Real Reason Why Prince Harry Refuses to Show His Children’s Faces in Photos: ‘He’s Got This…’

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, slandered by the press in the UK, stepped down from their roles as senior royals in 2020 to embrace a quieter life in California. The couple, fiercely protective of their kids, has always avoided showing their faces in photos. Commenting on the same, royal expert Matt Wilkinson believes that Harry shields his children from the spotlight given his own experiences with the invasive media as a child.

As reported by the Daily Mail, Wilkinson explained on the Right Royal podcast, “My understanding of this or up to a certain stage is that Harry would much rather his children were not seen. He's got this idea that if he takes them outside of Montecito, that there's a horde of us out there trying to take pictures of his kids – they're not by the way.” He added, “I think Harry's living in [like things are] the way they were when he was a child [...] the media landscape has shifted.”

On the contrary, Wilkinson revealed that Markle is the opposite. He explained, “Meghan grew up in California. She once said she would like to have a more California-style lifestyle, take them down the beach, go out, do stuff. She doesn't want to hide them away.” Given Harry’s desire to protect his children, reports claim, he’s unhappy with Markle using them to promote her ventures. On the podcast, Wilkinson argued that Harry 'would much rather' his wife not include photos of their children in her campaigns. The expert quipped, “She’s just…well, maybe she is exploiting them. But she’s using them to display her brand.”

Wilkinson’s account of Harry’s protectiveness was also echoed by a close friend of the Sussexes. Speaking to People magazine, Harry’s friend explained, “He wants them to lead as normal a life as possible without the fear of kidnapping or harm.” The friend added, “Harry is determined to ensure that history doesn’t repeat itself,” referring to the death of his late mother, Princess Diana. Meanwhile, BBC royal correspondent, Jennie Bond, told The Mirror that Markle seems to be softening Harry's approach, and so that the pair may reveal more of their children in the future. She said, “They are clearly fiercely protective of their children. And I think much of that stems from Harry's experience of having cameras trained on him when he was a little boy–and ever since.”

Harry has openly spoken about the need for privacy for his children on many occasions. During a sit-down at the New York Times 2024 DealBook Summit, he told journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin, “I very much enjoy living here and bringing up my kids here,” before explaining that his children have the freedom to do things that they “undoubtedly wouldn't be able to do in the UK.” The Prince is also entangled in a high-profile security case against the UK to ensure the safety and protection of his family when they visit the UK.