Two kids, rescue dogs and a Californian mansion - where do the Sussexes go from here?

When Prince Harry and Meghan announced the birth of their son Archie Harrison on 6 May 2019, their struggles with royal life had not yet been laid bare, but the cracks were beginning to show. Pushing back against convention by not doing a large-scale media photocall and declining to say where he was born were small indicators of what eventually became apparent was a deep-rooted resentment at feeling trapped and controlled by the system.

With hindsight, there was perhaps a detectable tension during their son’s first appearance in Windsor Castle’s St George’s Hall two days after his birth, during which a brave reporter asked if they were able to adjust their baby so photographers could get a clearer picture. On the other hand, it could have just been the predictable nervousness of first-time parents grappling with a newborn and the added pressure of having their every move beamed worldwide.

Either way, two days after the birth of Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana, just 25 months later on 4 June 2021, the scene was very different. Or to put it another way, there was no scene because Harry and Meghan had by this point stepped back from senior royal life, removing any expectation that the arrival of their daughter would be a public event.

In the two years between their children’s births, the Sussexes totally reshaped their lives and were able to make the announcement of Lili’s arrival on their own terms. As such, it came more than 48 hours after she was born, was distributed only to media of their choosing, and was worded with no thought for royal convention. And a photocall? By now most have learned not to even bother asking. The only certainty is that if an image does appear it will instantly go viral.

Over the past 12 months, Harry and Meghan have carved out a new life and given us a pretty clear picture of how they hope to raise their children. The Sussexes retained their Frogmore Cottage home in Windsor but loaned it out to Princess Eugenie and her family, while making a mansion in Montecito, Santa Barbara their base. Neighbours now include Hollywood A-Listers Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry, Ellen DeGenres and Portia de Rossi, as well as Oprah Winfrey.

Harry says he feels “a little bit more free”, citing being able to take Archie for bicycle rides, something he claimed he was unable to do as a child (although it has been widely pointed out there are photographs that suggest otherwise). They keep a flock of rescue chickens as well as Meghan’s two pet dogs, Guy and Pula.

With no royal duties to undertake in exchange for public funding - something the Prince described as contributing to the “ownership” he has accused the British media of feeling over royals - Harry and Meghan have sought to spent time on projects they care about and that allow them to earn their own, so far seemingly lucrative, living.

Composed of everything from podcasts to Apple TV productions, children’s books and more. The Archewell empire is the focal point for their work while their former identity, Sussex Royal, is now frozen in time online; a somewhat haunting reminder of what could have been.

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On the face of it, Harry and Meghan’s lives - and the upbringing they will give Archie and Lili - are now a world away from the existence that many (naively) once imagined they would have alongside William and Kate. The idea that the “Fab Four” would live and work from Kensington Palace with their kids running around the courtyard together now seems somewhat ridiculous given how significant the brothers’ diverging paths turned out to be. Recently Harry has been publicly critical of his upbringing and said outright he wants to do things differently as a parent to “break that cycle” of pain or suffering.

And while such statements make it clear that the Sussexes are not returning to royal life, they have not totally left behind all the lifestyle considerations they faced in the UK. First and foremost, are the issues of security and privacy for the stratospherically famous.

Harry has swapped the cocoon of royal protection, palace lawyers and press teams for his own private staff. He also, he says, is in cahoots with neighbours like Orlando Bloom with whom he shares intel over paparazzi sightings. The Sussexes have strongly indicated they are prepared to go into battle to preserve the privacy of their family life and have scored some significant wins via the courts over unsolicited images of Archie.

In an early indication of the balance they intend to strike over how much they allow Archie and Lili to be seen publicly, they have been happy to share a small number of pictures and videos of their son. For example, they have included Archie in their work; Meghan’s book inspired by the father and son bond, his voice on their podcast, photographs for his birthday and clips of him walking along a beach.

Their willingness to volunteer images they can be in control of is not dissimilar to the way the Cambridges choose to do things. William and Kate are also fiercely protect the privacy of George, Charlotte and Louis’ everyday lives but are happy to share their own pictures on their own timetable - special occasions or moments. The Cambridges would, however, struggle to turn off the tap completely without facing debate, while the Sussexes do have the freedom to do just that.

The question of work/life balance for the Sussexes, and being hands-on parents versus having staff is also just as relevant now as it was when Archie was born. Fortunate to be in a position where they can afford as much childcare as they want for their toddler and newborn, the Sussexes seem to be emulating the Cambridges in nevertheless wanting to be very present.

The Archewell website currently describes them as being on “parental leave” following the birth, the first time this term has been used instead of maternity and paternity leave in relation to royals taking time out to care for their children; a reminder of Meghan’s record of speaking up for gender equality and the modernising influence that the couple could have had in the Firm.

But the stage is set for the Sussexes’ future and it is firmly outside of the fold, with deep-rooted and very public disagreements still some way from being resolved. Yet, their choice of name for their daughter sends a strong message that they see their bonds with his family as anything but severed.

It was always a given that the Prince was going to name a daughter after Princess Diana, but Lili now joins her cousin Charlotte in keeping her grandmother’s name alive. The choice of the Queen’s childhood nickname noticeably contrasted with their total avoidance of royal names when they named Archie.

And with the feuding brothers still expected to join forces to unveil a tribute to Diana on 1 July at Kensington Palace - what would have been her 60th birthday - we are reminded of the one person with the capacity to unite them.

Lili’s birth is now a piece of modern royal history, an event that sums up where the Sussexes stand both in terms of personal familial relations, and professionally on the world stage. Yes, the Queen is no longer their boss but they and their children remain very proud members of her royal family -  even on the other side of the ocean.