When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced they would be leaving the UK to settle in the United States, they cited a desire to provide their children with more privacy as one of the main reasons. With this in mind, many viewers of the couple’s 2024 Christmas card believe that the faces of their children—5-year-old Archie and 3-year-old Lilibet—were intentionally obscured to maintain that privacy.
Apparently, however, there’s more to this decision than just privacy. According to one royal insider, the choice stems from much darker concerns.
For those unfamiliar, the Sussexes' latest family photo was included in a collage sent to subscribers of updates from their Archewell Foundation. The couple’s Christmas card, shared via email, read:
> “On behalf of the office of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, we wish you a very happy holiday season and a joyful New Year.”
It’s the image of Harry and Meghan’s children that has caused a stir online. Some viewers have accused the photo of being computer-generated, pointing out perceived inconsistencies. One Twitter user claimed:
> “Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have released a fraudulent Christmas photo. Archie hasn’t grown in two years and is the same size as his younger sister, who’s dressed like Princess Charlotte!”
Others were equally puzzled. One commenter asked:
> “So, in Harry and Meghan’s new Christmas card, how is Lilibet as tall as Archie? Where is the hair Lilibet can almost sit on? Who thought this obviously staged scene was a good idea?”
As questions about the photo circulated, many people began to wonder why a high-profile couple like Harry and Meghan would go to such lengths to conceal their children’s faces.
According to a royal insider, this decision wasn’t made lightly. Speaking to *People* magazine, the source explained:
> “Harry has been reluctant to show his children publicly, not because he wants to hide them, but to protect their privacy and safety from potential threats. He wants them to lead as normal a life as possible without the fear of kidnapping or harm.”
The last time Archie and Lilibet were seen publicly with their parents’ consent was in the 2022 Netflix documentary *Harry & Meghan*, which included glimpses of the children playing at home in Montecito. Since then, the Sussexes have shielded their children’s faces in public.
The family’s last two Christmas cards, for instance, have only featured Harry and Meghan. The royal insider also suggested that the Sussexes may send a separate, more personal Christmas card to close friends and family, which could include clearer images of Archie and Lilibet.
