Meghan Markle has shared two never-before-seen photographs of Princess Lilibet to commemorate her fifth birthday today. The Duchess of Sussex posted the images on social media, offering a rare glimpse into the family's private life.
Family Snaps Capture Special Moments
The first image shows Prince Harry tenderly holding their daughter, with Meghan looking on affectionately. Lilibet, dressed in a white lace dress with her long hair flowing freely, stands barefoot. As has been Meghan's practice with previous online photos of her children, Lilibet's hair is artfully arranged to partially conceal her face. The second snapshot depicts the youngster in the garden, placing her hand on a purple flower while standing on the grass.
Meghan captioned the heartwarming images: "Our dream girl. Happy 5th birthday, Lili," accompanied by a red heart emoji.
Lilibet's Royal Background
Princess Lilibet, affectionately known as Lili, was born on June 4, 2021, in California. She was named Lilibet Diana, honoring her great-grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandmother, Princess Diana. She is seventh in line to the British throne and, unlike her older brother Archie, has never resided in the UK, having visited only once. She only became entitled to the title of princess upon her grandfather King Charles III's accession to the throne, following rules established by King George V in 1917.
Harry and Meghan began using the titles prince and princess for Archie and Lili after her christening in 2023, following correspondence with the King on the matter. The young girl, who appears to have inherited her father's red hair, has met her grandfather only once, during a trip to the UK in 2022.
Estrangement Highlighted by Royal Expert
Royal expert Duncan Larcombe noted that Lilibet's birthday underscores the rift between King Charles and his younger son. "I think King Charles is full of regrets over the whole situation, he definitely wouldn't have wanted it to go this way," he told the Mirror. "He has spoken about how much he enjoys being a grandparent."
Last year, Harry and Meghan marked Lilibet's birthday by sharing a series of photos of the youngster as a baby with both parents. Meghan also posted a video from the hospital, showing her and Harry dancing and twerking to the song 'Baby Mamma' in an effort to induce labor, as the Duchess had gone a week past her due date.
