Prince Harry has revealed his daughter Lilibet, 10 months, has “taken her first steps” and is “trying to keep up with her big brother Archie”.
In an interview with People magazine, the 37-year-old Duke of Sussex revealed he can’t wait to take his children to the Invictus Games in the future and that Archie, who turns three next month, is following in his footsteps wants to be a helicopter pilot.
The King, who is currently at the Invictus Games in The Hague, added he was a “proud dad” and little Archie “loved” videos of wheelchair basketball and rugby he showed him from the 2018 Invictus Games in Sydney.
“I showed him that some legs were missing and explained that some had invisible injuries as well,” he said. “Not because he asked, but because I wanted to tell him. Kids understand so much and seeing it through his eyes was amazing because it’s so unfiltered and honest.”
He added to the US tabloid: “When I talk to my son Archie about what he wants to be when he grows up, some days it’s an astronaut, other days it’s a pilot – obviously a helicopter pilot – or kwazii from Octonauts.” to a daredevil cat from a children’s cartoon.
“But I remind him that no matter what you want to be when you grow up, it’s your character that matters most and nothing would make his mother and I prouder than to see that he has the character, we see before us today,’ he added.
Prince Harry has revealed his daughter Lilibet has “taken her first steps” and is “trying to keep up with her big brother Archie”. Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet are pictured on their Christmas card last year
Speaking about the Invictus Games, which pits wounded, injured and ill soldiers against each other, he continued: “Being a father certainly adds another emotional layer.
“When I was in the army I promised myself I would get out before I had a wife and kids because I couldn’t imagine the heartache of being apart for so long on deployment, the risk of possibly being injured to become, and the reality that my family’s life could change forever if that happens.’
Lilibet has not met the Queen or Prince Charles, while little Archie has not seen his paternal or great-grandparents since he was six months old.
Senior royal sources described the meeting as “very cordial” and “incredibly warm and good-natured”. Harry and Meghan reportedly opened the door to return from the US for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, telling her about their plans to visit her again so she can spend time with the kids.
The Queen is yet to meet her great-granddaughter, Lilibet, who was named after Her Majesty’s childhood nickname. Archie – seventh in line to the British throne – is almost three months old and reports have previously pointed to the Queen’s sadness at not having the chance to spend more time with him.
Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, 40, visited the Queen this week and told her she will reportedly be able to hug her great-grandchildren “in the near future”.
In an interview with People magazine, the 37-year-old Duke of Sussex revealed that he “can’t wait” to take his children to the Invictus Games in the future and that Archie, who turns three next month, will be attending his would like to follow in footsteps to become a helicopter pilot. Meghan and Harry are pictured at the games
Harry’s comment comes as Buckingham Palace officials braced for more bombastic revelations from Prince Harry today, after a major US TV network revealed it had given them a seated interview during the Invictus games.
NBC’s Today show revealed the Duke of Sussex spoke to presenter Hoda Kotb in the Netherlands about “the Invictus games, his surprise visit to the Queen and life with his wife Meghan Markle.”
The chat will be previewed tonight on NBC Nightly News, which airs at 11:30 p.m. UK time (6:30 p.m. Eastern time, in New York) – and then tomorrow from 12:00 p.m. UK time (7:00 a.m p.m. Eastern Time) shown in full on the Today program.
The palace will be concerned that Harry could make more claims about the royal family just a year after his infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey on CBS, in which he and Meghan accused unnamed royals of racism.
The Duke has a deeply strained relationship with his family – particularly his father Prince Charles and brother Prince William – and missed the memorial service at Westminster Abbey for his grandfather Prince Philip last month.
Harry’s meeting with the Queen and Charles last Thursday before his arrival in The Hague was reportedly secret, but he has already revealed it was “great to see them” – and could now reveal more details about their discussion.
The King, who is currently at the Invictus Games in The Hague, added he was a “proud dad” and little Archie “loved” videos of wheelchair basketball and rugby he showed him from the 2018 Invictus Games in Sydney. Meghan and Harry are pictured with Archie in South Africa in 2019
The Duke has previously said his grandmother “had a lot of messages for Team UK” which he had already shared, telling the BBC yesterday: “It was great to see her and I’m sure she would love to be here, if she could .’
Royal aides will be concerned that details from a private meeting will be revealed, adding to fears of what could be in his forthcoming memoir and Netflix, which will chronicle his every move at the games.
The Duke has already been accused in recent days of using his platform at the games to promote BetterUp, the California mental health start-up for which he is the chief impact officer – after the two announced a partnership.
Meanwhile, Harry was playing table tennis and virtual golf today as his attendance at the games continued alone after his wife Meghan, 40, left him in The Hague to join their children Archie and Lilibet in their $14million home to fly home in California.
Earlier this week, the Duke of Sussex spoke of his quest to make “the world a better place” for his children, saying that people “shouldn’t bring children into the world” unless they are ready to have them for them to improve.
Speaking to the Dutch Kindercorrespondent reporters during the Invictus Games in The Hague, Harry said he wanted his two young children to grow up “in a fairer world, a safer world, a more equal world”.
“It won’t be easy, but I will never rest until, as a parent, I have at least tried to make the world a better place for them because it is our responsibility to make the world the way it is now.” the Duke told child reporters aged 11 and 12.
“I don’t think we should bring children into the world unless we commit to making it better for them. We can’t steal your future.’
During her stay in the Netherlands, the Duchess of Sussex revealed that she is missing her two young children.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, hug Lisa Johnston, a former medic and army amputee who died on Sunday, April 17
Meghan made the confession while attending a reading to a group of 12 children at a private event in Zuiderpark on the second day of the event.
She told British Army veteran James Stride that she wanted to attend the readings as it meant being around children and they reminded her of her own home in California.
“Meghan has been quite chatty and told me she misses her kids,” said James, one of GB’s competitors at The Hague games.
“She said she wanted to be with children as she misses her own.”
Speaking to Dutch Kindercorrespondent reporters during the Invictus Games in The Hague, Harry said he wanted his two young children, Archie and Lilibet – known as Lili – to grow up “in a fairer world, a safer world, a more equal world”.
The couple’s first trip to Europe is believed to be the longest they’ve been without their two young children.
Harry has previously spoken at length about his desire to make the world a better place for his children, and has been candid about how he’s trying to break “the cycle of pain and suffering” of his own upbringing with Archie and Lilibet.
“I don’t think we should point fingers or blame anyone, but certainly when it comes to parenting, if because of the pain or suffering that my father or parents may have endured, I feel any form of pain or suffering “I will make sure I break this cycle so I don’t pass it on,” the Duke said in an interview with ITV last year.
“It’s a lot of genetic pain and suffering that’s passed on anyway, so as parents we should do the best we can to try and say, ‘You know what, this happened to me, I’m going to make sure that’s the case.’ . That won’t happen to you.”