Prince Harry's Fears for Prince Archie & Princess Lilibet Prove He Will Never Be the Same

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are notoriously private about their children Prince Archie, 5 and Princess Lilibet, 3. While there are endless photos of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s kids Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have managed to keep their children’s faces away from the cameras. They rarely go out as a family, and an insider just told People that it’s all by design.

“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,” a friend said. “He wants them to lead as normal a life as possible without the fear of kidnapping or harm.”

And the fear of kidnapping or harm is undoubtedly a fear that all parents hold to some level. But it’s also undoubtedly heightened for Prince Harry. That statement makes it so clear that his mom Princess Diana’s tragic death is still at the forefront of his mind. And how could it not be? How could he not worry about his kids being bombarded and then put in danger by the press when his mom was being chased by paparazzi when she died? That devastating day in 1997 changed him forever.

“As a dad and husband, Harry is determined to ensure that history doesn’t repeat itself,” the insider continued. It’s gut-wrenching messaging we’ve heard before.

It’s not paranoid or outlandish for Prince Harry to think history could repeat itself — especially if he were to cross the pond with his family. It doesn’t seem likely that they will, though, given that the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures downgraded the Sussex’s security detail in the U.K. after they stepped down as senior royals in 2020. Prince Harry continues to fight this decision in the court system and has unsuccessfully offered to cover the costs of security.

“The U.K. is my home,” he said in a statement earlier this year. “The U.K. is central to the heritage of my children and a place I want them to feel at home as much as where they live at the moment in the United States. That cannot happen if there is no possibility to keep them safe when they are on U.K. soil.”

“I can’t put my wife in danger like that, and given my experiences in life, I’m reluctant to unnecessarily put myself in harm’s way too,” he continued.

Before you go, check out these precious photos that prove Princess Diana’s commitment to motherhood over the monarchy.