Queen.

It means that their great-grandmother has not seen Archie for over two years, while she's yet to meet Lilibet in person.

However, Harry has previously revealed the Queen is still a part of his children's lives - and sent Archie a very special Christmas present one year.

Speaking about the Queen's gift during an appearance on James Corden's TV show, Harry said: "My grandmother asked us what Archie wanted for Christmas, and Meg said a waffle maker.

"So she sent us a waffle maker for Archie, so breakfast now Meg makes up a beautiful organic mix, in the waffle maker, flip it, out it comes.

"He loves it. And now I have waffles for breakfast, bit of yoghurt, bit of jam on top. I don't know if that's the right thing to do. Berries, bit of honey."

Sweet nicknames

Meghan and Harry at an Invictus Games event on Sunday (PA)

Like many other members of the Royal Family, Archie and Lilibet seem to have been given nicknames.

During her speech at the Invictus Games opening ceremony on Saturday, she referred to her daughter as Lili.

While it was back in 2019 on his first official engagement that Archie's nickname was revealed - Bubba.

However, speaking to a fellow mum at the Invictus Games yesterday, Meghan admitted that they weren't sure on Archie's name and were really torn between a few options when he was born.

While they knew they wanted both Archie and Harrison, they couldn't decide which to make his first name and which to use as the middle name.

Future jobs

Prince Harry at the Invictus Games opening ceremony on Saturday (Getty Images for Invictus Games)

Meanwhile one other fun insight about Archie that Harry let slip at the Invictus Games opening ceremony at the weekend is what the toddler wants to be when he grows up.

Harry said: "To be role models, or the role models, that each of you are takes strength and it takes courage.

“When I talk to my son Archie about what he wants to be when he grows up, some days it’s an astronaut, other days it’s a pilot – a helicopter pilot obviously. Or Kwazii from Octonauts. If you’re laughing then you’ve seen that.

“But what I remind him is that no matter what you want to be when you grow up, it’s your character that matters most, and nothing would make his mum and me prouder than to see him have the character of what we see before us today.”

Meanwhile in a separate interview, Harry also looked to the future and said he 'won't rest' until he's made the world a better place for his children.

He was speaking to 'Kindercorrespondent' or so-called child reporters during the during the Invictus Games when he commented on his plans.

He said he will "never, ever, ever rest" until he has made the world a better place, adding: "Because it is our responsibility that the world is the way it is now,'

"I don't think that we should be bringing children into the world unless we're going to make that commitment to make it better for them. We cannot steal your future."

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