The true cost of Prince Harry and Prince William‘s strained relationship will be felt by their children who may find it difficult to form relationships with each other as they grow up, according to a new episode of Newsweek‘s The Royal Report podcast.
Chief royal correspondent Jack Royston discussed the likelihood of Harry and Meghan’s two U.S.-based children, Archie 3, and Lilibet, 1, coming together with their British cousins, Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 7, and Prince Louis, 4, with biographer Tom Quinn, whose new book Gilded Youth examines the early years of royal family members throughout history.
“Do you think they’ll have any relationship with their cousins i.e. George, Charlotte and Louis?” Royston asked of Archie and Lilibet following Harry’s broadcasting of his rift with William in his book Spare and interviews promoting it earlier this year.
“No, I think [they will have] a minimal relationship with their cousins,” Quinn explained. “Because unless their parents can repair their relationships it will be very difficult for the children—how will the children do it?”
Neither Archie nor Lilibet have been publicly photographed at events with their cousins, beyond a single polo match in Windsor when Archie was just two months old.
“I can imagine one of them […] when they’re older, might reach out and think ‘we really need to do something about this,’” the author continued, adding that owing to the highly publicized falling out of their parents, any attempts at connecting will be the focus of intense media scrutiny.
“I think if they’re constantly under the media spotlight it will be very difficult for them because everyone will comment on it,” he said. “If they suddenly meet up the press will get hold of it and make a big thing of it, and they’ll be back to square one.”
According to Quinn, the Sussex children are far more likely to build their lives in America and in the world of celebrity rather than royalty because “that’ll be their world.”
“I think they’re much more likely to have a glittering media career than a glittering royal career, just because that will be the massive influence, you know, they’re living in America, they’re living next door to film people and celebrities, that’ll be their world.
“We know that from other film people that their children might struggle a bit but you always find that they’re involved at some level with Hollywood […] if that’s where you grow up, that’s what you take in”.
Compared to the lives lived by their cousins, George, Charlotte and Louis, Quinn continued that Archie and Lilibet are “not over here [in Britain] stalking in the highlands or shooting pheasants at Sandringham.”
“That will be an alien thing for them,” he said, “and I think it’s extremely unlikely […] they’ll suddenly come back and take part in the sort of activities that younger royals take part in over here, you know, they’re going to be American through and through and I think that’s the way Meghan wants it.”
So far, William and Kate have made no comment on Harry and Meghan or the bombshell revelations published in their media projects since leaving the royal family. The last time the two couples were photographed together was during the state funeral events of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.
The next event that could bring them together would be the coronation of King Charles III in May, however, new revelations that the Sussexes have been asked to vacate their home of Frogmore Cottage by the summer, could see them choose not to attend.
Speaking to ITV’s Tom Bradby in January about whether he intended to travel to Britain for the coronation, Harry revealed “there’s a lot can happen between now and then.”
“Gilded Youth: An Intimate History of Growing Up in the Royal Family” by Tom Quinn is published in Britain by Biteback Publishing and is available now.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek’s royal reporter based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek’s The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you.
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