Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have mostly kept their children Prince Archie, 5 and Princess Lilibet, 3, out of the spotlight with barely any photos of them shared with the public. So it was a rare treat when the couple included their pictures in their annual Christmas card this year.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have always valued their children’s privacy and maintained this even in the sweet family snap included in the collage of images featured on their digital holiday card. The photo gives a rare glimpse into the family of four and their three four-legged pets, their black Labrador, Pula, and their rescue beagles, Guy and Mia.
It shows Archie and Lili with their backs to the camera as they run toward their parents who have their arms wide open ready to welcome them in an embrace. The image resembles the heartwarming photo taken of Princess Diana as she greeted a young Harry and Prince William on the deck of the yacht Britannia in Toronto, when they joined their parents on a visit to Canada.
Though Archie and Lili’s faces are not visible in the Christmas card, it’s clear that they have inherited their father’s red hair. Both have their mother’s wavy locks too. The children look all grown up from the last time they were featured in Harry and Meghan’s Christmas card in 2021. The Princess was only six months old then and her brother was still a toddler when fans last saw him in the Harry and Meghan Netflix series released in December 2022.
Meanwhile, the other photos in the Christmas card are from official public engagements Harry and Meghan carried out through 2024, including their visit to Nigeria and a snap from their trip to Colombia in August.
The Sussexes’ included a message in their festive card which read: “On behalf of the office of Prince Harry & Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Archewell Productions and Archewell Foundation, we wish you a very happy holiday season and a joyful new year.”
Online, fans marveled at how Archie and Lili have grown so much under the radar with one commenting, “It’s very cute. Their kids are getting so big,” while another gushed, “Oh my goodness, how is Lilibet so tall? Seems like she was just a toddler.”
Others praised Harry and Meghan for keeping their children out the public eye. One wrote: “Really commendable how they’re determined to keep their kids out of the spotlight as much as possible. Good for them.” A second commented: “I really admire how little they show their kids. It was something they identified as a priority when leaving and they’ve stuck with it. Celebrities worldwide could learn from them.”
The couple has always been reluctant to share photos of their children with the public due to security concerns. “Our kids are young — they’re 3 and 5. They’re amazing. But all you want to do as parents is protect them,” Meghan said in an interview with CBS in August about the risk of suicide due to cyberbullying among the younger generation. She referenced “what’s happening in the online space” and how “there’s a lot of work to be done there,” so she and Harry are glad they’re able to do something about it. But the inclusion of Archie and Lili in their 2024 Christmas card is a welcome change from the past two years, which only featured Harry and Meghan.
Published: Dec 17, 2024 05:55 am