Princess Lilibet celebrated her fifth birthday today, and for the first time, the Duchess of Sussex shared two unseen photos of her daughter on Instagram. The images, posted with the caption 'Our dream girl. Happy 5th birthday, Lili', mark a notable shift from the couple's previous stance on shielding their children from the public eye.
Royal expert Duncan Larcombe has branded Meghan a 'hypocrite', pointing out that she campaigns for online child safety while posting her own children. 'Lecturing about children's privacy but then posting her own children as clickbait,' he told the Mirror. He added that the posts appear 'carefully orchestrated' to promote Meghan herself.
Prince Harry, who has spoken openly about the pressures of growing up in the spotlight, may be uneasy with the new approach. Larcombe suggested Harry could be 'allowing it through gritted teeth', noting that he 'knows what it's like being a child in the public eye'. However, he believes Meghan is the driving force behind the decision.
As the children grow older, Larcombe expects their public profile to increase. 'It certainly looks like she's now being brought out as part of the branding, albeit cautiously,' he said. Unlike William and Kate, who have no choice but to present their children to the public, Harry and Meghan 'have the option to keep their children completely private'.
The expert also questioned how Archie and Lilibet might feel about their childhood being shared online. 'You wonder if they will feel manipulated or annoyed by it,' he said, adding that they will have to learn they are 'to some extent, public property'.
