Rare Glimpses Of Archie And Lilibet That Had Royal Fans Buzzing For Days

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For several years now, the royal family has struggled with estranged relationships among its members. Two senior members, King Charles and Catherine, Princess of Wales, have been fighting some serious health problems, and to make matters worse, their estranged relationship with Prince Harry shows no signs of getting better. The Duke of Sussex and his wife, Meghan Markle, famously stepped down from their duties as members of the royal family in 2020 and left the United Kingdom to settle in the U.S. — and not even Harry's father and sister-in-law's declining health was enough to bring the family together.

All over the world, people have been taking sides and speculating over the conflict, but the disagreements stop when it comes to the Sussexes' children. Despite the turbulence surrounding the public opinion of their parents, royal fans seem to fawn over every glimpse of Harry and Meghan's children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet (the latter famously named after the queen's nickname in what seemed like an olive branch).

Like most famous parents, Harry and Meghan do their best to protect their children's privacy. Despite having stepped down as working royals, Meghan and Harry's children are still prince and princess. Thus, royal fans and the general public crave the occasional update — and the Sussexes seem to have mastered the art of protecting their children's innocence and privacy, all while giving the people what they want. Through these small glimpses, Archie and Lilibet have quickly become two of the favorite royals among fans.

On Valentine's Day 2026, Meghan Markle shared a glimpse of how she and Prince Harry celebrated the romantic day. Instead of going on a date just the two of them, the Sussexes seemed to have celebrated their love as a family. The Duchess of Sussex honored the day with a photo of a casual, albeit adorable, moment between Harry and Princess Lilibet. In the photo, which she posted on Instagram, Harry is smiling as he holds his daughter, who is playing with a bunch of red balloons.

It's no secret that Harry and Lilibet share an incredibly close bond. Ever since Lilibet was born, it was obvious that he adored being a girl dad, and that hasn't changed over time. In 2021, just months after the young princess was born, a source told Us Weekly that he was really thriving as a girl dad. "Harry adores Lili and loves reading her bedtime stories and rocking her to sleep," the source revealed. From the beginning, they were very close, and she was a real daddy's girl. "He has a real magic touch," the source added. It's clear that he's still a doting dad.

Daddy-daughter bonds are sacred, but that doesn't mean Meghan Markle and Princess Lilibet don't have a relationship that's just as close. In March 2026, Meghan honored this bond through an adorable Instagram post, where she was seen hugging her daughter as they both rested by the ocean. It was in honor of International Women's Day, and she wrote on the caption: "For the woman she will one day be... Happy International Women's Day."

This post was a rare choice from the duchess, as Prince Harry and Meghan prefer to keep their children out of the spotlight. She tries not to share pictures and videos that are too specific about where they live — as she explained to People while discussing her Netflix show "With Love, Meghan," which was filmed at a rental property away from her family home – because she wants their family moments to remain just for them. "I wanted to protect that safe haven," she said. "We're a close-knit family, and I love those moments — putting Lili down for a nap, having lunch together, having sacred time together at the end of the day."

In June 2025, Meghan Markle celebrated her and Prince Harry's daughter's 3rd birthday with an adorable Instagram throwback to Lilibet's newborn days. In the post, Lilibet is being held by her father. She's so tiny she barely covers her dad's forearm, and they are staring at each other adoringly, even though she can't be more than a few weeks old. The picture perfectly embodies their beautiful father-daughter bond, and Meghan remarks on it in the caption.

"The sweetest bond to watch unfold," she wrote. "Daddy's little girl and favorite adventurer. Happy birthday Lili!"

In his memoir, "Spare," Prince Harry gushed about the precious moment when he welcomed his daughter into the world. He was the one who caught her when Meghan gave birth, and it was clear from that moment that he and the young princess would be thick as thieves. ​"A scream, then a moment of pure liquid silence ... There was only this intense present, and then the doctor turned to me and shouted: Now!" Harry wrote (via People). "Gently, but firmly, as I'd seen in films, I pulled our precious daughter from that world into this."

This might be a contender for the most adorable photo on the list. It's an Instagram post Meghan Markle shared for Mother's Day in 2025. In it, she is holding both her children — or, as she put it, they are climbing the "mama mountain." She jokingly captioned her Mother's Day post saying, "Cheers to juggling it all with joy!"

"And to these two gems – who still attempt to climb 'mama mountain', smother me with kisses, and make every day the most memorable adventure ... being your mom is the greatest privilege of my life," she went on. And the most adorable part? She dedicated to Archie and Lilibet the same words they had apparently said to her. "I, too, 'love you more than all the stars in all the sky, all the raindrops, and all the salt on all the french fries in all the world.'"

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry got an adorable snap with baby Prince Archie in one of the last photos as working members of the royal family. Archie was only a few months old in September 2019, when the image was taken. Even then, however, it was clear the camera loved him. He was smiling adorably while his parents tended to him, and even though it's a photo from an official royal tour, the young family looks incredibly happy and beautiful.

The birth of their first child was a momentous occasion for the royal family, and from the beginning, it was clear he would be an adorable baby. Just a couple of days after Archie's birth, the duke and duchess spoke to the press in St. George's Hall at Windsor Castle (via Hello!). There, Meghan said about Archie that he had "the sweetest temperament, he's really calm," to which Prince Harry added teasingly, "I don't know who he gets that from." It's no wonder every other photo of Archie shows him as the sweetest kid. But, as the world learned soon after, Archie wouldn't need to learn to behave for royal tours, as the Sussexes left their royal duties almost immediately after his birth – leading to royal fans speculating that the "Megxit" was already in the works.

The beautiful picture above is of baby Prince Archie's first public appearance, when he was just a few days old and the Sussexes were still living in the United Kingdom. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are both looking incredibly emotional as they hold their newborn, and much as we said previously, the baby boy looks very calm and peaceful as his parents dote on him.

Harry made some doting comments to the press about Archie's birth on his son's first day in the world. "It was amazing, absolutely incredible, and, as I said, I'm so incredibly proud of my wife," he said (via BBC). "As every father and parent will ever say, you know, your baby is absolutely amazing, but this little thing is absolutely to-die-for, so I'm just over the moon."

At the time, the relationship with Buckingham Palace was still seemingly on good terms. "The Queen and the Royal Family are delighted at the news that Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex was safely delivered of a son at 05:26am today. Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well," the Palace communicated at the time. While Harry and Meghan might be estranged from the Crown right now, the royal family always cared for the Duke and Duchess's children, and the estrangement might not include Archie and Lilibet.

One 2019 royal family moment is bittersweet, as paparazzi captured one of the few pictures of Archie with his cousin, the Prince and Princess of Wales' son, Prince George. It was at the King Power Royal Charity Polo Match, where both Prince William and Prince Harry were competing. Archie was only a few months old there, and it wasn't long after that that the Sussexes left the United Kingdom. This cute picture of the cousins is a nice memory for royal fans, but tragically, for Archie and Lilibet, the children don't have much of a relationship now.

While the Duke of Sussex is happy with his family life in California, a family reunion for Princess Charlotte's 11th birthday had Harry reflecting on his distance from the royal family, and what the estrangement is depriving his children of. According to a source who spoke to The Daily Mail, "Harry is very sad that they are missing out on life with the rest of their family," the insider revealed. "Harry feels his children are missing out on the extensive family network that their cousins are enjoying."

In December 2025, Meghan Markle posted this adorable Christmas card on her Instagram, and fans went crazy. The shot is evidently very carefree and joyous. The family looked to be having a fun day outside, and perhaps the most refreshing thing about this photo is how relaxed and loving it is. There is no ceremony or protocol; both parents are being unabashedly affectionate with their children — something pretty uncommon in official royal photos. There are no titles here; it's not the Duke and Duchess of Sussex with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. They are simply a family.

This is exactly the kind of untroubled upbringing Prince Harry wishes he could have had. "I enjoy living and bringing my kids up here, it's a part of my life that I never thought I was going to live," he said at The 2024 New York Times DealBook Online Summit in New York City (via People). "It feels as though it's the life that my mum wanted for me," he added of the late Princess Diana. Although he might not have been able to enjoy these family moments with his parents, he's clearly doing his best to give Archie and Lilibet the childhood he could have had.

As royals fans know, in addition to being the Duchess of Sussex and the star of "Suits," one of Meghan Markle's greatest passions is cooking. Her Netflix show, "With Love, Meghan," is not just about cooking; it's also about her daily life. And it's even more special when she can share it with her family. "When making thumbprint cookies at home becomes a family affair," she captioned an Instagram Reel jokingly. You don't really see Archie and Lilibet's faces in the video, but you can see them eagerly helping make the cookies, and their adorable little hands reaching for them once they're done. The most adorable part, though, is when Meghan leans over to kiss her son's face.

This Reel also offers a glimpse into the family's life, as when Meghan is cooking on her show, we're not seeing her in her home, but in a rental she uses to keep her house a sanctuary for her children. "Our kitchen is where Mama just cooks for the family, and with a crew of 80-plus people, that's a lot of people to have in your house!" For her, making memories through food is extremely important.

"Some of my favorite childhood moments are the meals that my mom would make," she revealed to People. "I remember those flavors so well, and I want my kids to have those same formative memories of things that I cook. I hope they come back to when they're older, when they're married, and they have their own kids, and they go, 'Oh, let's have a Mama Meal.' And it's the same roast chicken I've been making since they were little."

These two adorable photos were posted on Meghan Markle's Instagram in celebration of Lilibet's fourth birthday. In both of them, she's holding her youngest daughter close to her chest, and it's so moving to see them in the same pose, four years later.

"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," she wrote on her post. The black and white really makes these photos even more moving.

In addition to the adorable post she made, she also posted a funny Instagram Reel of her and Prince Harry dancing in her hospital room. In it, she's clearly heavily pregnant, but hasn't lost her sense of humor. "Four years ago today, this also happened," she added. Apparently, Lilibet was a little late on arrival, "So when spicy food, all that walking, and acupuncture didn't work – there was only one thing left to do!" The royal couple looked tired but happy as they danced together in the hospital room. And who knows, maybe that did the trick.

Meghan Markle shared an adorable pic to mark her son's birthday in 2025. Little Prince Archie, admiring the sunset, possibly in pajamas, with the sun perfectly framing his head. "Our son. Our sun," she captioned the Instagram post. She wished her son a happy birthday and thanked everyone who sent their best wishes to the young prince. The Duchess also thanked the friends who attended their private birthday party. Presumably, no one from the royal family.

As their children get older, Prince Harry and Meghan are becoming more intentional in their parenting, as they want their kids to discover their paths in life. A source told People that, "After growing up so publicly," giving their children privacy and space to grow "was really important to Harry."

Regarding his childhood, Prince Harry assured that there was "no judgement, there's no blame," but that he really wanted to do things differently now that he was a parent. Judging by how happy and loving the family looks in the little glimpses they share, they are on the right path.

Another "mama mountain," this time in the garden. Meghan Markle's lifestyle brand's Instagram account, As Ever, shared a pic of the family in 2025. The kids look a little younger than in the last "mama mountain" photo — they probably went outside to cuddle their mother while she was gardening. Both Meghan and Lilibet were wearing straw hats, and Archie was insistently holding onto Meghan's leg. Lilibet was holding a wicker basket, and the three of them were probably on their way to the garden to get something for Meghan to use in her recipes.

For the duchess, having her children be a part of the As Ever brand was very important. It's a source of empowerment for her, a way to prove that, just because she likes taking care of her children and husband, it doesn't mean she's not also committed to her career. She especially wants Lilibet to be an important presence on the brand.

"Being able to have my own little girl, as I've spent so much of my life championing the rights of girls and women, and to be able to see this as a multigenerational story — Archie is of course included in that, my husband is of course included in that — but I love the heritage feeling of it and knowing this is something that I can create in front of my daughter and teach her what it's like to be a working mom," she told People. "This is something that hopefully can be part of her legacy too."