Meghan Markle recently dropped Season 2 of her Netflix cooking series, With Love, Meghan, on August 26.
As part of the promotion, the Duchess of Sussex posted behind-the-scenes pictures on September 2, showing her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, spending time with her on set.
The images, shared on Instagram, featured Archie holding a clapperboard while Lilibet perched in the director’s chair. Their faces were deliberately covered to maintain privacy.
Royal Expert Questions Harry’s Reaction
Royal commentator Hugo Vickers believes Prince Harry may not have approved of the post. Speaking to The Sun, he said, “He ought to be extremely annoyed. Obviously, I don’t know what he thinks, but I think he does what he’s told, probably.”
Vickers expressed a deeper concern about the long-term impact on Archie and Lilibet, adding, “What worries me much more, to be quite honest, is what the children themselves are going to think when they get a little bit older and they realize how they’ve been exploited.”
Criticism of Meghan’s Show Strategy
Commenting on Meghan’s professional ventures, Vickers suggested she has struggled to find the success she hopes for. “All the things that she does seem to me not to be the success that she would have wished for them. And therefore she keeps, you know, coming up with new ideas, reinventing herself, reinventing things,” he said.
He criticized her decision to use her children in promoting the show, calling it “wrong,” and pointed to how British leaders handle family visibility. “You know, most of our Prime Ministers, the only time you see the children is when they’re leaving Downing Street, when they sort of take them by the hand and lead them out, you know.”
Experts Highlight Harry’s Protective Nature
Neuropsychologist Dr. Sanam Hafeez echoed the view that Harry may have been uncomfortable with the photos. Speaking to Nicki Swift, she explained, “When someone spends their childhood in the public eye, they often feel like they never truly had control over their image. As adults, this can make them very protective when it comes to their children, wanting to shield them from similar experiences.”
A friend of Harry’s also told PEOPLE that the Prince is especially cautious about his children’s safety. “He wants them to lead as normal a life as possible without the fear of kidnapping or harm. Harry is determined to ensure that history doesn’t repeat itself,” the source said, referencing Princess Diana’s tragic death.
Despite the criticism, Meghan has continued to shield Archie and Lilibet’s identities by covering their faces with emojis or photographing them from behind. While she uses these tactics to maintain a sense of privacy, the debate over whether the children should appear at all in promotional material remains contentious.