Prince Harry’s Most Candid Quotes About Being a Father to Archie and Lili: ‘I Have a Family to Protect’

14.01.2023 - 02:39 / usmagazine.com

A new chapter in his life. Prince Harry’s journey to becoming a father was years in the making — and the royal has offered glimpses at how the major milestone has affected him.

The Duke of Sussex hinted at his plans to become a father amid his romance with Meghan Markle. “I, of course, I would love to have kids,” he told The Telegraph in 2017, noting that he has had practice as a godfather. “I’m a godfather to quite a few of my friends’ [kids]. Actually, only five or six.”

Harry continued: “I’d like to think [I am a good godfather]. But I think the key to that is to grow up, but also to be able to stay in touch with your childhood side. If that means going to someone’s house and sitting there and playing PlayStation and kicking the ass of their son or whatever it is, then I’ll try and do that. I’ve actually had a lot of practice for that.”

Later that year, Harry announced his engagement to Meghan after one year of dating. The couple tied the knot in 2018 and later expanded their family with son Archie.

For the Better Up CIO, his first child’s arrival sparked a shift in his view of the world.

“Since becoming a father, I feel the pressure is even greater to ensure we can give our children the future they deserve, a future that hasn’t been taken from them and a future full of possibility and opportunity,” Harry wrote in a June 2020 letter for African Parks’ annual report, referencing the coronavirus pandemic. “I want us all to be able to tell our children that yes, we saw this coming, and with the determination and help from an extraordinary group of individuals, we did what was needed to restore these essential ecosystems.”

Following his and Meghan’s decision to step back as senior members of the royal family in early 2020, the