Princess Lilibet melted hearts on Wednesday after her mother, Meghan Markle, shared two new photographs to mark her fourth birthday. The Duchess of Sussex took to her official Instagram account this morning to upload two black and white snaps of herself with her daughter.
One photograph shows the duo cuddling on what appears to be a boat while sporting windswept hair. The second image, meanwhile, shows Meghan tenderly cradling newborn Lili as she enjoys skin-on-skin time with the new addition to her family in 2021.
Meghan wrote: “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. Thanks to all of those sending love and celebrating her special day!”
The Duchess’s post sparked a right royal fan frenzy on social media, with fans praising her for sharing such intimate and “beautiful” photos with them.
One user wrote on X: “Aw, I’m so happy M shared these beautiful pics with all of us!”
A second one commented: “Love their pics of the family, always so intimate. Nothing staged, nothing forced; never alone.”
A third user added: “What pretty photos! And her name is perfect,too. Happy Birthday to the little princess.”
Another one said: “Beautiful photos posted of Duchess Meghan Sussex and Princess Lilibet Diana Sussex for her fourth birthday.”
And a fifth one commented: “#HappyBirthdayLili ! What a wonderful post by #MeghanSussex.”
The Duchess usually only shares photos of her daughter pictured from behind to protect her privacy, but in the more recent photo, Lili’s eyes and the top half of her face could be seen, with her nose and mouth and the rest of her face covered by Meghan’s arms.
Lili was born at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California on June 4, 2021 and was named Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.
She only became entitled to be a princess when her grandfather, King Charles, acceded to the throne, owing to the rules set out by King George V in the Letters Patent 1917.
Harry and Meghan started using prince and princess for Archie and Lilibet after the princess’s christening in 2023, following correspondence with the King about the matter.