Meghan May Bring Archie and Lilibet to the UK to 'Shield Some of Her Unpopularity'
A security decision could determine if — and how — she returns.
If Prince Harry secures the protection he is seeking, Meghan Markle’s long absence from the UK may finally come to an end. And in this context, according to a royal commentator, any return would be tightly choreographed, with the Sussexes’ children playing a central role in softening what is expected to be a hostile reception. Markle has not been seen in Britain since Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022. Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet were last in the UK earlier that year during the late monarch’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Since then, the couple’s relationship with both the Royal Family and the British press has only deteriorated, making any return fraught with logistics.
And another point of contention is Harry’s ongoing security review. His taxpayer-funded protection was withdrawn after he stepped back as a working royal, a decision he has repeatedly argued makes travel to the UK unsafe. Harry has previously described returning without security as “impossible,” and the outcome of the current review is widely seen as the deciding factor in whether Markle and the children would accompany them. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams believes Meghan would arrive with a clear strategy in mind. Speaking to GB News, he said, "Meghan will manage to shield some of her unpopularity by bringing Archie and Lilibet to the UK." Her poll ratings are terrible, and the rift with the royal family will cause the press to be hostile.
“We know all of the problems with the couple, but we do not know how they will resolve it.” The suggestion is not that Markle would avoid scrutiny altogether, but that the presence of the children could temper it. Few images cut through criticism more effectively than those involving young royals, and Fitzwilliams’ comments hint at a calculated attempt to shift focus away from unresolved tensions. Timing may also play a role. Markle is set to return to the UK in the coming months as Birmingham prepares to host the one-year-to-go celebrations for the Invictus Games. Harry’s flagship project remains one of the few events that consistently draws public goodwill, even amid broader family tensions.
A source close to the duchess underscored the importance of the security decision, saying: “Security is always going to be a deciding factor in this.”
Meanwhile, speculation around Harry’s and Markle's disagreement regarding the kids has only intensified. Archie and Lilibet, unlike their royal cousins, have largely grown up out of public view. According to sources, that instinct to protect has become one of the more sensitive fault lines within the Sussex household.
“It’s something Harry and Meghan really differ on, and the issue keeps resurfacing,” insiders told Heat World UK. “There’s no denying they both absolutely adore those kids, which is why this issue is so charged.” Those close to the couple suggest Harry’s position is rooted firmly in his own upbringing. “Harry’s extreme vigilance stems from his own childhood trauma. He’s still deeply resentful of the way he was over-exposed and commodified growing up, and that makes him hypersensitive about repeating any version of it with his own children,” the insider added. “Harry genuinely sees it as his duty as a father to protect his kids from suffering the same fate.”
