According to a royal expert, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, is deeply concerned about the possibility of her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, not forming substantial relationships with their extended royal family.

Since Meghan and Harry’s departure from royal duties in 2020, they have been residing in Montecito, California, along with their two children. While Archie was only a year old when the couple decided to step back from their roles as working royals and relocate to the US, Lilibet has only experienced life in California.

Royal expert Tom Quinn, speaking exclusively to the Mirror, expressed Meghan’s apprehension, stating, “She is also really worried that her children will have no real relationship of any kind with their cousins George, Charlotte and Louis.” Quinn elaborated that Meghan treasures the idea of a close-knit family and fears that her own childhood experiences, often characterized as dysfunctional, might be repeated. A friend of the couple, described as one of Meghan’s few aristocratic friends from her time in the UK, emphasized Meghan’s concerns about her children missing out on meaningful connections with their cousins and potentially blaming her for it in the future.

Meghan and Harry’s relationship with the royal family has faced strain in recent years, exacerbated by controversial statements made in interviews, their Netflix projects, and Harry’s autobiography ‘Spare,’ released last year. The rift has particularly affected Harry’s relationship with his older brother, William.

While the family resides in Montecito, California, Harry is scheduled to visit the UK next month to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. He will deliver a speech at a special service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London on May 8. Whether Meghan will accompany Harry on this trip remains uncertain, as she is reportedly reluctant to visit the UK. Since stepping back from royal duties four years ago, Harry has made only a few visits to the UK without Meghan and their children.

Harry’s forthcoming visit follows a recent legal setback, as he lost a bid to appeal against a High Court ruling in February regarding UK security arrangements. In 2020, the British government informed him that he would not receive the same publicly funded police protection in the UK after relinquishing his status as a working member of the royal family.