Latest news with #ArchieLilibet
The Guardian
4 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Harry and Meghan explored changing surname to Spencer amid children's passport delays
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex explored the idea of changing their family name to Spencer amid repeated delays by British officials to issue passports for their children, the Guardian has been told. The suggestion was a result of 'sheer exasperation' and came during a face-to-face meeting between Prince Harry and his uncle Earl Spencer. He was understood to be enthusiastic and supportive of the name change. Adopting the birth name of his mother, Diana, would likely have further deepened the rift between the Harry and the royal family, which shows no signs of being healed. However, the discussion became moot because the UK passports for Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet were finally issued almost six months after the initial applications – days after lawyers for the Sussexes sent a letter threatening to pursue a data subject access request. This could have revealed details of the delays – and the nature of any behind-the-scenes discussions between British officials responsible for issuing the documents. One source told the Guardian that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex feared that UK officials were dragging their feet because the passport applications included the titles HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) for both children. The applications also used the surname Sussex, which the family had already started using publicly; until 2023, Archie had both US and British passports under the name Mountbatten-Windsor. 'There was clear reluctance to issue passports for the kids,' a source close to the Sussexes said. The standard wait time for a passport is three weeks. But after three months without receiving them because of 'technical issues', it is understood Harry and Meghan reapplied using the 24-hour passport service, only to have their meeting cancelled at the last minute owing to a 'systems failure.' The source claimed that 'the king hadn't wanted Archie and Lili to carry the titles, most of all the HRH, and the British passports, once created, would be the first and perhaps the only legal proof of their names'. The source added: 'Harry was at a point where British passports for his children with their updated Sussex surnames (since the death of Queen Elizabeth II) were being blocked with a string of excuses over the course of five months. 'Out of sheer exasperation he went to his uncle to effectively say, 'my family are supposed to have the same name and they're stopping that from happening because the kids are legally HRH, so if push comes to shove, if this blows up and they won't let the kids be called Sussex, then can we use Spencer as a surname'?' The Guardian understands that Prince Harry wants to keep the HRH titles for his children so that when they grow older they can decide for themselves whether they want to become working royals, or stay out of public life. He and Meghan dropped the honorific in 2020 as part of the arrangement agreed with Queen Elizabeth II when they stopped performing royal duties. The couple are believe to have been angered by a report in the Mail on Sunday earlier this week, which claimed Earl Spencer had advised Harry not to change his name, saying the legal hurdles were insurmountable. 'It's completely untrue,' a source said. The Guardian put a series of questions to the Home Office and Buckingham Palace about the delays to the passport applications, and asked whether officials processing the documents had been seeking or taking advice from them. The Home Office said it was its longstanding policy not to comment on individual cases. Buckingham Palace made clear it would not be commenting on any personal matters relating to members of the royal family. But it denied making any suggestions or objections to the passports being issued with HRH in the titles. A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex said: 'We do not comment on private issues pertaining to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's children.' Earl Spencer was also approached but he had not responded at the time of publication. In May, Harry lost a legal challenge over the level of taxpayer-funded security he is entitled to while in the UK, but it is understood he intends to challenge the ruling. He had challenged the dismissal of his high court claim against the Home Office over the decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures, known as Ravec, that he should receive a different degree of protection when in the country after he stepped down. The prince considers that his mother, Diana, might still be alive if she had continued to have the security protection offered to other royals. However, three senior judges at the court of appeal rejected Harry's claim that he had been 'singled out' for 'inferior treatment' and that his safety and life were 'at stake' after a change in security arrangements that occurred when he stepped down as a working royal and moved abroad.
News.com.au
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
NEWS OF THE WEEK: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex admits motherhood was not how she ‘envisioned' it
The royal, who shares six-year-old Prince Archie and three-year-old Princess Lilibet with her husband Prince Harry, has opened up about her experience of being a mother. In Tuesday's episode of her Confessions of a Female Founder podcast, Meghan revealed that she had "a whole vision" for what she'd look like as a mum. "I will say, for myself, especially when they are baby babies and before I was a mom, I've always wanted to be a mom. I was like, 'Oh gosh I'm going to give a speech with a baby on my hip.' I had a whole vision."
The Sun
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Meghan Markle's idea of parenting Lili and Archie was a no-go from the start, Harry's more hard-lined, expert reveals
MEGHAN Markle and Prince Harry have differing views when it comes to parenting Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, according to royal experts. And one of their biggest divisive topics is with their privacy, according to Newsweek's Chief Royal Correspondent Jack Royston. 7 7 Speaking on The Sun's Royal Exclusive show, he shared how Prince Harry takes a 'hard-line' approach to Meghan posting photos of the Archie, six, and Lilibet, three. He shared: 'I cannot get away from the feeling that maybe Harry and Meghan feel differently about whether or not to show the children. 'And that's what's behind this kind of compromise position where Meghan probably would rather just put pictures of their faces on Instagram and not worry too much about it. 'But I think one of the reasons Harry is so hard-line about it is because obviously his upbringing. He was the most famous child face in Britain, probably the world, everywhere he and William went they would get recognised. 'And so he wants his children to be able to live, to be able to choose whether they want a quiet life or a life of their own.' Editor-in-Chief of Majesty Magazine, Ingrid Seward agreed, pointing out: 'Absolutely. And Harry hated photographers and he used to stick his tongue out at them. 'And occasionally Diana encouraged him to do that.' The Sun's Royal Editor Matt Wilkinson claimed that Prince Harry has a stronger opinion on privacy and security than perhaps Meghan does. He explained: 'I was told a long, a couple of years ago that there was a bit of this debate between Harry and Meghan about how much they would want their children to be seen in public. Meghan Markle reveals 'vision' before kids and admits reality is not what she pictured in latest podcast episode 'Whereas Meghan wants to live like a billionaire, she wants to have a celebrity lifestyle in California, whereas Harry wants to be a little bit more private.' Meghan's mum struggles This follows Meghan admitting on her latest podcast episode that having kids 'was not how she envisioned' after calling motherhood 'overwhelming'. The Duchess of Sussex spoke with Kitsch founder Cassandra Thurswell in episode seven of her eight-part series Confessions Of A Female Founder. 7 The Duchess said: "I will say, for myself - especially when they are baby babies and before I was mum, I've always wanted to be a mum. "I was like, 'Oh gosh I'm going to give a speech with a baby on my hip' - I had a whole vision - you fast forward, granted I had a lot of external things happening by the time I had both pregnancies and both babies. "But it was not the way I envisioned it." 7 Ingrid argued that Meghan need only have looked at other royal mothers to know that the style of parenting she wanted to do wouldn't be possible. The royal expert argued: 'It's a no go. 'You can't have the kid on your hip and be giving speeches in the royal, well, you can't in any world, really.' Meghan previously claimed how she has relied on a nanny for five years as motherhood was "overwhelming". Meghan Markle's £15k 'push present' from Prince Harry MEGHAN Markle has a staggering jewellery collection - but have you ever noticed the £15,000 'push present' piece that Prince Harry gave to her? Following the birth of their son Archie, the Duke of Sussex reportedly bought Meghan a sapphire pinky ring. According to Grazia: 'Meghan Markle has several [pinky rings] in her collection, including a blue sapphire heart by Jessica McCormack, believed to be a 'push present' after Archie was born.' We saw Meghan wear the exquisite pinky ring as she attended Wimbledon in July 2019. The heart-shaped item is from Jessica McCormack's Signature collection and is said to be 'set with a 0.94 carat heart cut sapphire handcrafted in blackened 18k white gold and 18k yellow gold'. However, it's not the only item rumoured to be Meghan's 'push present' from Harry. Some fans thought Meghan's 'third wedding ring' is a special gift to celebrate Archie's birth. Alongside Meghan's gold banded three-stone engagement ring, which includes two diamonds from Princess Diana 's collection, and her plain gold wedding band, the Duchess often wears another gold ring. Push presents have 'become a tradition in the royal family' over the years, according to royal etiquette expert Myka Meier. Prince William is reported to have given Kate Middleton a £1,000 white gold eternity ring after the birth of their first son, George, which she wears on her wedding finger.
News.com.au
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex admits motherhood was not how she ‘envisioned' it
The royal, who shares six-year-old Prince Archie and three-year-old Princess Lilibet with her husband Prince Harry, has opened up about her experience of being a mother. In Tuesday's episode of her Confessions of a Female Founder podcast, Meghan revealed that she had "a whole vision" for what she'd look like as a mum. "I will say, for myself, especially when they are baby babies and before I was a mom, I've always wanted to be a mom. I was like, 'Oh gosh I'm going to give a speech with a baby on my hip.' I had a whole vision."
Times
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Duchess of Sussex shares rare photos of children to mark wedding anniversary
The Duchess of Sussex has shared rare pictures of her children and herself while she was pregnant in a social media post to celebrate the couple's seven-year wedding anniversary. Meghan marked the anniversary with a pinboard of memories of her family over the years centred around the words 'our love story'. Some of the images showed Archie and Lilibet's faces, something Prince Harry and Meghan have refrained from sharing previously in their effort to maintain their children's privacy. Other pictures include her when heavily pregnant with Archie, now six years old, as well as an ultrasound scan. A later image shows Archie kissing his younger sister's forehead. Lilibet is now three years old. Featured at the top of the collection is a photo from Harry
