Just a few months ago, a picture of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 's adorable children was deemed a rarity. When the California ...
Just a few months ago, a picture of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's adorable children was deemed a rarity.
When the California based couple dropped their Christmas card in December, royal fans were delighted at their first glimpse of a Sussex family photo in three years.
But since, the pair have been sharing more and more insights into their home life - as the Duchess, 43, relaunched her Instagram account on New Year's Eve day, and has since announced a new Netflix series, as well as a lifestyle brand.
And alongside promotional clips for her upcoming show, 'With Love, Meghan' and As Ever - the revamp of the American Riviera Orchard project which last year saw her sending out jams to celebs - are more earnest and intimate snaps.
Many offer followers a glance at their life in Montecito, including never before seen snaps of Archie, five, and Lilibet, three.
Some posts even include footage where you can hear their voices, in sweet home videos.
During the festive season, many wellwishers were touched at the couple's seasonal card, which saw Archie and Lilibet running into the open arms of their parents.
The pair's red-haired five-year-old son, sixth in line to the British throne, could easily be mistaken for his father at the same age.
Lilibet, who had at that point last been seen in a portrait taken in the garden of Frogmore Cottage to mark her first birthday in June 2022, was almost as tall as her brother.
Her British-style summer dress and auburn hair has seen her compared to older cousin Princess Charlotte.
The candid photo of a proud mother and father hugging their children delighted millions of excited royal fans who have waited so patiently for a new picture of the Sussexes all together.
One month on, Meghan - after making a sensational comeback on social media - shared a heartfelt tribute to her late Beagle, Guy.
As well as including a candid personal message, the Duchess's clip included photos of the children - whose faces are still largely always disguised - with the family pup.
In one of the shots, little Archie can be heard speaking to Guy, while a second clip features a sweet moment when the five-year-old can be heard saying 'he might fall' as the dog joins him and his mother in the backseat, as Harry is behind the wheel.
Elsewhere, the Sussexes' eldest son was filmed walking the family pooch with his father, as Lilibet was seen joining her mother and the dogs on a picnic.
The closing of the video features a sweet singalong from Meghan and her children - seemingly led by little Archie - which goes: 'We love you Guy! And we'll be true, when you're not near us, we're blue!'
Just last night the kids joined their mother in a video, where they made Valentine's Day treats with red bagels.
And most recently, this morning Lilibet made a sweet cameo in Meghan's newly launched lifestyle brand.
The chic website cover for As Ever features a sweet snap of mother and daughter walking hand and hand, basking in the California sunshine.
Between Meghan's posts - and what appears to be an accidental reveal of a Sussex family portrait from A-lister pal Gloria Steinem, in an Architectural Digest photoshoot - we've seen more of their children in recent months than we have in years.
But why have their usually privacy-conscious parents decided that now is the time to release new pictures of them - and why did they wait so long?
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Mark Borkowski, arguably Britain's best-known PR guru, described Lili's appearance as 'soft-power PR'.
'One might argue this is less about spreading the message about As Ever and more about reminding the world they exist', he said .
'For a couple who have been zealous about shielding their offspring from the prying lenses of the media, the sudden shift feels a strategic move.
'They know the world’s appetite for royal children is insatiable, and they’ve rationed out these glimpses sparingly—building a mystique that only adds to the hunger when they finally unveil a shot.
'But let’s not overlook the context: with their commercial ventures losing steam and the sympathy tide ebbing, this feels like an act. It's a gentle but firm message that even if the Sussex brand falters in Hollywood, its brand personality will never truly disappear from the world stage'.
The last time the Sussexes shared candid images of Archie and Lilibet before the Christmas card was as part of their bombshell Oprah and Ellen DeGeneres interviews in 2021.
Archie smiling on his father's shoulders, learning the piano and touching a portrait of his late grandmother Princess of Diana formed part of their controversial Netflix docu-series.
There were also pictures of Meghan and Archie reading and on the beach on Apple TV's The Me You Can't See - a mental health series championed by Harry.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams also said it appears we will see 'more' of the Sussexes' children over years to come.
'As the years pass it is certain that we will see more of Archie and Lili,' he explained.
'They could in fact, be the makings of a dynasty, and it is quite possible that this, and not Harry and Meghan’s struggles to establish themselves as Hollywood A-listers, will be the Sussexes' legacy.
'Their parents knew perfectly well that the image on their official Christmas card would spark enormous interest.'
'Archie and Lili may prove to be the Sussexes' trump card,' he continued. 'Rumours abound that the Sussexes may well face having a very different arrangement when their contract with Netflix comes up for renewal next year, after the abject failure of their recent series Polo.
'We might also ask, who, bar devoted fans, wants to see Meghan cook and what is the future of her lifestyle brand?'
He said: 'It is bound, eventually, to strengthen the Sussexes hand as the months and years pass, interest in them will undoubtedly increase.
'This is a legacy King Charles bequeathed to them when he ascended the throne after Meghan falsely implied on Oprah that discrimination had prevented Archie from getting a title'.
Meghan and Harry have both spoken about protecting their children's privacy in the past.
In August, while at an event in Santa Barbra with Harry, 40, to support grieving parents as part of their new initiative called The Parents Network, the Duchess said: 'Our kids are young, they're three and five, they're amazing, but all you want to do as parents is protect them.
'And so as we can see what's happening in the online space, we know that there's a lot of work to be done there and we're just happy to be able to be a part of change for good.'
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