On Sunday, October 11, Meghan Markle offered another glimpse into her family’s private world, sharing footage of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet enjoying the English countryside. The scene appeared peaceful, with a winding country lane, wild deer in the distance, and Archie speeding ahead on his scooter. Behind him, Lilibet walked alongside the family’s black Labrador, Pula. Playing in the background was the classic song My Girl. Yet one familiar detail immediately caught attention: neither child’s face was visible.
The timing was particularly interesting. October 11 marks the International Day of the Girl, an occasion Meghan had already acknowledged through several social media posts. Only after those messages did she share the video of her children. Archie, now seven, and five-year-old Lilibet appeared to be enjoying an ordinary family outing, but the carefully chosen camera angles ensured their identities remained protected. It was not the first time Meghan had used this approach.
Exactly one year earlier, on the same international observance, Meghan had shared a video of Lilibet playing in the family’s California garden. The little girl, then four, ran across the grass while the caption declared, “To all the girls, this world is yours.” The soundtrack was once again My Girl, creating a striking connection between the two posts. Last year, the setting was California. This year, the backdrop was the English countryside. The location had changed, but Meghan’s approach to showing her children had remained remarkably consistent.
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The October footage also followed another glimpse of Sussex family life shared in September. On Sunday, September 13, Meghan posted a short video capturing what appeared to be the family settling into their new life in England. Harry and Meghan walked hand in hand through muddy puddles wearing rain boots, while Lilibet rode a bicycle decorated with pink tassels. Her doll sat in the back, and Archie ran beside her, enthusiastically shouting encouragement.
The clip quickly attracted attention, with some viewers debating whether Archie’s voice sounded British or retained the American accent associated with his upbringing in California. Other moments showed Harry taking the children fishing in a small boat while Meghan filmed from the shore, with Pula nearby. Once again, the children were filmed from behind, at a distance, or from angles that concealed their faces. One brief shot even appeared to show Lilibet warming her feet beside a fire without revealing her identity.
Earlier in October, Lilibet appeared in another video shared by Meghan to promote her lifestyle brand, As Ever. In the background, she could be seen wearing a white beekeeper’s suit. Although she appeared to face the camera, the footage was blurred, and the protective clothing covered much of her face. The scene was reportedly filmed in Montecito, California. Even in that moment, the public received only a limited view of the young princess.
So why does Meghan continue sharing glimpses of her children while avoiding clear photographs of their faces? Her representatives have defended the approach as a deliberate effort to balance family life with privacy. Following Meghan’s speech in Geneva in May about the potential harm social media can cause children, her position attracted even greater scrutiny.
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Speaking to Newsweek, a spokesperson explained that the Duchess distinguishes between sharing personal moments and exposing her children to public scrutiny. From that perspective, showing everyday family activities without revealing the children’s identities allows Meghan to communicate with her audience while maintaining boundaries around their privacy.
However, royal commentator Tom Sykes has questioned whether the strategy achieves its intended purpose. Critics argue that concealing the children’s faces can intensify public curiosity rather than discourage it. Sykes also criticised an earlier image of Lilibet surrounded by designer clothing, questioning the timing of the photograph in relation to Meghan’s comments about protecting children online.
Meghan’s approach has not been entirely consistent, either. On Valentine's Day, February 14, she shared a photograph of Harry holding Lilibet in a pink dress with red balloons. The little girl’s face was clearly visible, making it one of the more recognisable photographs Meghan has published. The accompanying caption referred affectionately to Harry, Archie, and Lilibet as her forever Valentines. That same day, Prince William and Catherine also released a Valentine's portrait.
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The contrast has encouraged criticism from different directions. Some observers question why Meghan shares the children at all if privacy is her priority, while others criticise her whenever she reveals too much. When Archie celebrated his seventh birthday on May 6, Meghan shared a photograph of him as a newborn resting against Harry’s chest. Another image showed Archie and Lilibet walking along a beach, their backs turned towards the camera.
But the debate becomes more complicated when security enters the picture.
The Sussexes’ precise address in England has not been officially confirmed, although British newspapers have reported that they are living in the Cotswolds. According to Newsweek, the couple’s representatives approached the Independent Press Standards Organisation, seeking privacy around their home and their children’s school.
Reports about the children’s schooling have also attracted attention. The family reportedly moved them from their first school after only two days because of concerns about the journey and security arrangements. Later, on September 20, two men carrying backpacks were reportedly seen near the grounds of their new school. British media described them as photographers, while a Sussex spokesperson condemned the behaviour as extremely reckless.
Harry’s concerns about security are well documented. He does not receive taxpayer-funded police protection in the United Kingdom and has continued seeking arrangements that he believes are appropriate for his family. For parents worried about photographers identifying their children, limiting the circulation of recognisable facial images can be one additional precaution, although it cannot guarantee complete privacy.
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The situation differs from that of William and Catherine’s children. Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis regularly appear in official birthday portraits, public celebrations, and selected royal engagements. George, thirteen, is second in line to the throne, while Charlotte is eleven and Louis is eight. Their public visibility reflects their place within the working monarchy, but their parents have also taken steps to protect them from intrusive photography.
In 2015, Kensington Palace publicly criticised paparazzi who were targeting the then two-year-old George. Reports described one photographer hiding inside a vehicle with a long lens. William and Catherine subsequently continued releasing carefully selected photographs, some taken by Catherine herself, allowing the public to follow their children’s lives on the family’s terms.
Archie and Lilibet occupy a different position. Their parents stepped away from royal duties, yet the children retain their prince and princess titles and remain sixth and seventh in the line of succession. Their family circumstances therefore combine public interest with a parental desire to maintain distance from royal publicity.
Another emotional dimension emerged in July, when King Charles and Queen Camilla reportedly met Harry, Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet at Highgrove. The meeting was described as the King’s first time seeing the children in four years, since the Platinum Jubilee period in 2022. Although the Palace confirmed the meeting, it did not release photographs. The contrast between the occasional images shared online and the limited opportunities for family reunions has consequently attracted attention.
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