Prince Harry has opened up about a relatable parenting moment with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet as the family settles into its new routine in the UK. Speaking at the annual WellChild Awards in central London on Monday evening, the Duke of Sussex, 42, described how his children had a case of the Monday morning blues at breakfast.
Harry, Meghan Markle, and their children arrived in England on August 26, just in time for Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, to begin their fall term at their new UK school. However, just two days into the term, the Sussex children switched schools due to security and logistical concerns regarding their commute.
Traffic and security concerns
Unexpected heavy traffic on the route from where the family was living to the school meant a 30-minute journey turned into an hour's journey at rush hour. Sources close to the couple claimed that sitting in traffic heightened their security fears as it left them as “sitting ducks.”
Harry made his third public appearance since returning to the UK on Monday evening, attending the WellChild Awards. The Duke ignored questions about his family as he was escorted inside the Lancaster Hotel.
Breakfast conversation with the children
During his speech, Harry praised the children and families honoured at the ceremony, which celebrates those living with complex medical needs. He told Hello! Magazine about the conversation he had with his children that morning: “At breakfast this morning, they had a bit of Monday morning blues. There’s always something like Sunday night blues or boarding school... when you’ve been away, or before you go to school.”
He then tried to lift the mood by telling them about his day and the wonderful children and families he would be meeting later at the WellChild Awards. He said: “I decided, ‘You know what? You’re being a little bit tricky, so I’m going to tell you exactly what I’m doing tonight. And they were genuinely fascinated and asking all sorts of questions. So, like with all of my work and their mum’s work as well, whatever we can do to try to instil some of that awareness, I think is absolutely crucial.”
Longstanding patron of the awards
The WellChild Awards “celebrate the inspirational achievements of seriously ill children and those who care for them.” Harry has attended 15 of the annual ceremonies since becoming a patron of the organization in 2007, and he said becoming a father himself has changed the way he experiences meeting the children and families involved.
