Royals
Lilibet is “obsessed” with her big brother Archie.
Princess Lilibet “Lili” Diana made history as the first royal baby in many years to be born on American soil. Certainly she’s the only grandchild of King Charles III to be born outside of the United Kingdom. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have made a concerted effort to keep their youngest child and only daughter away from the attention of the media, sharing precious few photos since she was born in California in June 2021. But of course, the two are proud parents and can’t help talking about their sweet little girl every now and then.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who are also parents to 4-year-old son Prince Archie Harrison, stepped away from their senior royal roles in 2020 after struggling with negative press attention and rifts within the royal family, a rift Prince Harry detailed at length in his memoir Spare. Now they live a relatively quiet life in Montecito with their son and daughter, away from the rest of the royal family including Prince Harry’s brother Prince William and his three children, 10-year-old Prince George, 8-year-old Princess Charlotte, and 5-year-old Prince Louis.
Still, they can’t resist talking about their sweet little Lilibet when given the chance. And here’s everything Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have said so far.
On feeling “grateful” for Lilibet.
In June 2021, the couple announced Lilibet’s birth on their Archewell website. “On June 4th, we were blessed with the arrival of our daughter, Lili,” they wrote. “She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we've felt from across the globe. Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family."
On her “chilled” personality.
"We’ve been lucky so far," Prince Harry said at a 2021 WellChild event. “She’s very chilled and seems happy to just sit there while Archie is running around like crazy.”
On her beauty.
When asked at a public function for an update on 3-month-old Lilibet, Meghan Markle gave a thumbs-up and said “she’s beautiful.” Enough said.
On being “overwhelmed” with a newborn.
“In June, my husband and I welcomed our second child. Like any parents, we were overjoyed,” Meghan wrote in an open letter supporting paid leave in 2021, going on to explain that their joy was mixed with other emotions, “Like many parents, we were overwhelmed. Like fewer parents, we weren’t confronted with the harsh reality of either spending those first few critical months with our baby or going back to work.”
On becoming “a family.”
When the couple celebrated their first Christmas as a family of four together, they shared a message about how much Lilibet had changed their lives. “This year, 2021, we welcomed our daughter, Lilibet, to the world. Archie made us a ‘Mama’ and a ‘Papa,’ and Lili made us a family. 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 Afghanistan, to American families in need of paid parental leave.”
On trying to keep up with Archie.
When Lilibet learned to walk in April 2022, Prince Harry made it clear she had one priority in mind. “Her current priorities are trying to keep up with her brother; she took her first step just a few days ago!”
On meeting the late Queen Elizabeth.
“I couldn’t stop picturing them with Granny,” Harry wrote in Spare about his children’s meeting with the late Queen Elizabeth. “The final visit. Archie making deep, chivalrous bows, his baby sister Lilibet cuddling the monarch’s shins. Sweetest children, Granny said, sounding bemused. She’d expected them to be a bit more ... American, I think? Meaning, in her mind, more rambunctious.”
On being a good sleeper.
Meghan Markle talked to Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show about Lilibet’s struggle with teething. “She’s a good sleeper, but the teeth are coming in. Any moms will understand that,” the Duchess of Sussex said. “They might be the best sleeper in the world, and the moment that that’s happening, you have so much sympathy for them. So yeah, I've been up most of the night.”
On her future education.
During an episode of her now defunct Archetypes podcast, Meghan shared her hopes for her daughter’s future. “I want my Lili to want to be educated and want to be smart and to pride herself on those things.”
On being “obsessed” with her big brother Archie.
Prince Harry said in January that his daughter Lilibet could be a bit much for her big brother sometimes. “The gap between me and William is very similar to Archie and Lili,” he told ITV’s Tom Bradby. “And to see Lili obsessed with Archie and Archie like, ‘No no, Lili, I need my space, I need my space,’ now I get it.”
On her resemblance to Princess Diana.
Prince Harry said in the final episode of their Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan that he thought his daughter looked like his mother. “I think at the moment, I see a lot of my wife in Archie. I see a lot of my mom in Lili. She’s very Spencer-like. She’s got the same blue eyes. ... Golden-reddish hair.”
On Following In Her Mom’s Footsteps
When asked how she would feel if Archie or Lilibet wanted to become actors, Meghan said on her Archetypes podcast, “I would say, ‘Great!’ When you become a parent, you genuinely want your kids to find the things that bring them complete joy. There are so many people that will talk about what opened the door for my children. But it still takes talent and a lot of grit. We’re creating multidimensional, interesting, kind, creative people. That’s who our kids are.”
Lilibet “Lili” Diana sounds like she has a pretty great life. Her parents adore her, she gets to chase her brother around, she has dogs and a big home where she lives privately. Lucky little girl.
