Meghan Markle gives rare glimpse of Princess Lilibet in birthday tribute, breaks pattern of privacy
Meghan Markle is celebrating a milestone in her family.
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, shared never-before-shown photos of her rarely-seen daughter, Princess Lilibet, for her 4th birthday. She also posted sweet photos of her husband, Prince Harry, holding Lilibet as an infant.
"The sweetest bond to watch unfold. Daddy’s little girl and favorite adventurer. Happy birthday Lili!" she captioned her birthday tribute.
The second photo showed Harry holding hands with their daughter on a beach with palm trees in the background.
In a separate Instagram post, Meghan is seen holding Princess Lilibet on what appears to be a boat, as the wind flows through their hair.
Meghan looked lovingly down at her daughter, as the 4-year-old hid behind her mother's arms, in a black-and-white photo.
"Happy birthday to our beautiful girl!" Meghan captioned the post. "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!"
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The second photo in the Instagram post showed Meghan holding Lilibet as a newborn baby.
The Duchess of Sussex's birthday tribute comes after she previously reflected on how royal motherhood could have been different for her.
Last month, during one of her episodes on "Confessions of a Female Founder" podcast, the "Suits" alum admitted that things did not pan out how she would have liked.
"I will say… I've always wanted to be a mom," she shared at the time. "I was like, 'Oh gosh, I'm going to give a speech with a baby on my hip.' I had a whole vision. Granted, I had a lot of external things happening by the time I had both pregnancies and both babies. But it was not the way I envisioned it."
Meghan, a former American actress, became the Duchess of Sussex when she married Prince Harry in 2018. In 2019, they welcomed their son Prince Archie while they were still senior members of the royal family.
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Then, in 2020, the couple announced they were stepping back as senior royals, citing the unbearable intrusions of the British press and a lack of support from the palace. That year, they moved to California. In 2021, they welcomed their daughter, Lilibet.
Since their royal exit, Meghan has shared limited photos and videos of her kids without showing their faces. The couple also does not take them to public events where they could be photographed by paparazzi.
After Harry and Meghan stepped down from their royal duties, the couple aired out their grievances in interviews and a Netflix series. Harry additionally published a 2023 tell-all memoir, "Spare."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex continue to raise their children in the wealthy coastal city of Montecito, California.