At just six months old, Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor has no idea she’s been born into a royal family.
Her first words and steps will most likely occur in laidback Santa Barbara, California – a whole world away from castles, thrones and tiaras.
But that’s not to say her dad, Prince Harry, isn’t keen to take his baby girl home so she can learn about her heritage as soon as possible, with some insiders speculating the Sussexes may even put their tensions with the royals aside and make a flying visit to the UK at Christmas.
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a gala in the US.
(Getty)“Things are going great with Harry at home, thanks to his adorable kids,” says a source.
“He’s smitten with Lili and dotes on her. It’s been very strange for him to come to the realisation he has an American daughter, who will grow up with an accent.
“It’s got him thinking about what parts of his own heritage he wants to impress on her from a young age.”
Sources say that despite his rocky relationship with his father Prince Charles and brother Prince William, Harry, 37, and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are still on “relatively good terms” with his grandmother the Queen, who has impressed on the couple that they’re welcome at Buckingham Palace whenever they like.
“She wanted Harry to know that no matter what happens, England, and the palace, will always be home for him and his children,” says the source.
“Harry has had a few chats with Meghan in recent days about when the right time would be for him to take Lili there.
“A trip could be on the cards for this Christmas, but Harry’s already thinking ahead to when she’ll be old enough to notice things around her.
“After all, she might not have a title, but she is Harry’s little princess – and he feels his princess should experience her palace.”
A separate insider says Harry has always talked fondly of Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s residence in London, where the Sussexes most recently held an office. They would commute there from Frogmore House in Windsor.
“Buck House can be a bit gloomy on the inside to the naked eye, but Harry had the most wonderful time there as a child, discovering all its secret hiding spots, scaring his friends silly with ghost stories, driving the guards mad and causing a general ruckus,” says the friend.
“He’d love for Lili and Archie to have the same experience, even if it’s only for visits during the holidays.
“He knows he’ll spend his next few visits to London in some quite sombre meetings with the palace aides – or ‘grey suits’ as he calls them – but that will be more bearable if he knows Lili and Archie are getting up to mischief in one of the hallways, or driving the kitchen staff up the wall like he and Wills did as kids.”
