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Coinciding with the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry travelled to the UK last week with 3-year-old son Archie, and 12-month-old daughter, Lilibet. As is customary for the Royal family, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex celebrated her first birthday with a professional portrait.
Since the family’s departure from the UK in 2020, we have rarely seen the two children and unsurprisingly Lilibet is a spitting image of her father with ginger tendrils and blue eyes. The portrait, which was captured by photographer Misan Harriman, was shared to social media. “It was such a privilege to celebrate the 1st birthday of Lilibet with my family and hers!” he wrote on Instagram. “Joy and face painting all around.”
The celebration was accompanied by a Royal soirée fit for a first birthday. According to a spokesperson for the family, the couple invited close friends and family – though it is not clear exactly who – for a picnic in the backyard of Frogmore Cottage in England.
Lilibet is named after Queen Elizabeth, a nickname lovingly used by King George VI. “The Duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement, in fact his grandmother was the first family member he called,” a source for People said at the time of her birth. “During that conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honor. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.”
Last weekend marked the first time Queen Elizabeth had met Lilibet as the couple reunited with the Royal Family. Amid the festivities, they were photographed attending the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. Harry and Prince William were reportedly FaceTiming weekly ahead of the trip to repair the rift between their families.
“The brothers needed time for everything to settle down,” a source told the Mirror last week. “The family, including William, had been disappointed in the way Harry and Meghan chose to leave the royal family.”
