Prince William is already preparing for the day he takes the throne, but insiders claim that his vision for the monarchy does not include his estranged brother Harry’s children. According to new reports, when William becomes king, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet will be excluded from future royal duties, effectively sidelining them from the Firm.
The 43-year-old Prince of Wales has been quietly shaping his plans for a leaner, more modern monarchy ever since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. Sources say that William has begun drafting his own model of what the next generation of working royals will look like, and it appears that Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4, will not be part of the picture.
“What has struck me most recently is that he just doesn’t mention it at all,” one insider told The Times, referring to William’s attitude toward Harry and Meghan’s children. “It used to be that family issues weighed heavily on him, but he has shifted into a much healthier mindset. He’s simply not letting it get to him anymore.”
The change in approach comes after years of tension between the brothers, particularly following the release of Harry’s explosive memoir Spare in 2023. While William reportedly felt deep anger at the time, he has since grown indifferent to the feud, choosing instead to focus on his future role. The rift, however, leaves Archie and Lilibet in a precarious position regarding their royal status.
Harry is said to want his children to retain their HRH titles, believing it will give them the freedom to choose their own paths later in life—whether that means taking on royal duties or continuing to build their lives in California. But William, according to sources, is more aligned with the growing sentiment in Britain that the Sussexes’ ties to the monarchy should be reduced. Some royal watchers and members of the public have even called for the removal of Harry and Meghan’s titles altogether.
In this vision of a streamlined royal family, William is also expected to limit the roles of other controversial figures, including Prince Andrew. The disgraced Duke of York, who stepped down from public duties following his association with Jeffrey Epstein, is reportedly viewed by William as both a “risk” and a “threat” to the monarchy’s reputation.
While Charles has so far taken a softer approach by restricting Andrew’s public appearances, William’s future reign may come with firmer boundaries. “He’s determined to do things differently,” a royal source noted.
William himself has hinted at this new direction. During a visit to Cape Town for the Earthshot Prize awards, he remarked, “I’m trying to do it differently and I’m trying to do it for my generation. I’m doing it with maybe a smaller ‘r’ in the royal, if you like. It’s more about impact, philanthropy, collaboration, and helping people. And I want empathy to be at the core, because I really care about what I do.”
As the monarchy braces for its next chapter, it is clear that William’s reign will mark a significant shift—one that may forever change the role of Harry’s children in the royal story.