Prince Harry has always been very open about his desire to be a father, and friends say he is ‘relishing’ the role as he and Meghan Markle raise their two children

Prince Harry, despite his privileged upbringing, yearned for something more personal – fatherhood. He confessed in 2012, “I’ve longed for kids since I was very, very young,” adding, “I’m waiting to find the right person and someone who’s willing to take on the job.”

His wish was fulfilled when he met Meghan Markle in 2016, with whom he fell deeply in love, leading to their marriage two years later. The couple welcomed their son Archie Harrison in 2019, followed by daughter Lilibet Diana in 2021. As a father, Harry is poised to impart crucial life lessons to his children and address any issues from his own childhood.

The couple are very protective of their children’s privacy ( 
Image:
alexilubomirski/Instagram)

” Harry has always been quite sporty, and very competitive,” former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond tells OK! “I bet he gets the kids involved in all sorts of games and makes it incredibly fun, as well as teaching them skills like surfing or football. The warm weather and outdoor lifestyle in Montecito must make bringing up children a joy, so much easier to get them away from screens and TV, which Harry and Meghan clearly both feel very strongly about.”

While continuing his dedication to charity work and advocacy for mental health and environmental causes, Harry is also seen as an exceptionally involved dad by observers like Jennie.

“I think he is relishing his role as a parent and playing the fullest part he can in the lives of his two tots,” Jennie says. “He’s lucky enough to be able to share most of their lives so I’m sure Harry is a devoted dad and no stranger to nappy changing or school runs. I think he finds the security and anchor in his little family that was sadly missing in his own broken childhood home.”

Prince William and Prince Harry had a challenging upbringing ( 
Image:
Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
Indeed, it’s well-known that Prince Harry and Prince William’s upbringing was fraught with emotional upheaval due to their parents’ tumultuous separation and public mud-slinging.

“It’s hard to know exactly when the damage wrought by his parents’ broken marriage began to make its mark on Harry,” Jennie reflects. “He was only eight when Charles and Diana officially separated, but he had witnessed the marital difficulties long before that. I’m sure the insecurity of his own childhood has made him all the more determined to give his kids the perfect upbringing and to have them wrapped in a bubble of love and awareness of the love between their parents.”

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In an attempt to break this cycle, the family’s move has resulted in Archie and Lilibet spending minimal time with relatives on both sides of their family – a situation made even more complex given their connection to the world’s most famous family and their positions as sixth and seventh in line to the throne.

Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet remain sixth and seventh in line to the throne ( 
Image:
Netflix)

“This is the saddest part of their exile,” Jennie comments. “At the moment, the children don’t know any difference, but as they grow up Harry and Meghan will have some delicate manoeuvring to negotiate to explain the situation. It must be something that troubles Harry as a dad.”

Despite his ongoing legal battle over security, Harry has said he wants to raise his children with a clear understanding of both sides of his heritage. Jennie adds, “Imagine Archie, aged 15, telling his friends, ‘My grandpa is/was King! And my uncle is/will be King too.’ But he hardly knew or met them. How sad… and Meghan would have to bear the brunt of the responsibility for that.”

“I’m sure that, like Harry, she wants the very best for their children… and that will include an understanding of their background. I just hope that by the time Archie and Lili grow up, things will be calmer and the family more united, even if they continue to live thousands of miles apart. This is not the children’s fault or responsibility so let’s hope the adults can make it a better world for the next generation of royals.”