Happy birthday Prince Archie! Prince Harry’s son’s year ahead in California

Prince Archie, the son of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, has turned four.

Adorable Archie’s special day coincides with another significant royal occasion on May 6: the coronation of his grandfather King Charles at Westminster Abbey in London.

But we do know that while his father is at the coronation, Archie will celebrate his birthday in California with his mother Meghan and sister Princess Lilibet.

When does Prince Archie start school?

In England, turning four is a big deal because it signals the start of a child’s school career.

If Archie were still residing in England as he did previously, he would start in reception class this September because full-time education is required for all children starting in the September following their fourth birthday.

Children in California begin school later in life. Children can enroll in kindergarten at an elementary school as early as age five, though full-time attendance is not required until age six.

Since Archie is currently enrolled in a pre-school close to his home in Montecito, it is likely that he will continue attending there for the upcoming school year until he turns five and is prepared for kindergarten.

In August 2022, while the royal mother was on her way to pick up Archie from his preschool, Meghan spoke with Allison P. Davis, a writer for The Cut, about her family life.

Allison noticed that Archie kept saying, “Momma, Momma, Momma” as he waited for his mother to pick him up, and that they then embraced warmly. Using a letter from Archie’s preschool teacher as support, she also stated that he is prepared for full days there.

Princess Lilibet’s birthday and summer plans

As for the rest of the year, Lilibet, Archie’s sister, will turn two on June 4, so there will undoubtedly be more festivities to mark the occasion.

The siblings will have a jam-packed summer of fun in the expansive mansion of the family.

The fortunate kids get to play in a seven-acre garden that has two slides, a climbing frame, a tightrope, a helter-skelter, and two different kinds of climbing walls. Along with their own chickens, which Archie enjoys tending to with his parents, they also have a swimming pool, which is great for cooling off in the scorching California sun.

Even a farm with animals is right next door for the Sussex children to visit.

Harry and Meghan previously admitted to Oprah Winfrey that they have a very close relationship with their next-door neighbor Victoria Jackson, who runs a sizable ranch in Santa Barbara with farm animals.

In a statement to The Cut, Meghan said that Archie and Lilibet had a good time there and that “the kids have been over to pet Jackson’s mini-pigs.”

How the Sussexes spend time as a family

In fact, in their most recent Netflix docuseries, we saw a very sweet moment where Harry buckled Archie into a seat on the back of his bike and they sped into the long driveway of their home. Archie also enjoys bike rides in the neighborhood with his father.

We anticipate Archie spending a few days at the beach this summer because the family enjoys spending time there together and walking their dogs.

We caught a rare glimpse of Archie running along the beach with a stick in hand, going through his dad’s legs as all kids love to do, back in 2021 when Harry and Meghan spoke to Oprah Winfrey.

Harry explained to Oprah how much he, Meghan, and Archie enjoy the outdoors in LA, where they “go down to the beach which is so close”.

The Invictus Games and Christmas 2023

Harry’s Invictus Games are in Germany in September, so it’s likely that he and Meghan will travel there jointly as they have done in the past, leaving their two kids at home in California with their grandmother Doria Ragland or possibly a nanny.

The Sussexes celebrated Christmas 2022 at their American home. We wonder if the family will repeat last year’s behavior this year or if a trip to visit their English relatives is planned.