You'll Probably Never See Princess Lilibet & Prince Archie At Trooping The Colour (Even If The Royal Rift Is Mended)

Royal watchers are still holding out hope that the feud between the famous family finally comes to an end someday soon. Even Prince Harry has dropped quite a few hints that he may be ready to mend fences with his family. And yet, even if Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, reunite with The Firm one day, it's unlikely that we'll ever see them bringing their children out and about to royal events the way William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales' kids are often in attendance. Trooping the Colour, which rolls around every June to celebrate the monarch's birthday, is one particular event where we'll likely never see Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. At the end of each year's festivitivies, senior members of the family gather on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch the Royal Air Force fly overhead. 

In recent years, we've grown accustomed to seeing the three Wales kids, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis front and center enjoying all of the excitement. The 2023 Trooping The Colour balcony showed the future of the slimmed down monarchy, especially after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex left their roles as working royals behind in 2020 and moved across the pond. If the celebrity couple ever manages to make up with the other members, it's possible that they may be seen at high-profile events like this one. Still, knowing how Meghan and Harry prioritize protecting their children from the spotlight and all that comes along with it, Archie and Lilibet are unlikely to ever appear on the balcony at Trooping the Colour. 

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle keep Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet out of the spotlight for the most part. Even when sharing photos of family life on social media, the children's faces remain hidden. As someone who grew up in the public eye, and lost his mother as a result of paparazzi intrusion, the Duke of Sussex knows all too well just how dangerous and damaging this can be for children, and he's made it clear that he won't let it happen to his own kids. During an August 2024 interview with People, a close friend of the Sussexes spoke about Harry's desire to strictly control who has access to Archie and Lilibet. "Harry has been reluctant to show his children publicly, not out of a desire to hide them but to protect their privacy and safety from potential threats," they explained. "He wants them to lead as normal a life as possible without the fear of kidnapping or harm." 

Moving his kids out of the media circus that typically follows the royals in the UK has clearly helped Harry in this mission. "As a dad and husband, Harry is determined to ensure that history doesn't repeat itself," the insider noted. Even if he faces immense backlash from his family and the public, the prince clearly prioritizes his family's safety above all else. Even so, he is reportedly hoping to reunite with King Charles III at some point. Even so, should such a reconciliation lead to a warmer relationship between the royal defectors and the rest of Harry's family, it likely won't to lead to the couple loosening the reins.