Meghan Markle shares rare photos of Lilibet with Prince Harry and reflects on her daughter’s sweet bond.
Meghan Markle has offered a rare and tender glimpse into family life to mark her daughter Princess Lilibet’s fourth birthday — with touching tributes, unseen photographs, and a nod to the unbreakable father-daughter bond between Lilibet and Prince Harry.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, the Duchess of Sussex celebrated her youngest child’s special day by sharing four candid family photos, giving the clearest look at Lilibet’s face since her first birthday portrait in 2022. And royal watchers were quick to point out: she’s a Spencer through and through.
One photo captures an intimate moment between Harry and Lilibet, the Duke of Sussex cradling his daughter as they gaze at each other with wide-eyed wonder. In another, the pair walk hand-in-hand through a tropical backdrop, surrounded by swaying palms. Meghan captioned the photos: “The sweetest bond to watch unfold. Daddy’s little girl and favourite adventurer.”
The Duchess also included more personal images. One, in black and white, shows Meghan holding Lilibet in a windswept moment on a boat — the little girl’s face partially hidden but still drawing striking resemblance to the late Princess Diana. Another throwback from shortly after Lilibet’s birth in June 2021 shows the duchess cradling her newborn in a postnatal skin-on-skin embrace.
“Happy Birthday to our beautiful girl! Four years ago today she came into our lives — and each day is brighter and better because of it,” Meghan wrote. “Thanks to all of those sending love and celebrating her special day!”
Born at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor is named after both her great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II (whose childhood nickname was Lilibet) and her grandmother Princess Diana.
Her low-key Californian upbringing is worlds away from the formality of her Windsor cousins — and it’s clear the Sussexes are forging a very different path in how they share family milestones with the public. Meghan’s newly revitalised Instagram account has become the Sussexes’ preferred platform for controlled peeks into their private lives.
Her latest tribute comes amid reports that Prince Harry recently asked his uncle, Earl Spencer, about potentially changing his surname from Mountbatten-Windsor to Spencer — a move that would further cement the family’s closeness to Diana’s legacy.
In a recent podcast episode, Meghan reflected on the early challenges of motherhood and revealed she experienced postpartum preeclampsia after Lilibet’s birth. She’s also hinted at the possibility of building a business with her daughter one day, telling Tina Knowles in a bonus episode of Confessions of a Female Founder: “I wonder if one day I’ll be in business with Lili and we’ll be building something.”
Earlier this year, Meghan posted a short video of herself and Lilibet tending to beehives together in matching suits — a sun-soaked, wholesome clip that fans believe is a teaser for her lifestyle brand, As Ever.
Though the Sussexes have opted for a more private life in California, these glimpses reveal just how loved — and carefully protected — their children are.
On her fourth birthday, Princess Lilibet may be far from the palace gates, but her mother made sure the world knew: she is surrounded by love, laughter, and a father who adores her.
