The couple, known for their royal ties and private life, has posted a rare, beautiful photo of their growing children—just in time for the holidays.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are spreading holiday cheer by sharing a heartfelt portrait of their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. On Monday, December 16, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed their 2024 holiday card, which included a sweet family moment with their three dogs and rapidly generated online sparked.
The card’s centerpiece—a six-photo montage—shows Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, running excitedly toward their parents. In the photo, Meghan, 43, is seen smiling lovingly at Archie, while Harry, 40, crouches down to greet Lilibet, whose red hair resembles her brother’s. The image is framed by the family’s beloved canines, Guy, Pula, and Momma Mia.
The Sussexes, who rarely show images of their children, made this year’s holiday card extra special for their admirers. The personal family moment provides a rare glimpse of Archie and Lilibet, now more mature, spreading cheer as the family celebrates the holiday season.
One couldn’t help but notice the siblings’ likeness to their father, with a comment reading, “beautiful [sic] family of redheads ❤️.”
According to Hello! Magazine’s October 2024 issue, the father of two proudly revealed what the children got from their mother.
Sophie Vokes-Dudgeon, Hello!’s chief content officer, recalled the chat with Harry, noting, “Archie and Lili have been blessed with their mother’s thick hair, he told us, self-effacingly, as he marveled that it won’t be long until Lili can sit on hers.”
Harry revealed that Meghan had her hands full with not only the couple’s two children but also their three dogs, whom he jokingly described as “not quite house-trained.” In addition to their busy family life, Harry made a lighthearted allusion to their hens, implying a lively household dynamic.
As the Sussexes navigate their family life while balancing privacy and public interest, their children continue to be the focus of major updates.
Earlier this year, in February 2024, the couple made news when they legally changed their children’s surnames to reflect their newly acquired royal titles.
Archie and Lilibet, formerly known by the surnames “Mountbatten-Windsor,” accepted their royal titles as part of their formal last names.
When King Charles III ascended to the throne in 2022, he bestowed the distinguished prince and princess titles on his grandchildren, which Harry and Meghan greatly appreciated. They agreed to the titles, but they were not used until later.
This amazing change was formally acknowledged in March 2023, at Princess Lilibet’s baptism, when the titles were used for the first time. The children’s names were then changed on the royal family’s official website to “Prince Archie of Sussex” and “Princess Lilibet of Sussex.”
As outlined on the official royal website, royal surnames frequently represent paternal lineage. However, the royal family has its customs, with sovereigns often taking their father’s name for their ‘House’.
As seen with the House of Windsor, this tradition assures continuity while also honoring familial legacy. Unless a monarch opted to break this custom, members of the royal family, including Harry and Meghan’s offspring, would traditionally bear the “Mountbatten-Windsor” surname, a practice that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have changed.
