Now that he’s a father of two, Prince Harry promises not to pass on the same pains he went through to Archie and Lili.
Last Friday in Santa Barbara, California, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle welcomed their second child, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. Heartwarmingly, the newborn is named after her late grandmother, Diana Princess of Wales, and her great-grandmother, The Queen.
Born at the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, Lili is the 11th grandchild of Queen Elizabeth and is eighth in line to the throne.
“The Queen, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, and The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been informed and are delighted with the news of the birth of a daughter for The Duke and Duchess of Sussex,” reads a statement from Buckingham Palace.
Prince Harry’s brother Prince William and his wife Kate, the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge, also wished the family well. “We are all delighted by the happy news of the arrival of baby Lili. Congratulations to Harry, Meghan and Archie,” reads their congratulatory tweet.
Growing up royal
In line with his experiences growing up under a microscope, Prince Harry says he doesn’t want to pass on the pain from his own upbringing to his children. Last month the Prince reiterated this in Dax Shepard’s Podcast, the Armchair Expert, and said that being born into royalty means inheriting every element of it without a choice. He adds that the UK media “feels an ownership over you.”
“I don’t think we should be pointing the finger or blaming anybody, but certainly when it comes to parenting if I’ve experienced some form of pain or suffering. I’m going to make sure I break that cycle so that I don’t pass it on, basically,” Harry, the Duke of Sussex, tells Shepard.
His podcast appearance came two months after his widely talked-about primetime Oprah Winfrey interview with Markle. In the televised conversation, Harry explained that he stepped down from his royal duties to protect his growing family and maintain his mental health, which suffered under the media’s scrutiny.
“It’s really sad that it’s gotten to this point, but I’ve got to do something for my own mental health, for my wife’s, because I could see where this is headed,” the Prince says.
Mental fitness for all
As a result of the Prince’s active practices to preserve his mental health, he’s uplifting platforms for the public to do the same as he dives into the technology industry. Last March, Harry took on a role as one of the executives of a wellness application, BetterUp.
BetterUp is a digital application that provides users with personalized coaching to boost personal wellbeing, professional performance, and the ability to stay accountable toward their goals. As its chief impact officer, the Duke wants to drive up the application’s advocacy on mental fitness, guide the company to influence its vision, and to expand its global community.
Now that he’s a father of two, we can expect the Duke to continue his advocacy for mental health as he raises Archie and Lili.
On the couple’s website, Harry and Meghan write, “thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family.” In honor of their first daughter, the couple adds that they prefer people to “support or learn more about” organizations working for women and girls instead of sending material gifts.
Banner Photo From Instagram.
