Prince Harry Wants Kids to Connect With Diana ― But Critics Aren’t Convinced About Meghan’s Motives
As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's UK visit draws closer, there is wide speculation about what they might do once they cross the pond.
Prince Harry has always spoken about his late mother, Princess Diana, and the influence that she continues to have on his life. So, naturally, now that he is returning to the UK in July with his family, he would want to take his kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to visit their granny’s grave at her childhood home, Althorp House. While Harry’s intention certainly comes from love and regard, critics are reportedly skeptical about his wife, Meghan Markle’s, presence.
Royal journalist, Rob Shuter, quoted a source in his Naughty but Nice Substack podcast who said, “Harry still carries the loss of his mother every day. The tragedy is that his children will never know her. This is about helping Archie and Lilibet feel connected to a grandmother who would have adored them.” As a mark of respect to his mother, the Duke of Sussex had named his daughter Lilibet Diana. The July visit will likely be the first time that she or Archie will visit Diana’s grave.
Diana is buried on an island in the Oval Lake on Althorp grounds. The gravesite is not open to the public, and it was chosen specifically due to concerns about public safety. The late royal’s brother, Charles Spencer, looks after the property and had once told PEOPLE that he wanted his nephews, Prince William and Harry, to be able to visit the grave privately. And now perhaps the close family may include their wives and children as well. The source further added, “This isn’t about headlines for Harry. It’s about making sure his children know the woman he still misses every day.”
Although there is no doubt about why Harry wants to take his kids to Althorp, the same cannot be said for Markle, who has often been accused of weaponizing Diana’s memory. A source told Shuter, “For Harry, Diana is his mother. For Meghan, critics argue Diana has sometimes become part of the brand. There are people in royal circles who worry every Diana story turns into emotional leverage that makes criticism of Meghan almost impossible.”
An insider further added, “The concern has never been Harry’s motives. People understand why he wants to do this. The concern is whether a deeply personal family moment stays private—or eventually becomes part of the public narrative.” There is a lot of noise about the upcoming UK visit, and news about which members of the royal family the Sussexes will and won’t meet when they cross the pond. So far, it appears that Diana may not be the only parent that Harry will visit when he is in the UK. He might finally reconcile with his father, King Charles, as the latter has reportedly offered the family of four security and a royal residence to stay at.
The Althorp House is open to the public from July 1st, Diana’s birth anniversary, to August 31st, her death anniversary, every year. However, this time the estate will remain closed on July 10 and 11, and it is being speculated that the Sussexes’ visit may be the reason behind the unusual closure.
