We’ve arguably seen more of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet over the last year than at any other point in their lives. They're often in adorable snaps and videos on the Duchess of Sussex’s Instagram account, including recently-shared behind-the-scenes clips of Meghan’s As Ever brand shoot with "Mama’s little helpers".
Whilst their faces are still angled away from the camera, it’s a notable change from the approach Meghan and Prince Harry used to take. According to Tom Bower’s new book, Betrayal, insiders have suggested that there have been "arguments" over Archie and Lili’s exposure to the media.
"Insiders spoke about tensions between them and arguments about their children," the book claims. "Harry was reportedly irritated that Meghan used their children to promote herself. He believed they should remain shielded from the media to avoid the exposure he had suffered as a child."
Meghan had begun her speech after arriving on Day 3 of the Invictus Games Dusseldorf in 2023 by explaining she "had to spend a little more time getting [their] little ones settled at home" before making the trip from California. Reflecting upon the insider reports of "arguments", Tom writes that she and Harry had "opposite" views about Archie and Lili being photographed.
"Worried about security, Harry insisted that their children should not be photographed. Meghan argued the opposite. The children, she believed, were important for her brand. She spoke of them living as normal Californian children," the royal author alleges.
The Duchess reportedly also "demanded that in time, her little prince and princess should have the same exposure as William and Kate's children". They're all the King's grandchildren, but Prince George, Charlotte and Louis are significantly higher in the royal line of succession and have grown up as some of the most-photographed kids in the world.
Their public presence will only increase as they get older and Prince William ascends the throne. Comparatively, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are able to lead much more private lives in California, as Harry and Meghan aren’t working for The Firm and aren’t often at royal occasions.
Tom Bower suggests that "eyewitnesses speculated that the tension between the couple was resolved, or perhaps not" in their hotel suite. Since then, the Sussexes’ allegedly very different views over their children being photographed seem to have aligned. There’s surely no way that Meghan would feature Archie and Lilibet as often as she does on Instagram - minus their faces - if Harry were still "insisting" otherwise.
In a recent edition of her Royal Insider column, Woman’s Royal Editor Emily Andrews expressed her belief that the children "are part of Meghan’s 'perfect family' brand".
"Their team would argue that carefully controlled images of their children are totally compatible with both Harry’s campaigning (and wish for privacy) and Meghan’s quest for sales," she stated. "I would say that’s for the birds. Many celebrities rarely mention their children, let alone post pictures of them."
The publication of Betrayal has already attracted a considerable amount of attention, including from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex themselves. Responding after the release of extracts in recent weeks, their spokesperson stated their belief that investigative biographer Bower had "long crossed the line from criticism into fixation".
"This is someone who has publicly stated, 'the monarchy in fact depends on actually obliterating the Sussexes from our state of life,' language that speaks for itself," they said. "He has made a career out of constructing ever more elaborate theories about people he does not know and has never met. Those interested in facts will look elsewhere; those seeking deranged conspiracy and melodrama know exactly where to find him."
