Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have dedicated themselves to raising their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The couple welcomed their first child while they were still active members of the Royal Family. However, by the time Lilibet was born, they had already stepped away from the Firm for over a year.
Archie and Lilibet likely remain unaware of their parents’ estrangement from the royal family and may not fully understand it for years. Sadly, this situation could impact them in the future, as they currently lack connections with their royal cousins and other relatives.
While Prince William and Kate Middleton have three children, Harry and Meghan might have had the same number if not for a heartbreaking miscarriage. As Archie and Lilibet continue to grow, the question arises: could the Sussexes consider having a third child? Let’s explore what Harry and Meghan have shared about this possibility.
After leaving the royal family, Harry and Meghan relocated to the US to lead a more private life and provide their children with a different upbringing compared to life within the palace. They sought an alternative future for their son, Archie, and later for their daughter, Lilibet, who was born in America.
There were indications that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex didn’t want to do things the rest of the Royal Family was accustomed to doing even before Archie was born. Meghan’s mother had come in from the United States to stay with the couple at Frogmore Cottage at Windsor prior to Archie’s birth.
Archie, Harry and Meghan’s son, was born in London’s The Portland Hospital on May 6, 2019. Although the birth of any royal child is always a momentous occasion, Harry and Meghan chose to take a different tack.
According to Nicholl’s book The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown, Harry is “almost morbidly obsessed” with keeping Archie’s birth as secret as ever.
Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s children Archie & Lilibet
While millions of royal fans and members of the public were eager to learn more about the little boy, the desire for privacy clashed with what some saw as the “unwritten contract between the royals and the public.”
“Behind the scenes, matters were so fraught that more than one official — as I know from personal experience — was reduced to tears of frustration and despair,” shared Rebecca English, the royal editor of the Daily Mail.
Unlike Prince William and Kate Middleton, Harry and Meghan wanted to avoid the public spectacle that often accompanies the birth of royal children. Typically, senior royals pose for photos outside the hospital with their newborns. However, the Sussexes had no intention of following this tradition.
While Prince William, Harry, and William’s children were all born at St Mary’s Hospital, where their first official baby photos were taken, Meghan chose Portland Hospital instead. This decision was influenced by her doctor’s affiliation and the hospital’s layout, which was deemed safer and less conducive to photo opportunities.
“Harry had always enjoyed outfoxing the media,” royal author Katie Nicholl noted in The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown.
“He and Meghan were thrilled to be safely delivered of their son in London’s private Portland hospital even before the palace press office had confirmed the duchess was in labor.”
Prince Harry ate chicken while Meghan was in labor
The Duke chose to reveal some information on the day of the birth of their first son, despite Harry and Meghan’s desire to keep as much of Archie’s birth as possible private. Harry recounted in Spare the remarkable incident at Portland Hospital where he chose to use laughing gas to relax.
In his tell-all book, Harry described two methods he found to stay calm during the intense moments: “One: Nando’s chicken (brought by our bodyguards). Two: A canister of laughing gas beside Meg’s bed. I took several slow, penetrating hits,” he shared.
He continued, “Meg was so calm. I was calm too,” and added, “Meg, bouncing on a giant purple ball, a proven way of giving nature a push, laughed and rolled her eyes. I took several more hits, and now I was bouncing too.”
Harry also revealed that when a nurse attempted to offer Meghan the gas to help with her pain, it had already been used up. “I could see the thought slowly dawning. Gracious, the husband’s had it all. ‘Sorry,’ I said meekly.”
Eventually, the medical team opted to administer an epidural to Meghan to alleviate her discomfort.
“The anesthetist hurried in. Off went the music, on went the lights. Whoa. Vibe change,” he recalled.
Although there was a momentary concern that Archie might be entangled in his umbilical cord, he was delivered safely, bringing Harry and Meghan to tears of relief.
The naming of Princess Lilibet caused debate.
When Prince Archie was only a year old, his parents made the decision to permanently depart from the Royal Family and relocate to North America. Their family expanded after they moved to Montecito, California.
Harry and Meghan declared the arrival of their daughter on Sunday, June 6, 2021. Her birth caused some controversy even though it delighted many.
She received the name Lilibet as a tribute to the nickname given to her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. The late queen adopted the name Lilibet during her childhood when she struggled to pronounce her full name.
Royal expert Tom Quinn explained in his book Gilded Youth: An Intimate History of Growing Up in the Royal Family, “Even naming this child sparked a diplomatic scuffle. Hating even to think about the admittedly labyrinthine rules of protocol that surrounded the British royal family, Meghan, and Harry called her Lilibet, apparently in the belief that it would be a wonderful surprise for her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.”
Meghan miscarried prior to Lilibet becoming pregnant.
“That Harry did not have the sense to predict that this would cause trouble is beyond belief. He surely would have known that appropriating the monarch’s beloved childhood nickname would be perceived by many as disrespectful and intrusive in a way that naming their daughter Elizabeth would have not been.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, like parents everywhere, were overjoyed by the arrival of their children. However, the period leading up to Lilibet’s birth was not only filled with joy but also marked by deep sorrow.
Approximately a year before Lilibet was born, Harry and Meghan endured a devastating experience. In 2020, Meghan became pregnant again but tragically suffered a miscarriage.
Months later, Meghan shared her personal experience in an article, describing the moment she realized something was wrong.
“Hours later, I lay in a hospital bed, holding my husband’s hand. I felt the clamminess of his palm and kissed his knuckles, wet from both our tears. Staring at the cold white walls, my eyes glazed over. I tried to imagine how we’d heal. Losing a child means carrying an almost unbearable grief,” Meghan wrote.
Even now, the emotional wounds from that time persist. According to OK! Magazine, Meghan naturally feels a sense of sorrow around the anniversary of her miscarriage each year.
However, her love for her family helps her find comfort and happiness.
“She feels so blessed to have Archie and Lili and the family she and Harry have created. But naturally, as the anniversary of her miscarriage approaches, she does have sadness. The date is very poignant for her,” the source told OK!
Meghan Markle feels “sad” about her kids growing up.
The Duchess has had more time in recent months to devote to her work, including American Riviera Orchard, her lifestyle brand. Meghan believes it is essential to demonstrate to her kids that “mummies work as well,” the insider tells OK! Magazine.
However, the source clarified that she will always prioritize her family life, work around the children’s schedules to be available when they need her, and she simply wants to enjoy and treasure every moment with them as they grow up.
Since stepping away from royal duties, Harry and Meghan have pursued various business endeavors, though not all have been successful. Earlier this year, however, they undertook a significant “royal” initiative.
In May, Harry and Meghan traveled to Nigeria for a three-day visit to support the Invictus Games. While they appeared to enjoy their time there, two notable absences were felt—Archie and Lilibet remained in the United States. Reports indicate that the children may accompany their parents on international trips in the future.
“Meghan doesn’t like being away from her children as she doesn’t want to miss a thing with them growing up so fast,” a source shared with OK!.
“With Lili turning three, it’s really got Meghan and Harry thinking about their future and how quickly the children are growing up. Meghan especially feels that her babies are no longer babies, and like most mums, it makes her slightly sad and wistful that the baby years have come to an end.”
Will Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have a third child?
Meghan Markle is upset about her kids growing up, but has the couple considered having a third child? Since Lilibet was born three years ago, some people have questioned if Harry and Meghan will have three children like Prince William and Kate Middleton. Will it occur? Meghan Markle and Prince Harry appear to have strong opinions about it.
In 2019, when Archie was just a year old, Prince Harry spoke in an interview with Vogue Magazine about a method he supports for helping the environment—one that some may consider controversial. Harry expressed his belief that there should be a cap on the number of children people can have.
“With Lili turning three, it’s really got Meghan and Harry thinking about their future and how quickly the children are growing up. Meghan especially feels that her babies are no longer babies, and like most mums, it makes her slightly sad and wistful that the baby years have come to an end.”
“What more can you ask for?”
During the interview with Dr. Jane Goodall, she responded, “Not too many!” and laughed. Harry then elaborated, “Two, maximum! But I’ve always thought: this place is borrowed. And, surely, being as intelligent as we all are, or as evolved as we all are supposed to be, we should be able to leave something better behind for the next generation.”
In the widely discussed Oprah Winfrey interview in 2021, Meghan Markle also shared her thoughts on how many children she hoped to have. This was the first time the Sussexes publicly addressed the challenges they faced while being part of the Royal Family.
“[I’m] just grateful to have any child. Any, one or two, would have been amazing but to have a boy and then a girl what more can you ask for? Now we’ve got our family, we got the four of us and our two dogs,” Meghan said to Oprah.
Harry then confirmed that they were “done” having children, with Meghan affirming, “Two is it.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seem resolute about stopping at two children. However, who can say what the future holds? Perhaps another prince or princess may join their family in Montecito someday.
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