Are Prince Archie, Princess Lilibet accompanying Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to Australia?

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are headed to Australia for a tour, but will their children join them?

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex landed in Australia on April 14, local time. On their first day, they have engagements in Melbourne, including visits to the Royal Children’s Hospital, a meeting with veteran families at the Australian National Veterans’ Art Museum, and a solo visit for Meghan at a shelter for women facing challenges like family violence and homelessness.

Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, are not accompanying their parents on this journey, PEOPLE notes. 

Prince Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, generally keep their children private, sharing only photos and videos where Archie and Lili's faces aren't visible.

The Duke of Sussex has expressed concerns about ensuring his family's safety and has been advocating for the reinstatement of taxpayer-funded police protection in the UK, which was withdrawn after he stepped down from his royal duties in 2020.

He has stated, "The UK is my home. It's an important part of my children's heritage, and I want them to feel connected to it, just as much as their current home in the United States. This connection can't happen if they're not safe in the UK."

"I can't place my wife at risk, and given my past experiences, I'm cautious about putting myself in danger too," he mentioned.

During their Australia visit, Harry and Meghan plan to stop in Melbourne, Canberra, and Sydney, focusing on topics like mental health, support for veterans, women's issues, and other dear causes.

Their previous visit to Australia was in October 2018. Just before that trip began, the couple revealed that they were expecting Archie.

Although Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are not with their parents this time, Archie travelled with them during their 2019 tour of South Africa as a baby. 

There, he joined his parents in a meeting with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, marking one of Meghan and Harry’s last official events as senior royals before stepping back.

Prince Harry and Meghan appear to be taking a cue from his parents, future King Charles, and Princess Diana, who broke royal norms by bringing a young Prince William on an official visit in 1983. William was only 9 months old then.