For years now, royal watchers have been left scratching their heads over one mystery that just won’t go away: Why are Meghan Markle and Prince Harry so secretive about their two children, Archie Harrison and Lilibet Diana? While Prince William and Princess Catherine regularly share glimpses of their children—charming birthday portraits, school milestones, sweet family outings—Harry and Meghan’s approach is strikingly different. And now, according to Meghan herself, there’s a reason. A deeply personal, calculated reason.
It's not just about privacy—it’s about protection, perception, and power.
From the moment Archie was born in 2019, things were different. Unlike the traditional royal debut on the hospital steps with flashing cameras and smiling crowds, Meghan and Harry chose a quiet, controlled announcement. No public hospital photos. No real-time updates. Just a brief statement and a couple of carefully released pictures days later. That pattern has only continued and deepened since.
Meghan, in private conversations and interviews, has hinted at why. To her, exposing her children to the public eye—especially the British tabloid press—feels like placing them directly in harm’s way. She’s lived through the media circus, the twisting of her words, the racial bias, the outright lies. And she doesn't want her children—especially biracial children in a centuries-old institution built on image, hierarchy, and control—to be at the mercy of the same system.
According to Meghan, it’s not about hiding Archie and Lilibet. It’s about shielding them from what she calls a “toxic machine.”
Let’s be honest—when Meghan Markle speaks about the royal system and its relationship with the media, it’s not without reason. From the moment she joined the royal family, she was under fire. Criticized for what she wore, how she stood, how she smiled, how she held her baby bump. The British press compared her unfairly to Catherine, often twisting the same actions into praise for one and condemnation for the other.
When Archie was born, the attacks didn’t stop—they shifted. Questions were asked about the baby’s skin color, a topic so disturbing it even shocked Oprah Winfrey during the Sussexes’ explosive 2021 interview. And for Meghan, that was the final line in the sand. She decided: My children will not be pawns in this system.
And so, little by little, Meghan and Harry pulled away. Moved to California. Signed deals that gave them financial independence. And built a world where their children could be more than headlines.
Still, the secrecy frustrates many fans and critics alike. Why haven’t we seen more recent pictures of Lilibet? Why was her christening so private? Why haven’t the children attended major family events like Trooping the Colour or the Coronation? Meghan’s answer, subtly revealed in interviews and actions, is consistent: until the public—and more importantly, the press—can treat her children like children and not characters in a royal drama, she’ll continue to keep them at a distance.
There’s also the matter of control. In stepping back from royal duties, Meghan and Harry also rejected the unspoken contract between the royals and the public: you pay for our lives, and in return, we give you access. But without taxpayer money supporting their home or lifestyle, they no longer feel that obligation. Meghan, especially, wants her kids to have the right to choose their public exposure when they’re older—not be forced into it from birth.
Some critics argue it’s hypocritical. After all, the couple has used their royal titles to promote their projects and secure lucrative deals. But Meghan’s defenders counter that there’s a big difference between using your fame to work—and offering your children up for the world’s consumption.
Whether you agree or not, Meghan’s approach is undeniably different from royal tradition. It’s modern. It’s controversial. And it’s sending a message: Being royal doesn’t mean surrendering your right to privacy.
In a world where every child of a celebrity or royal seems to be on display from day one, Meghan is making a bold choice. One that may frustrate tabloids and photographers. One that invites questions and criticism. But also, perhaps, one that more parents—royal or not—can relate to in this age of endless exposure.
So, if Archie and Lilibet seem hidden from the world, it’s not by accident. It’s by design. Meghan Markle isn’t just raising royal children. She’s raising them on her own terms.