Meghan Markle and Prince Harry wished the world a happy holiday season by offering a peek into their family life.

For the first time in years, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex included their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in their seasonal greeting, but they did so with a notable twist that underscores their commitment to privacy.

Highlights

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry shared a holiday card featuring their kids for first time in years.

“We wish you a very happy holiday season and a joyful new year,” said the family of four.

In true Sussex fashion, Archie and Lilibet’s faces remained hidden, a move aligned with their ongoing efforts to protect their privacy.

“Harry has been reluctant to show his children publicly, not out of a desire to hide them but to protect their privacy and safety from potential threats,” a friend of the couple said.

While some royal fans praised the photo for its warmth and beauty, others criticized it and went as far as saying there is “no way those kids on the card are theirs.”

On December 16, the Sussexes released a holiday card featuring a collage of six photographs, which included the royal couple during their trips to Columbia and Nigeria this year.

One of the pictures also showed the family of four with their three beloved dogs—Guy, Pula, and Momma Mia. The scene was idyllic: the children, Archie, 5, and Lilibet, 3, joyfully running toward their parents in an outdoor setting.

Yet, in keeping with their cautious approach, the children’s faces remained hidden, emphasizing their ongoing effort to shield them from public scrutiny.

“On behalf of the office of Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Archewell Productions and Archewell Foundation. We wish you a very happy holiday season and a joyful new year,” read the message accompanying the heartfelt images.

The collage of photos they shared marked the first time in years that their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, have been featured

The holiday card sparked discussions online, with supporters applauding the couple’s commitment to privacy, while critics questioned its authenticity.

“I’m sure Diana would be so proud of Harry for protecting his family. It’s a beautiful picture,” one social media user commented, while another said, “Beautiful photo beautiful family and I applaud them for protecting their children in today’s world!!”

Other comments took a harsher tone, with one accusing the famous mother-of-two, saying it’s the “best acting she ever did.”

“Something off about that picture. I’m a retired nursery teacher & I’ve never seen a 3 Yr old that big & Archie looks like a completely different child-again,” one bluntly said.

Another wrote, “There is no way those kids on the card are theirs … the girl looks like she’s 6 or seven and the boy looks too old to be 5.”

The recent holiday card marks the first time in three years that Archie and Lilibet have appeared in their holiday card.

The last memorable instance was in 2021, when the family shared a holiday portrait by debuting the first public photo of Lilibet, who had been born just months earlier.

In true Sussex fashion, Archie and Lilibet’s faces remained hidden, a move aligned with their ongoing efforts to protect their privacy

Image credits: Archewell Foundation

In 2020, Meghan and Harry announced that they were stepping back as “senior” royals. They then left the UK to raise their family in a quieter setting in the US.

Since stepping back from royal duties and settling in Montecito, California, the couple has been steadfast in raising their children outside the media spotlight.

A friend of the couple recently told People that Harry’s approach to parenting stems from a desire to safeguard his kids from “kidnapping or harm.”

“Harry has been reluctant to show his children publicly, not out of a desire to hide them but to protect their privacy and safety from potential threats,” the friend told People.

The card sparked intense online debate, with critics accusing the photo of being staged or inauthentic

Image credits: Netflix

“He wants them to lead as normal a life as possible without the fear of kidnapping or harm,” they added.

This protective instinct is personal for Harry, who has often spoken about his late mother, Princess Diana, and the relentless media intrusion she faced, according to the friend.

“As a dad and husband, Harry is determined to ensure that history doesn’t repeat itself,” the source added.

The Duke’s concerns about security have pushed him to fight for increased protections for his family, particularly in the UK.

Earlier this year, he lost a legal challenge to secure automatic security for himself and his loved ones when visiting his home country. He reportedly plans to appeal the decision.

“Our kids are young; they’re three and five. They’re amazing. But all you want to do as parents is protect them,” the Duchess of Sussex said earlier this year

Image credits: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The couple also launched The Parents’ Network, in association with the couple’s charitable Archewell Foundation this year. The group, which includes parents who have directly or indirectly lost a child after exposure to online threats, offers families help to protect children from digital harm.

During the launch, Meghan also expressed her wish to protect her two young children as well during the conversation.

“Our kids are young; they’re three and five. They’re amazing. But all you want to do as parents is protect them,” she told CBS News Sunday Morning during the August launch.

“And so, as we can see what’s happening in the online space, we know that there’s a lot of work to be done there, and we’re just happy to be able to be a part of change for good,” she continued.

“Girl child looks [the] same size as [the] boy child – aren’t they like 2 years apart?” asked one social media user

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