Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s daughter - who is named after the late Queen and given the middle name Diana after Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, is set to celebrate her third birthday today and it seems her celebrations have already begun.
Speaking to People magazine, an insider close to the California-based couple , revealed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s closest friends and family gathered at their Montecito home for a pre-birthday party for the young princess.
While it’s unclear if there will be another event to mark the day today, it’s understood Lilibet had some of her friends at the party.
Unfortunately for fans of the young princess, the couple are unlikely to release any photographs to mark the occasion, as unlike Prince William and Princess Kate, Harry and Meghan have not adopted the tradition of sharing pictures of their children - including Prince Archie, 5, on their birthdays.
The couple rarely share snaps of the young prince and princess after choosing to raise them away from the spotlight since leaving royal duties in 2020.
Lilibet’s birthday comes just one month after her brother’s. The US news outlet reported the young prince celebrated his birthday on May 6 - which coincided with the anniversary of King Charles’ coronation - with a low-key celebration at home.
While speaking to Good Morning America earlier this year ahead of the 2025 Invictus Games, Harry gavea rare update about parenthood, confessing he is “grateful” to be a father.
When asked what he’s like as a parent, Harry joked, “I can’t tell you. That’s classified. It’s top secret!”
“No, the kids are doing great,” he added. “The kids are growing up like all kids do, very, very fast. They’ve both got an incredible sense of humour and make us laugh and keep us grounded every single day, like most kids do. I’m just grateful to be a dad.”
The couple welcomed Archie on May 6, 2019 in the UK, and Lilibet on June 4, 2021 at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, California.
In his book, Spare, Harry recalled how he felt the moment his first daughter was born.
“I wanted to say: Hello. I wanted to say: Where have you come from? I wanted to say: Is it better there? Is it peaceful? Are you frightened? Don’t be, don’t be, all will be well. I’ll keep you safe.”
Meanwhile, Meghan has spoken about her wishes for her daughter on her Archetypes podcast, “I want my Lili to want to be educated and want to be smart and to pride herself on those things,” she shared.
Archie and Lilibet became Prince and Princess in 2023, following Charles’s coronation. The title change follows a precedent established by King George V and a Letters Patent in 1917, which meant the title of prince or princess would be conferred on male-line grandchildren of the monarch.