Prince Harry’s journey to becoming a father was years in the making — and the royal has offered glimpses at how the major milestone has affected him.
The Duke of Sussex hinted at his plans to become a father amid his romance with Meghan Markle. “I, of course, I would love to have kids,” he told The Telegraph in 2017, noting that he has had practice as a godfather. “I’m a godfather to quite a few of my friends’ [kids]. Actually, only five or six. I’d like to think [I am a good godfather]. But I think the key to that is to grow up, but also to be able to stay in touch with your childhood side. If that means going to someone’s house and sitting there and playing PlayStation and kicking the ass of their son or whatever it is, then I’ll try and do that. I’ve actually had a lot of practice for that.”
Later that year, Harry announced his engagement to Meghan after one year of dating. The couple tied the knot in 2018 and later expanded their family with son Archie. Following his and Meghan’s decision to step back as senior members of the royal family in early 2020, the trio moved to California. In June 2021, Harry and Meghan announced the arrival of their daughter.
After watching his family grow, Harry gushed about his little girl. “Archie is very, very busy and Lili is learning to use her voice, which is great,” he said during a video call with WellChild Awards recipients in October 2022.
Scroll on for Harry’s most candid quotes about fatherhood:
