What Prince Harry Didn’t Want Son Archie to ‘Have to Learn’ From Queen Elizabeth II: Book

Author Robert Lacey recounted a conversation Prince Harry had with a guest about Prince Archie learning one of Queen Elizabeth II's famous gestures.

Prince Archie—and probably his sister, Princess Lilibet, too—won’t take after the late Queen Elizabeth II in one way if Prince Harry has anything to say about it. According to a book about his ongoing feud with Prince William, the Duke of Sussex once insisted he and Meghan Markle’s son wouldn’t greet crowds like the queen.

Harry didn’t want Archie learning the queen’s ‘wave’

In his book, Battle of Brothers, royal author Robert Lacey shared what happened when Dr. Jane Goodall visited Harry, Meghan, and newborn Archie.

There to interview Harry for British Vogue’s Forces for Change issue, which Meghan guest-edited, the anthropologist and conservationist held Archie in her arms (via Mirror).

Recalling what Goodall said, Lacey wrote: “He was very tiny and very sleepy. I think I was one of the first people to cuddle him outside the family.”

“I made Archie do the queen’s wave saying, ‘I suppose he’ll have to learn this. Harry’s reaction brooked no doubt, ‘No! He’s not growing up like that.’”

Harry and Meghan went on to leave royal life at the end of March 2020 before relocating to Montecito, California, with Archie and welcoming daughter, Princess Lilibet, 3, in June 2021.

Harry’s kids aren’t following in the queen’s footsteps with no hugging

In Spare, Harry revealed he never hugged Queen Elizabeth. It simply wasn’t done. Instead, he explained, royals maintained a certain level of “distance,” both in public and private.

Similar to the queen’s wave, a lack of physical affection is something Harry doesn’t want for Archie and Lili. Speaking to author and trauma specialist Gabor Maté during a 2023 livestream, the duke shared he makes sure to “smother them with love and affection.”

“I, as a father, feel a huge responsibility to ensure that I don’t pass on any traumas or negative experiences I’ve had,” he explained “And that’s work. That’s putting in the work. And daily, being conscious of my behavior, of my reactions to both of my kids.”

“There are times when I catch myself in a moment when I should be smothering them with that love. And in that moment, I might not be, reminding myself [to],” Harry added. “I wouldn’t have been as aware of it had I not done the therapy and work that I’ve done.”

Royal life is ‘alien’ to Archie and Lili

Life as British royalty is thousands of miles and an ocean away from Archie and Lilibet. As such, royal life will be, according to author Tom Quinn, an entirely foreign concept.

Archie and Lili are “not over here [in Britain] stalking in the highlands or shooting pheasants at Sandringham,” Quinn said on The Royal Report podcast. “That will be an alien thing for them.”

“And I think it’s extremely unlikely […] they’ll suddenly come back and take part in the sort of activities that younger royals take part in over here,” he continued. “They’re going to be American through and through.”