Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ‘goal’ is for Prince Archie, four, and Princess Lilibet, two, to ‘have a normal life as much as possible’ and their upbringing is ‘very play-based’, sources tell People

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ‘goal’ is for their two children to ‘have a normal life as much as possible,’ a source has told People.

Princess Lilibet, two, and four-year-old Prince Archie‘s upbringing is ‘very play-based’, the insider claimed to the US magazine, adding: ‘They have several play areas, including a climbing gym on their property.’

The Duke, 38, and Duchess of Sussex, who turns 42 today, are said to be ‘united when it comes to family values and how to raise their kids,’ added the source.

They also revealed how Archie and Lilibet enjoy playdates as well as walks on the beach with their parents, who live at their £11millon California mansion. 

The Prince and Princess of Wales similarly strive for as normal a childhood as possible for their three children, Prince George, ten, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five. 

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ‘goal’ is for their two children (pictured together) to ‘have a normal life as much as possible,’ a source has told People

Royal biographer Ingrid Seward told True Royalty TV’s The Royal Beat that Kate, 41, wants to ‘wrap some semblance of normality around their children, because she knows what [royal life] can do.’

Richard Kay added in the 2022 show that their parenting style is motivated by the fact that William and Harry were thrust into the spotlight at a young age. 

‘William has curated George’s appearances in a completely different way from the way his mother and father curated his, Richard said.

‘William and Harry, particularly William, were thrust from a very young age centre stage. William has taken a different view, he wants to protect [his children] for as long as possible, give them some semblance of a normal childhood. 

‘But inevitably as [George] gets older, we’re going to see more of him, in a jacket and tie, at Wimbledon as we did, and at Platinum Jubilee-type celebrations.’

Ingrid agreed saying: ‘I think Kate has to wrap some semblance of normality around [their children], because she knows what [royal life] can do. 

‘She’s seen it; she’s been around long enough… but they’re not normal children, and I think it’s extremely hard to keep their little feet on the ground… I think this is a danger Kate’s very aware of.’ 

The sources’ remarks in People magazine come after the Duke and Duchess enjoyed a date night out in Montecito to celebrate Meghan’s birthday – a day after the couple made their first public appearance together in months.

Princess Lilibet, two, and four-year-old Prince Archie’s (pictured with Prince Harry) upbringing is ‘very play-based’, the insider claimed to the US magazine , adding: ‘They have several play areas, including a climbing gym on their property.’

The Prince and Princess of Wales (pictured with Prince George and Princess Charlotte in June 2022) similarly strive for as normal a childhood as possible for their three children, Prince George, ten, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five.

Meghan and Harry were seen in good spirits, smiling and laughing, as they were pictured leaving the trendy Italian restaurant Tre Lune, a favourite among A listers including Kourtney Kardashian and Ellen DeGeneres.

It is the first time the couple have been seen in public together since their last public appearance in May amid mounting speculation about their future in Hollywood and rumoured strains behind the scenes. 

Meghan looked glamorous wearing a strapless column-style black and white Posse dress, priced at £188, paired with her beloved Cult Gaia bag and flat strappy black sandals. The Prince accompanied her wearing a linen blue shirt and white trousers on Wednesday night.

The pair entered the popular eatery, where musician Travis Barker was spotted earlier that night, and they were joined by their good friend Matt Cohen, husband of the Duchess of Sussex’s friend of many years Heather Dorak.

Meals at the Italian restaurant range from $24 (£19) to $61 (£48). Italian-lovers can also choose from 24 different pasta and risotto meals, while an array of meat and fish dishes on offer, from salmon fillets $44 (£37) to filet mignon steak $65 (£55).

Photographs show the couple walking out of the restaurant front, before Meghan is seen pointing at something in the distance. They then jump in a car that appears to have been waiting for them.

The pair have been faced with mounting speculation about their future in Hollywood, after their deal with audio giant Spotify was axed and one of their planned Netflix shows was quietly dropped.

Their celebratory outing comes after the couple appeared to combat any negative rumours by appearing in a happy two-minute, 40-second clip released on Wednesday.

They were seen surprising US recipients of the first Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund (RTYPF) grants with phone calls to congratulate them. Their Archwell Foundation is a founding member of the initiative that will help fund 26 youth-led projects. 

Harry, 38, also mentioned their children Archie, four, and Lilibet, two, telling one winner in a call: ‘Thank you for doing everything that you do. Our kids especially are incredibly grateful.’ Meghan then added: ‘They don’t know it yet, but they will!’

The Sussexes are thought to be in danger of losing millions after their lucrative Spotify deal was axed and further concerns were raised over the future of their Netflix deal.

Further questions were raised over the future projects of ‘Brand Sussex’ after Hollywood powerhouse Jeremy Zimmer dismissed Meghan as ‘not a great audio talent, or necessarily any kind of talent’.

The dismissal followed the scathing remarks made by one of Spotify’s podcast chiefs, who branded the couple ‘f***ing grifters’.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s lucrative Spotify project was pulled last month after they produced one 12-episode podcast and a festive special over three years

Sources close to the Duchess were also at pains to say that she was looking to take her Archetypes series to another streaming platform

Sources close to the couple insisted they were both ‘fine’ despite becomingly increasingly ‘fed up’ by the rumour mill, adding that the pair were determined to make their move to America a success.

The Duke and Duchess have been plagued by a series of gossip-fuelled claims since their last public appearance in May. One suggestion was that the couple had stepped back from joint projects and were instead focusing on solo ventures.

The rumour came after Meghan was signed to power agency William Morris Endeavor, and Harry working on a Netflix series with a trip to Botswana. The couple have since become increasingly irritated by the speculation swirling around them.

One source told OK! Magazine: ‘The Sussexes’ marriage is fine,’ adding that unfounded online snipes had stemmed from Harry’s upcoming solo trip to Africa. ‘That’s a work trip. It’s not a sign of trouble.’

Similarly, an ‘insider’ told Page Six last month that the rumours were categorically ‘not true. It’s literally made up’.

Others close to the Californian-based royals said that their struggle to make a mark on Hollywood and have their new careers take off was simply a result of ‘growing pains’.

The pair signed multi-million-pound deals with both Spotify and Netflix after moving across the pond in 2020, but these since stagnated.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s lucrative Spotify project was dramatically pulled last month after they produced one 12-episode podcast and a festive special over three years.

The couple also reportedly did not produce enough content to receive the full pay-out from the reported £18million deal they signed after stepping down as senior working royals.

But sources have said that the deal ended early because there was too much ‘red tape’ and they were ‘given no formal lay of the land’, which set them up to fail.

There were claims that the couple had ‘lots of ideas and did pitch them’ but none of them ever took off and ‘things moved very slowly on both ends’.

One of those ideas, Bloomberg reported, was Harry’s suggestion to interview ‘controversial’ guests such as Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump about their childhoods.

Another one of the Prince’s ideas reportedly touted was to interview the Pope on fatherhood – despite not having children.

Meanwhile their Netflix docuseries Live to Lead failed to take off, while a Meghan-driven animation called Pearl, about a girl inspired by female leaders, was quietly dropped.

But an industry executive told People that there was still time for the couple to turn things around, adding: ‘Has their final chapter been written? Absolutely not…Hollywood loves a comeback.’