Could Archie and Lilibet have a future as working royals? Royal Editor REBECCA ENGLISH answers your questions in this week's Palace Confidential newsletter

It is the royal what-if that refuses to go away. As Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet grow up across the Atlantic, palace watchers are once again asking whether the Sussex children could one day step into official royal life — and if the door to becoming working royals is really closed for good.

The question has resurfaced in the latest round of chatter surrounding the monarchy’s slimmed-down future. Ever since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from royal duties and built a new life in California, the assumption in many quarters has been that their children would be raised far from the daily grind of handshakes, ribbons and balcony appearances. But in royal circles, nothing is ever quite that simple.

According to reports discussed in this week’s Palace Confidential newsletter, the issue is less about titles and more about roles. Archie and Lilibet are the King’s grandchildren, and that gives them a place in the royal story whether they like it or not. Yet being a working royal is something else entirely: it means public duty, constitutional sensitivity and, crucially, the approval of the monarch and the wider institution.

That is where the history matters. The modern Royal Family has spent years moving towards a tighter, more focused model, with the spotlight falling on a smaller group of senior figures. Fans will remember how firmly this idea took shape during the reign of Elizabeth II and how it has continued under the King, with working life centred on the core team rather than a sprawling cast of cousins, nieces and nephews.

So could that ever change for Archie and Lilibet? In theory, royal history suggests almost anything is possible if circumstances shift dramatically. Families evolve, public needs change and unexpected events can redraw even the most carefully laid palace plans. But according to royal commentators, any future role for the Sussex children would depend on a remarkable series of changes — not only in logistics and family relations, but in trust.

And that, say many observers, is the hardest hurdle of all. Relations between the Sussexes and the rest of the Royal Family have been under intense strain for years, with interviews, memoir claims and reported private tensions all taking their toll. Insiders have long suggested that rebuilding confidence behind palace doors would be essential before any serious discussion of future royal duties could even begin.

There is also the question of identity. Archie and Lilibet are being raised in America, outside the traditional royal bubble, and many supporters of Harry and Meghan would likely argue that this gives them a freedom their parents never had. Some fans believe that could ultimately be a blessing, allowing them to choose their own path rather than being shaped by the institution from childhood.

Others, however, think the royal pull may prove impossible to ignore. The children remain linked to one of the world’s most famous families, and with that comes endless fascination about what role — public, private or somewhere in between — they may one day want to play. Even if they never become full-time working royals, there is bound to be curiosity over whether they might maintain some kind of ceremonial or charitable connection.

For the Palace, the issue is delicate. Any speculation about the Sussex children instantly touches on wider questions about succession, status, reconciliation and the monarchy’s future image. Bringing them into the fold in any formal way could be seen by some as healing a family rift, while others might view it as muddying the line between royal duty and celebrity life.

For now, this remains firmly in the realm of speculation. No one can predict what Archie and Lilibet will want as adults, or what sort of monarchy will exist by the time they are old enough to decide. But the very fact people are still asking tells you everything about the enduring grip of the Sussex saga.

Would a future as working royals ever be realistic for Archie and Lilibet — or is their destiny now firmly outside palace walls?