Prince Harry expressed heartfelt gratitude for raising his two children, Archie and Lilibet, in the United States during a conversation at The New York Times DealBook Online Summit on December 4, 2024. Speaking with journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin, the Duke of Sussex shared how living in California has offered him a life he never anticipated.
“It’s a part of my life that I never thought I was going to live,” Harry said, describing his experience as both unexpected and fulfilling. He highlighted how this lifestyle aligns with the dreams his late mother, Princess Diana, had for him. “It’s the life my mom wanted for me,” he said, adding that raising his children in the U.S. has allowed him to experience moments and opportunities that he believes would have been impossible in the U.K.
Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, have made their home in Montecito, California. The couple shares two children: Archie, five, and Lilibet, three. In 2023, Harry officially updated his residency status to reflect his life in the U.S.
During the summit, Harry also spoke about his ongoing concerns regarding media disinformation and the potential impact on his family, drawing poignant parallels to his mother’s experiences with the press. “What worried me most was worrying that would happen to me, or to my wife, or to my kids,” he said, expressing fears about the pressures of media culture.
As Prince Harry continues to embrace life in the United States, his reflections underscore his deep connection to Princess Diana’s legacy and the enduring influence of her values on his approach to family life.
