Prince Harry is said to be “very sad” about the distance between his two children and the Royal Family.
To celebrate Archie’s seventh birthday on Wednesday, Meghan Markle released a heartwarming unseen photo of the young prince resting on Harry’s chest.
Archie appeared to be merely days old, which suggests the image is likely to have been captured in Frogmore Cottage, Windsor, where the Sussexes previously resided.
But the photo is merely a snapshot of Archie’s childhood; Harry and Meghan upped sticks to Montecito, California, just months after his birth – some 5,000 miles from their grandparents, King Charles and Queen Camilla.
In fact, Harry himself has only seen his father a handful of times since he emigrated across the pond, their last rendezvous coming in September 2025, with even that particular meeting 19 months on from their previous.
And it is this distance that is said to be cause for concern for the Duke of Sussex.
An old friend of the prince has told the Daily Mail that Harry wishes his children enjoyed a similar childhood to that of the Prince and Princess of Wales’s youngsters; Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight.
“Archie and Lili are having a lovely time in California, but Harry is very sad that they are missing out on life with the rest of their family,” the friend said.
Prince Harry is said to be ‘very sad’ about the distance between his two children and the Royal Family
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INSTAGRAM: MEGHAN
“Harry feels his children are missing out on the extensive family network that their cousins are enjoying.”
Despite this, Harry has publicly declared his enthusiasm and fondness for the US and California.
“I very much enjoy living here and bringing my kids up here,” he said in 2024. “It’s a part of my life that I never thought I was going to live and it feels as though it’s the life that my mum wanted for me.”
To celebrate Archie’s seventh birthday on Wednesday, Meghan Markle released a heartwarming unseen photo of the young prince resting on Harry’s chest
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INSTAGRAM: MEGHANAnd, according to royal biographer Omid Scobie, it was actually the birth of Archie that gave Meghan and Harry the strength to leave the UK and the Royal Family.
He claims their first child gave them the courage “to stand up for what was right for them, regardless of what the consequences”.
“As we have seen, those consequences have been pretty major,” he said.
Since the move, the duke has been seen embracing various elements of the Californian lifestyle.
In February, Harry was spotted cutting waves on a surfboard, a hobby he is said to have picked up in 2020 following the move.
California is world-renowned for its surfing climate, with over 800 miles of coastline and waves throughout the year.
The Sussexes refused to comment.