Meghan Markle Plans Royal-Coded Move for Archie’s Birthday — but Harry Fears It’s ‘Pushing the Line’
Meghan Markle's plan to mark Archie's birthday with an official photo isn't sitting well with Prince Harry, who fears online trolls targeting him.
It looks like there may be trouble in paradise for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, as the couple is reportedly clashing heads over Prince Archie's birthday. Sources claim that the Duchess, who has regularly shared glimpses of her children online, is keen to mark their son's 7th birthday with an official photo. The Duke, however, is said to be hesitant, allegedly fearing internet trolls and the risk of pushing boundaries with his family across the pond.
Archie celebrates his 7th birthday on May 6, and Markle is reportedly looking to go the royal route by posting his portrait on social media, the same way Prince William and Kate Middleton did for Prince Louis on April 23. Weighing in on the Sussexes' alleged quandary, a source told New Idea, "This isn't the first time this conflict has come up – and there are times it's been Meghan holding Harry back from showing off pictures of their kids." They added, "Meghan thinks it's the perfect time to release a formal set of pictures of Archie for his birthday – especially now her Archie candle's been released." The candle in question, released on As Ever, is named Signature Candle No. 506 in tribute to her son's birthday.
But this approach is allegedly not sitting well with Harry, owing to his own painful experience with the press and trolls. The insider continued, "Harry's starting to worry about Archie and Lilibet losing their titles if they keep pushing the lines between being royalty and monetizing it." Not only that, but he is also said to be apprehensive due to his desire to protect his children. They stressed, "He's [Harry] also fearful of trolls and putting a target mark on their young son's back...plastering his [Archie's] picture to the world online is going to change his life and not necessarily in a good way."
Previously, sources have echoed Harry's alleged concern once Markle joined Instagram and began posting pictures of her children. Neuropsychologist Dr. Sanam Hafeez analyzed the Duke's behavior and told Nicki Swift that he is sensitive to their children's visibility, simply because while Markle has spent several years in the spotlight, he's the only one to have done so as a child. She explained, "When someone spends their childhood in the public eye, they often feel like they never truly had control over their image. As adults, this can make them very protective when it comes to their children, wanting to shield them from similar experiences."
As for Archie's birthday, last year, Markle marked his big day by posting an adorable photo of him taking in a glorious sunset, with his back to the camera. It was captioned on Instagram, "Our son. Our sun. Happy 6th birthday to Archie! Thank you for all of the love, prayers, and warm wishes for our sweet boy. He's six! Where did the time go?" In a surprising turn of events, she referred to her son as simply 'Archie,' omitting his title of a prince. We'll soon know if that's a trend that will continue!
