Why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Are 'Reluctant' to Show Archie and Lilibet in Public (Exclusive)

 

(From left) Prince Harry, Princess Lilibet, Prince Archie and Meghan Markle in a photo shared in the documentary series “Harry & Meghan,” which will be released on Netflix in December 2022. PHOTO: NETFLIX/YOUTUBE

A friend says the Duke of Sussex is hesitant to step out with his children out of concern for their safety

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have kept Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet out of the spotlight out of concern for their children’s safety.

As Harry struggles to improve security for his family of four, the echoes of his mother Princess Diana’s 1997 death in a high-speed car chase are especially strong now that he is a parent.

“Harry is reluctant to show his children in public, not because he wants to hide them, but to protect their privacy and safety from potential threats,” a friend tells PEOPLE in this week’s exclusive cover story. “He wants them to have as normal a life as possible without fear of being kidnapped or hurt.”

The friend added, “As a father and husband, Harry is determined to ensure that history does not repeat itself.”

PEOPLE magazine, Aug. 12, 2024.

Several people in positions of authority in Prince Harry’s inner circle tell PEOPLE that the Duke of Sussex believes his father, King Charles, has the authority to restore his security. Buckingham Palace would not comment on the terms of his security, but a palace source told PEOPLE that the notion that Harry’s security is in the hands of the king is “completely false.”

The issue has shifted from a period of frustration to “total silence” from the king, the friend said.

The Duke of Sussex has also taken the matter to court, where he lost his bid to restore taxpayer-funded security earlier this year. (He plans to appeal.)

King Charles and Prince Harry arrive at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on Sept. 19, 2022, before Queen Elizabeth’s funeral. DAVID ROSE / POOL / AFP/GETTY

What’s really standing in Harry’s way of getting the protection he seeks is a bitter dispute. Constitutionally, King Charles has no governmental powers in the U.K., and the power to provide police protection lies with the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royals and Public Figures (RAVEC), which operates on behalf of the British government.

With both sides at odds — and Harry’s brother, Prince William, seemingly siding with their father — hopes of a reconciliation seem remote.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the 2024 ESPY Awards at the Dolby Theatre on July 11, 2024 in Hollywood, California. KEVIN MAZUR/GETTY

Despite the dispute, Harry “doesn’t want to fight about it anymore. He wants to have a relationship with his family,” a friend said.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the 2024 ESPY Awards at the Dolby Theatre on July 11, 2024 in Hollywood, California. KEVIN MAZUR/GETTY

Meghan, 42, “supports Harry 100 percent, but she wants him to put the lawsuits behind him and be happy and enjoy the moment,” according to a former Archewell Foundation staffer.

“She wants him to be free from all of this, but she also knows that because of everything he’s been through and the love he has for [her and their children], he can’t. She wants him to live in a world where he doesn’t have to,” the former staffer said./people.com