Royal Cousin Switch: Zara and Mike Tindall's Kids Bond With George, Charlotte and Louis Who Know 'Very Little' About Direct in-Laws Archie and Lilibet
Mia and Lena Tindall have reportedly become Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis' playmates, as their first cousins, Archie and Lilibet, remain a mystery.
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, who know next-to-nothing about their titled first cousins, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet Diana, are reportedly bonding with Zara and Mike Tindall's kids.
This led royal expert Phil Dampier to bittersweetly share: "It's so sad that the Wales’ kids basically know very little about their cousins across the pond and are never likely to be close to them."
"It's not thought that George, Charlotte, and Louis have ever met Archie and Lilibet," he added. "Although they were invited to Lilibet’s first birthday party at Frogmore Cottage, they did not go."
It is believed that Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales' children likely only interacted with Prince Archie "less than a handful of times" after his birth in May 2019, and his swift departure to California eight months later. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's "Megxit" both from the Crown and Britain led to less than a handful of returns to the kingdom.
Princess Lilibet's birth in June 2021 is believed to have been followed by only one return a year later, in which it is unknown if the Wales children even got to meet her.
Mia and Lena Tindall are both near the ages of their royal second cousins, whereas Lucas is only slightly older than Lilibet, making him a bit too young for playtime. At 11, it is also not known if George still participates in playtime with his younger cousins or even Charlotte and Louis.
Dampier added: "In many ways, the children of Zara and Mike Tindall have replaced Archie and Lilibet as the closest cousins of George, Charlotte and Louis. At Christmas at Sandringham, at events like Trooping the Colour, state occasions, or holidays at Balmoral, the cousins play together and get on well."
Although non-working or royally titled, Zara and Mike "do not mind taking their children in public, they are not determined to try and make the monarchy seem like some monstrous thing that destroys everyone born into," according to a royal insider.
"It's something Archie and Lilibet are missing out on and you just wonder if in years to come, when they grow up, they will start asking their parents why they are estranged from the royal family," the commentator further observed. "I'm sure William and Kate think it’s tragic that it’s come to this but the rift between William and Harry is so bad that I don’t see any resolution soon, if ever."
He concluded: "Harry has said in a recent interview that he won’t bring Meghan back to the U.K., and I’m sure he wouldn’t bring their kids without her, so it’s a non-starter."
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The Sun reported on Dampier's remarks.
