Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Celebrate Daughter Lilibet’s 2nd Birthday

Jun 04, 2023 by apost team

Every so often, the public is treated to an inside view of the private life of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The royal couple stays relatively quiet outside of curated press releases and rare public appearances. So when one of their children is celebrating their birthday, royal fans bask in the enjoyment of celebrating the big day as well.

Harry and Meghan had an adorable start to their relationship. Set up on a blind date in July 2016, the pair hit it off instantly. Harry revealed to Vogue, “I was beautifully surprised when I walked into that room and saw her. I was like, I’m really going to have to up my game here.”

A few weeks later, Harry was whisking Meghan off to Botswana on a romantic sojourn, according to Town & Country. The couple later described this trip as bringing them together and starting their relationship. The country and their trip would become special to the couple over the years – so special that the center diamond of Meghan's three-stone engagement ring would come from Botswana.

The couple said “I do” in a private ceremony three days before their public wedding on May 19, 2018. 

June 4, 2023, marks the second birthday of Harry and Meghan’s daughter Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor. The tiny tot was born in Santa Monica, California. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex first announced that they were expecting their second child on Valentine's Day in 2021, only to reveal the baby's sex during the March 2021 interview special "Oprah with Meghan and Harry."

Read on to learn more about Lilibet’s birthdays over the years.

For months before the announcement of the birth of Lilibet, people across the world wondered if Harry would choose to pay tribute to his mother and grandmother with the birth of his daughter. Royal watchers had previously predicted that Harry and Meghan would choose to honor both the late Queen Elizabeth II and the late Prince Philip by picking a meaningful name for their daughter, according to Express UK. 

The statement from the couple released about their daughter’s birth read, "It is with great joy that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcome their daughter, Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world." 

The statement continued, "Lili was born on Friday, June 4 at 11:40 a.m. in the trusted care of the doctors and staff at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA. She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz. Both mother and child are healthy and well, and settling in at home."

The baby girl's name is truly meaningful as well, as all royal fans would know, and this was also addressed in the statement. "Lili is named after her late great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother and former Princess of Wales, Princess Diana.

Harry and Meghan's spokesperson concluded their statement, "This is the second child for the couple, who also have a two-year-old son named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. The Duke and Duchess thank you for your warm wishes and prayers as they enjoy this special time as a family."

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“My husband and I are thrilled to soon be welcoming a daughter,” Meghan said of her second-born child in May 2021, ahead of her birth. “It’s a feeling of joy we share with millions of other families around the world. When we think of her, we think of all the other families around the globe who must be given the ability and support to lead us forward. Their future leadership depends on the decisions we make and the actions we take now to set them up and to set all of us up for a successful, equitable and compassionate tomorrow.”

Lilibet’s first birthday in June 2022 was quite the event. Elizabeth had yet to meet her youngest great-grandchild up until the time of her Platinum Jubilee during the same timeframe and had actually only seen Lilibet through virtual means of communication due to outside circumstances.

As PEOPLE magazine was told by a source close to the couple, Elizabeth was the first to meet little Lili via a video call. PEOPLE had already reported beforehand that the late queen had known Harry and Meghan wanted to pass her nickname down to their daughter.

Us Weekly reported that the late queen and Lilibet did indeed meet in June 2022, just a few short months before Elizabeth passed in September 2022. An insider shared:

“After reluctantly pulling out of Party at the Palace, spending time with her great-grandchildren and seeing Lilibet turn 1 added some light to her day. She thinks they’re adorable and gave Lili and Archie gifts.”

Harry and Meghan also celebrated their daughter’s first birthday by releasing a stunning photo of her. Since the pair had been extremely private about sharing pictures of their children, fans were thrilled when the couple finally released the professional photograph of Lilibet. Posted by photographer Misan Harriman, the beautiful portrait has caught the attention of royal enthusiasts around the world. The picture has captured the hearts of people all over the world.

The post was captioned, "It was such a privilege to celebrate the 1st birthday of Lilibet with my family and hers! Joy and face painting all around ❤️🎂🎉" 

The photo featured a beaming Lilibet wearing a baby blue dress with a white bow in her hair. The photo quickly became an internet sensation and has been spread through many news outlets. Like her brother Archie, Lilibet has inherited her father's signature red hair! 

Before her second birthday, Lilibet was christened in March 2023, as per E! News. Although Prince William, Kate Middleton, King Charles III and Queen Camilla were invited to the event in California, they did not attend. Lilibet’s older brother, Archie, was in attendance, as well as her grandmother Doria Ragland and godfather Tyler Perry.

According to The News, plans for Lilibet’s second birthday appeared relaxed as it was reported that Harry and Meghan were throwing a small party for their daughter at their home in Montecito, with a few friends and their children invited.

We hope that Lilibet had a wonderful birthday and can’t wait to see how she continues to grow up!

What do you think about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s family? Can you believe how fast Lilibet is growing? Let us know what you think — and be sure to pass the great news of Lili's birthday on to friends and family members.