Harry and Meghan show baby Lilibet's face – and Archie has red hair

Fans get their first proper glimpse of Archie since 1st birthday: Adorable youngster, 2, is just like Dad with a shock of red hair and twinning in casual jeans as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle share family Christmas card

  • Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have released Happy Holidays card with their two children Archie and Lilibet
  • The festive photograph provides the first look at baby Lilibet Diana and their two-year-old son Archie’s face
  • Family are all dressed casually in jeans with the Duke of Sussex even going barefoot for the festive picture 
  • Fans swooned over little Archie’s resemblance to Prince Harry with his red hair
  • Last time fans had a glimpse of him was in May for Prince Harry’s new Apple docuseries The Me You Can’t See. Fans saw his face for his first birthday in 2020

Fans have gone wild over Archie’s uncanny resemblance to Prince Harry, after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a family photo showing the first glimpse of baby Lilibet in time for Christmas.

The cute family image shows Meghan, 40, holding up their giggling six-month-old daughter, while smiling Harry, 37, looks on with his arm around their two-year-old son Archie, in the portrait by their wedding photographer Alexi Lubomirski. 

And followers couldn’t help but swoon over Archie’s shock of red hair, remarking on how the little boy, 2, whose face hasn’t been seen properly since his first birthday last year, looked exactly like his father.

‘So cute! Archie is Harry’s twin with that hair!’, one follower wrote, while another added: ‘Omg look at that head of hair on Archie!’. 

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle havey shown the first photo of their daughter Lilibet Diana, six months after she was born, and fans have gone wild over Archie’s red hair (seen left)

Followers couldn’t help but swoon over Archie’s shock of red hair, with one writing: ‘Omg look at that head of hair on Archie’, remarking on his uncanny resemblance to Harry

Hundreds of fans flocked to the picture shared to the photographer’s Twitter, with another writing: ‘Loving all of their smiling faces!!! Little Lilibet’s toes and ARCHIE’S HAIR!’

‘Look at how cute Lili is. And Archie’s hair. Beautiful picture’, another said, while one agreed, writing: ‘I love how happy they look. And the casual clothes from this century. And Archie’s red hair!’

One added: ‘Oh!!! Love it! Love the red hair on Archie ! So sweet!’, and one tweeted: ‘This PHOTO. That BABY. Archie’s red HAIR’. 

Archie, who looks just like his dad with a shock of red hair, is casually dressed in jeans like the rest of the family, and his face is on show unlike other images shared by Harry and Meghan, where they have only shown the youngster from behind. 

The little boy looks the picture of Harry, coordinating in turned up jeans and wearing a white version of his father’s shirt. 

Archie, now 2, whose face hasn’t been properly shown since his first birthday last year, pictured with Meghan last June looked exactly like his father in the latest snaps

The Sussexes, who are currently residing in a $14.7million mansion in Montecito, released the card to announce they’ve made a donation to several charities, including an organisation that supports Afghan families left behind after the US withdrawal and Paid Leave For All, in line with the Duchess’ recent campaigning for a paid family leave law for all Americans.

‘This year we welcomed out daughter, Lilibet, to the world. Archie made us a “Mama and Papa” and Lili made us a family,’ their message read. ‘As we look forward to 2022 we have made donations on your behalf to several organizations that honor and protect families – from those being relocated from Afhghanistan to American famiilies in need of paid parental leave.’

It comes as the couple prepare to spend their third Christmas outside of the UK, and away from the royal family. 

Hundreds of fans flocked to the picture shared to the photographer’s Twitter, with another writing: ‘Loving all of their smiling faces!!! Little Lilibet’s toes and ARCHIE’S HAIR!’

One added: ‘Oh!!! Love it! Love the red hair on Archie ! So sweet!’, and one tweeted: ‘This PHOTO. That BABY. Archie’s red HAIR’.

The Sussexes, who are currently residing in a $14.7million mansion in Montecito, released the card (pictured) to announce they’ve made a donation to several charities, including an organisation that supports Afghan families left behind after the US withdrawal and Paid Leave For All 

Today’s card marks a change in for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have hidden their children’s faces in recent snaps.

Archie has rarely been seen since the couple stepped back as senior royals in March last year, with the most recent picture of him released to mark his second birthday this May showing him with his back to the camera. 

During the Oprah Winfrey interview and Prince Harry’s mental health documentary, he made an appearance but royal fans were only be able to get a glimpse of the youngster’s face.

It also marks the first time royal fans have been able to see Lilibet’s face. 

Meghan is thought to have revealed a grainy first photograph of her second child Lilibet after a framed picture of Prince Harry kissing a newborn baby took pride of place on her desk in a video for her 40th birthday. 

In May Prince Harry shared several new images of his two-year-old son Archie Harrison in his mental health series The Me You Can’t See The Me You Can’t See

Royal fans expressed their disappointment over not seeing Archie’s face again after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry released a new picture of their son to celebrate his second birthday (pictured) in May this year 

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have released their first Christmas card since relocating to Los Angeles earlier this year

The only previous picture of Lilibet (centre) that’s been seen is a very grainy black and white photo on Meghan’s desk during her 40th birthday video call with Melissa McCarthy

Three further black and white photos could be seen in a connected frame in front of this, with the central one seeming to show Harry kissing a baby and one on the right potentially showing Meghan holding a young child. 

Alexi Lubomirski, the photographer behind the Sussexes’ Christmas card, took to Instagram today to share his work. 

He wrote in the caption: ‘The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Archie and Lilibet. This is one of those rare and special projects, that one is fortunate enough to be a part of.

‘To be able to continue the story of this family whom I first photographed as an engaged couple, then on the day of their wedding, as a married couple and now seeing their love manifest into two beautiful children, has been a delightful honour.

‘Anyone who has seen my #allloveseries, will know that one of the greatest joys I receive from photography, is when I am able to photograph “love” in some form or another.

‘To be trusted by your subjects enough, to open themselves up and have their connection documented and translated into an image, is one of the greatest gifts a photographer can have.

‘This day with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was one such joyous experience, and one that I feel extremely privileged to have been invited to capture. X’

Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s second child, was born on June 4 in Santa Barbara, California, and is eighth in line to the throne.

She was born at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and named after the Queen’s childhood nickname, while her middle name Diana was in tribute to Harry’s late mother.

The baby – a younger sister for the Sussexes’ two-year-old son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor – weighed 7lbs 11oz.

No photographs of Lilibet were released following her birth, unlike her brother Archie, who had a photocall at Windsor Castle.

The charities Harry and Meghan have donated to ‘on your behalf’ include Paid Leave for All, a national US campaign fighting to bring paid family and medical leave for all working people.

Meghan, who has largely been on parental leave since the birth of her daughter in June, has been lobbying for US Congress to consider making paid family leave law for all Americans, citing her own experience as a new working mother.

In October Meghan wrote a letter to US congressmen Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer asking for paid parental leave, which said: ‘I’m not an elected official, and I’m not a politician. I’m writing to you at this deeply important time – as a mom – to advocate for paid leave.’

The 1,030-word letter asked the two Democratic leaders to consider her plea ‘on behalf of my family, Archie and Lili and Harry’.

The Duchess then cold-calling US senators on their private phones and using her royal title to urge them to vote in favour of the legislation.

The charities Harry and Meghan have donated to ‘on your behalf’  

Team Rubicon

Founded in 2010, Team Rubicon is a disaster response non-profit, using the skills and experiences of veterans with first responders to develop emergency response teams. It has deployed across the US and across the World to provide humanitarian aids to areas impacted by disasters.

Welcome.US

Welcome.US is an organisation that provide supports to welcome refugees in the US or helping resettle. It counts several high profile chairmen and chairwomen, including George W. Bush, Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton.

Human First Coalition

This non-profit is led by volunteers and has been helping American citizens and allies following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. It has been working hard to provide shelter for citizens who have been left behind following American forces’ withdrawal from the country this summer. It has also been focusing efforts on offering safe passage into the US for those who are still in Afghanistan.

Humanity Crew

This international organisation has been providing mental health and psychological support for refugees and victims of humanitarian crisis all around the world.

Paid Leave for All 

A national US campaign fighting to bring paid family and medical leave for all working people. Meghan wore a letter in October advocating for paid leave. The extraordinary 1,030-word letter – given to supportive media to share – asked the Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and the Majority Leader in the US Senate Chuck Schumer, both Democrats, to consider her plea ‘on behalf of my family, Archie and Lili and Harry’.

Pl+us

Pl+us is another campaign advocating for paid leave in the US. It was founded by Katie Bethell, who was named as one of the World greatest leaders by Fortuna Magazine. It works in partnership with employees, employers, consumers and investors. So far, it has won paid leave for nearly 8million working for companies like Walmart, Starbucks, CVS and more.

 

Amid her lobbying, the duchess depicted humble beginnings, saying that her family struggled when she was young – despite her well-documented middle class upbringing in which she attended private primary and secondary schools on her Emmy award-winning lighting director father’s $200,000-a-year salary.

And she now lives in a $14million sprawling mansion in Montecito, California, complete with designer touches. She has also signed a series of lucrative deals with Spotify and Netflix thought to be worth well over $150million.

‘I grew up on the $4.99 salad bar at Sizzler,’ Markle wrote. ‘I knew how hard my parents worked to afford this because even at five bucks, eating out was something special, and I felt lucky. I started working (at the local frozen yogurt shop) at the age of 13.

‘I waited tables, babysat, and piecemealed jobs together to cover odds and ends,’ Markle said.

Later, a $750,000 California state lottery win her father scooped in 1990, which funded her secondary education at $9,412-a-semester Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles.

Meghan also studied a private primary school – Hollywood’s Little Red Schoolhouse nursery, which she attended from the age of two.

The primary school now costs between $20,000 and $28,300-a-year, and was paid for by her father Thomas and her airline steward mother Doria’s salaries.

She went on to study at Northwestern, a college in Illinois, that would have cost $24,000-$28,000-a-year for tuition when Meghan studied there from 1999-2003.

She later spoke about the letter, which included the claim her family were impoverished even though her father was an Emmy award-winning lighting director and she was educated at private school, on Ellen.

Last month Meghan told The Ellen Show: ‘I think that people truly forget, or don’t even know that in this country, it’s one of the only six countries in the entire world and the only wealthy nation in the entire world that does not mandate and have a federal paid leave programme.

‘Everybody knows, especially if you have had a child and even if you haven’t, you know how hard it is and how critical it is in those first few weeks if not months to be together as a family.

‘And the fact that we don’t offer that here is something that now as a mom of two, I will do everything that I can to make sure that we can implement that for people.’

Last year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex opted to share an illustrated Christmas card – leading to some disappointed fans calling for the couple to show Archie’s face.

In the 2020 festive greeting, the couple were seen playing with Archie in the garden of their £11million ($15million) home in Montecito, along with dogs Pula and Guy. The card was a drawing of a photograph taken by Meghan’s mother Doria.

It was released via Mayhew, the London-based animal charity for which Meghan is a patron and read: ‘Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.’

A tiny Christmas tree in the picture was decorated with ornaments selected by Archie. The Mayhew tweeted the image along with a thank you for an undisclosed personal donation from the royals.

The card offered a sneak peek into the family’s home and Archie’s playhouse. A spokesman for the couple at the time said: ‘The original photo of the family was taken at their home earlier this month by the Duchess’s mother.

‘The small Christmas tree, including the homemade ornaments and other decorations, were selected by Archie, and the tree will be replanted after the holidays.’

Mayhew, which is based in Kensal Green, West London, said on its website that the money would help it ‘weather the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and enable us to reach the animals and people who are struggling’.

Caroline Yates, Mayhew’s chief executive, said: ‘We are delighted to have the Duchess of Sussex as our patron, and she has shone a huge light on our community-based animal welfare work over the last two years.

‘We were especially honoured to recently receive a personal donation from the Duke and Duchess, which will enable us to help even more cats, dogs and pet owners in need over this tough winter period.’

It comes after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex donated to the first ever Annual Montecito Holiday Car Parade, which took place in their local California neighbourhood this week.

Prince Harry and Meghan showed their support for their new hometown as they joined a select few donors in supporting the festive car procession.

The couple, who live in an impressive $14.7 million mansion in the exclusive neighbourhood with Archie, 2, and Lilibet, seven months, got into the Christmas spirit for the parade, which was themed ‘holiday magic’.

According to the Montecito Journal, brightly-lit cars decorated with garlands, tinsel and wreath made their way down the parade route, watched by locals as Santa Claus handed out candy from a truck complete with Christmas star.

The local paper wrote: ‘ As the merriment still lingers in the air, here’s to a new Montecito holiday tradition!

‘Thanks to the many parade sponsors including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle who were first to donate’.

This week Meghan was seen Christmas shopping in Montecito at some of her favorite stores, including nearby Pierre LaFond & Co and kids’ clothing boutique Poppy.

The mother-of-two looked stylish in a Massimo Dutti wool coat, Tamara Mellon boots, Bottega Veneta clutch, LeSpecs Air Heart sunglasses, along with a brown beanie and blue face mask.

Meghan was said to be out for around an hour with her bodyguard, and was seen carrying a few shopping bags before returning home.

An onlooker claimed: ‘There was a franticness to her shopping, like she was just iting to get out and be somewhat normal. Even if it was for just an hour.’

Who is photographer Alexi Lubomirski?

New York based fashion photographer Alexi Lubomirski is famed for his portraits of the Hollywood elite, and was chosen to shoot Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s engagement photos and the official family portraits on their wedding day.

The father-of-two, who was born in the UK, was a protégé of Mario Testino who was beloved by Harry’s mother Princess Diana and photographed William and Kate when they got engaged in 2010.

The star photographer is also a prince of the Polish House of Lubomirski, whose royal lineage stretches back 500 years on his father’s side and gives him the title: ‘His Serene Highness’.

Alexi is a firm favorite with celebrities, and has shot cover stars such as Julianne Moore, Angelina Jolie, Demi Moore, Beyoncé, Charlize Theron, Gwyneth Paltrow, Natalie Portman, Jennifer Lopez, Selma Hayek, Katy Perry, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Aniston, Emilia Clarke, Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman and Scarlett Johansson.

The photographer was born in England to a Peruvian/English mother and a Polish/French father and at the age of eight, he moved to Botswana with his mother and English stepfather.

He was introduced to star photographer Mario Testino and joined him in Paris as his assistant for four years and has worked regularly for Vogue and Harpers Bazaar.

He has also published books including ‘Princely advice for a happy life’ – a tribute to his two sons – and ‘diverse beauty’ about models not usually used in fashion magazines and campaigns.

All proceeds from his books are donated to the charity Concern Worldwide – which fights world poverty – of which Alexi is an ambassador.

The photographer had never done an engagement shoot before taking on the prestigious commission from Harry and Meghan.

‘It was one of the easiest, most joyful jobs because they were so deliciously in love,’ he told E! News.

He added that there was no effort needed to capture the couple in a variety of romantic poses, after telling them to just be themselves while he took their pictures.

‘It was nutty. It was a very surreal end to the year because it came out of nowhere,’ he recalled.

‘I think one of Meghan’s friends saw me on Instagram that I was in England during the announcement of the engagement.

‘I was told later that this person said to her, “You should meet Alexi. He’s great. You’d love him”, and that was it.’

In a statement released after the engagement shoot, Alexi said: ‘It was an incredible honour to be asked to document this wonderful event, but also a great privilege to be invited to share and be a witness to this young couple’s love for one another.

‘I cannot help but smile when I look at the photos that we took of them, such was their happiness together’.

 

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