Meghan Markle’s fears over her children Archie and Lilibet growing up to blame her for their lack of a relationship with their UK-based family is legitimate, a royal expert has said.

Veteran commentator and former long-serving BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond claims it would “undoubtedly seem rather odd and perhaps sad” if Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet grew up without really knowing King Charles, Prince William and their royal cousins. The US-based royal brother and sister have hardly visited the UK at all and not only is it feared they will miss out on building strong familial ties with their cousins, but experts also speculated whether they will ever be able to truly grasp their Royal lineage unless something changes.

Prince Harry has previously expressed his desire for his children to be aware of their heritage. However, an insider shared with Royal author and commentator Tom Quinn that “Meghan does miss some aspects of life in the UK and worries that her children will blame her if they never get to see their cousins and feel as adults that they have been deprived of what might have been a fun and meaningful existence in the UK.”

Meghan and Harry are worried about their children growing up not knowing their family ( 
Image:
PA)

And former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond believes this concern is “a legitimate point”. She told OK! magazine: “Children grow up and are innately curious about their heritage and background… and when your heritage is one of the most famous families in the world, it will undoubtedly seem rather odd and perhaps sad that you hardly know or remember them. 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.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s little girl, Princess Lilibet, marked her third birthday yesterday. Born on June 4, 2021, at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California, she is the younger sister of Prince Archie and the granddaughter of Prince Charles.

Originally named Lilibet Diana Mountbatten Windsor, it was confirmed in 2023 that she and her older brother would carry princely titles, as their parents didn’t want to deny them their “birth right”. Despite being seventh in line to the throne, Lilibet has spent minimal time in the UK and holds the distinction of being the first of the late Queen’s great-grandchildren to be born overseas.

The family celebrated Princess Lilibet’s third birthday ( 
Image:
Alexi Lubomirski/Duke and Duchess of Sussex)

Princess Lilibet is still a toddler – but growing fast ( 
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PA)
So, how would the young Royal have spent her special day? Jennie shared some insights.

“Three-year-old birthday parties are all about bouncy castles and little girls in princess dresses,” Jennie revealed. “Of course Lilibet is already a princess, but I’m sure her mum will still want to dress her up for her big day. After all, that’s half the fun of having a little girl. If Lilibet is anything like my three year old granddaughter, now is the time that she will be pining for a pet to cuddle…and a makeup bag full of child friendly (and washable) lipsticks and nail varnish. So I hope Harry is ready for guinea pig cage cleaning duties!”

Sharing her predictions for the upcoming birthday party, Jennie stated: “I expect her birthday will be full of sunshine, squabbles with her brother, fun games with her toddler friends and some delicious home cooking from her mum. It will no doubt be an all American affair at their Montecito mansion and I would expect to see a sprinkling of celebrities and a laid-back party, which hopefully will include some other toddlers. It would be nice to think the day might include a video call to Lilibet’s grandfather, King Charles and hopefully some sort of gift has been arranged and will be delivered to Montecito for her birthday.”

Debate has been ignited over whether the rare UK visits of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet impede their ability to connect with their Royal heritage and cousins.

Furthering her input, Jennie remarked: “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.”