Meghan Markle and Prince Harry share heartwarming holiday card featuring rare pic of Archie and Lilibet
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are celebrating the holiday season with a touching family card that showcases a new photo of their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
On December 16, the couple unveiled their 2024 holiday card, offering a rare glimpse of their kids, aged five and three, respectively.
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's new photo
The card features a candid, joyful shot of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet running towards their parents, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, capturing the essence of the family's close bond.
The Sussexes share highlights of their year on the 2024 Archewell holiday card: pic.twitter.com/8GBeNwM2Eb
— Omid Scobie (@scobie) December 16, 2024
The children, dressed in casual attire, look more grown-up than ever in the image, which also includes their three dogs.
The photo was taken from behind, emphasizing the children's excitement as they approached their parents.
Prince Harry can be seen squatting to greet Lilibet, confirming his recent remarks about her long, red hair, which she shares with her older brother, Archie.
The accompanying message on the card, reads, "On behalf of the office of Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Archewell Productions, and Archewell Foundation, we wish you a very happy holiday season and a joyful new year."
The card also features five other photos from the couple's travels to Nigeria and Colombia this year, reflecting their commitment to philanthropic work through their Archewell Foundation.
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's rare public display
The holiday card marks a rare public display of the Sussex children, who were last seen in their parents' Netflix docuseries 'Harry & Meghan' in December 2022.
A friend of the family shared that Harry has been particularly protective of his children, ensuring they can lead as normal a life as possible without the fear of harm or privacy invasion.
"Harry has been reluctant to show his children publicly, not out of a desire to hide them but to protect their privacy and safety from potential threats," the friend told People.
"As a dad and husband, Harry is determined to ensure that history doesn’t repeat itself," referencing the tragic fate of his mother, Princess Diana.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's tradition of sharing family moments
Though the Sussexes have been private about their children in recent years, they have shared family moments in past holiday cards.
In 2019, their first card as a family of three included a picture of baby Archie, taken by Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland.
The couple shared a sweet illustration of their growing family in their 2020 Christmas card, which included a picture of their home in California.
In 2021, they used their holiday card to introduce their daughter, Lilibet, to the world.
That card also featured a heartfelt message about how their children had made them a family.
"This year, 2021, we welcomed our daughter, Lilibet, to the world. Archie made us a 'Mama' and a 'Papa', and Lili made us a family," read their message.
The couple's 2022 virtual greeting included a black-and-white photo of them holding hands in New York City at the Robert F Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award Gala.
In 2023, Prince Harry and Markle's holiday card featured a picture of them clapping at the 2023 Invictus Games' closing ceremony in Germany.
