Former royal butler Grant Harrold has predicted that Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet could one day take on prominent roles in the Royal Family following their move to the UK.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that the pair will be enrolling in a UK school this September, a transition that Harrold said will change their lives entirely.
A life-changing move
"Archie and Lilibet's whole lives will be changed by this move to the UK. Life in America is very different to life in the UK, especially the part of the US where Harry and Meghan set up home," Harrold said. "Everything will change, from their schooling to their home lives. Not to mention they will have to get used to the British weather!"
He added that one of the biggest positives will be that the children get to know their extended family. "Let's be honest, they don't really know their dad's family at all. Archie spent time with the King, William and Kate when he was a baby, but he won't remember that. And we don't know if William and Kate have even met Lilibet."
Family relationships and royal titles
Harrold noted that Archie and Lilibet have missed out on close family relationships because of "adult drama", and the same goes for George, Charlotte and Louis. "They loved Harry and will have missed him. But this move to the UK could change this," he said.
The surprising development appears to have been influenced, at least in part, by Harry and Meghan's cordial encounter with the King and Queen at Highgrove earlier this year, alongside the unavoidable reality of King Charles's advancing years and deteriorating health.
The Highgrove encounter has been characterised in certain circles as a "loyalty test" for the self-exiled prince, who has maintained a diplomatic silence regarding what transpired at the start of July.
Bridges to repair
Prince William was conspicuously absent from that gathering, and Harrold suggests there remain considerable bridges to be repaired between the heir to the throne and his younger sibling. There is also the matter of whether the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex will be capable of putting aside the 2018 disagreement over Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid dress that generated such ill feeling between the two royal couples.
"I can't imagine that Kate and Meghan will be setting up a playdate straight away," Harrold said, "but I think both women will want their children to get to know their cousins. We know how important the 'cousin bond' has been with this generation of royals, with William and Harry extremely close to the Tindalls and the York sisters. I think they will want their children to have that when they grow up."
Potential for prominent roles
"Technically, if this move becomes permanent we could see Archie and Lilibet taking more prominent roles in the Royal Family as they grow up," Harrold added. "They both have royal titles and are sixth and seventh in line to the throne. I can't imagine this is something Meghan and Harry will want, but you never know."
