‘Unlikely' Prince William will ever welcome Harry and Meghan's children Archie and Lilibet into royal fold

7NEWS

4 hours ago

Any hope Prince Harry and Meghan had that their children might one day play an active role in the royal family appears to be fading fast after an insider revealed it's highly unlikely heir to the throne Prince William would ever agree.
And it's not looking good for sidelined Prince Andrew, either.
While US-based Harry and Meghan stepped down from royal duties in 2020's 'Megxit', they retained their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles and made sure children Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4, officially held their HRH titles.
On King Charles' ascension to the throne they became Prince and Princess, with Harry changing their surnames on their passports to Sussex — reportedly so he could leave the door open to them to make a royal return if they wanted to when they grew up.
But sources close to William suggest it is unlikely Harry and Meghan's children will be welcomed as working members for the royal family under his reign.
As the rift between Harry and William and the rest of the senior royals drags on, The Times reports the Prince of Wales is now 'indifferent' to the bitter feud with his brother.
'What has struck me the most recently is that he just doesn't mention it at all. It used to be that the family stuff was taking up a lot of space in his head; it was a very close relationship, and he was very upset,' an insider told The Sun.
'But he's not letting it get to him at all any more. It is a change. It's sad, but it's a much healthier space for him to be at.'
The same source also suggested that a return to being a working royal for the Duke of York was doubtful.
The disgraced Prince Andrew, 65, was stripped of his royal titles and roles by the late Queen Elizabeth in 2022 due to the allegations and links to Jeffrey Epstein.
Virginia Giuffre accused Andrew of sexual abuse on three occasions, including when she was 17 years old.
As a royal outcast, Prince Andrew has always vehemently denied the accusations, although he later paid Ms Giuffre a reputed £12 ($AUD25 million) million settlement.
It has been reported that Prince William views his uncle as too much of a 'risk' and 'threat' to The Firm.
King Charles has also made it clear that attempts have been made to evict his younger brother from the 31-room Royal Lodge, despite their 75-year lease agreement.
Prince William has reaffirmed his commitment to modernising the monarchy, revealing that he intends to approach his future role as King with what he calls a 'smaller 'r'' version of royalty, focused on empathy, impact, and community-driven change.
The 43-year-old heir said he hopes to lead 'differently for (his) generations', in one of his most recent candid interviews to date.
William emphasised a need for 'empathetic leaders' in today's world. He said he and his wife, Princess Catherine, are committed to causes that create meaningful, long-term change.
'I'm trying to do it differently,' he said. 'It's more about impact philanthropy, collaboration, convening, and helping people … I really care about what I do.'
The prince also reflected on the personal challenges of the past year, calling 2024 'probably the worst year of my life' as he navigated the cancer battles faced by both his wife and father, King Charles.
William, who also founded Homewards' initiative to combat homelessness and launched the Earthshot Prize to tackle environmental issues, said his focus was firmly on delivering real-world results.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Harry and Meghan are continuing to expand their business ventures.
Meghan has launched her first alcoholic beverage — a rosé wine — under her American Riviera Orchard brand, which will go on sale on July 1.
The Napa Valley vintage joins other lifestyle products, including limited-edition spreads and homewares.
Meghan has also recently shared rare footage of Prince Harry playing with their two children in a touching Father's Day post — a move that drew both praise and criticism.
Royal commentator Ingrid Seward told The Sun that while the video was 'charming,' it was 'hypocritical' given the couple's previous calls for privacy.
Meghan made headlines following a recent podcast appearance on Aspire with entrepreneur Emma Grede, where she was asked if she would rewrite her public narrative.
'Yes,' she replied.
'I would ask people to tell the truth.'
The comment has drawn commentary from royal watchers, with Royal Exclusive panellists questioning the sincerity of the remarks and describing the tone as lacking authenticity.
Still, Meghan remained measured in her response, adding that advice from close friend Serena Williams helped her stay grounded.
'A lie can't live forever,' she said.
'Eight years is a long time, but not forever.'