Queen shares sweet throwback photo of Sussex family in honor of great-grandson Archie's 2nd birthday

The Queen shared a sweet throwback photo of her great-grandson Archie for his 2nd birthday as she showcased her close bond with the Sussex family.

• The Queen has posted a heartfelt picture of Archie with his proud parents Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan as she wished him a happy 2nd birthday. 
• This is the second birthday Archie has spent in California and Her Majesty showcased her enduring bond with the Sussex family on this special day. 
• In other royal news, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge make a major Instagram change—but what does this mean?

The Queen has shared a special throwback photo in honor of her great-grandson Archie Mountbatten-Windsor’s 2nd birthday. Since Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior members of the Royal Family, Archie has spent both his birthdays in California. It’s understood the Queen has a special relationship with Meghan and Archie and loves family Zoom calls with him, though it has sadly been over a year since they last saw each other in person.

Despite the geographical distance between them, however, Archie is clearly in her thoughts as the Queen posted an adorable photo for his birthday. In it, Archie is wrapped up in a white baby blanket with an adorable matching hat, held by his beaming father Prince Harry. Duchess Meghan is standing beside Harry, her hand supportively resting on his arm.

The photo’s caption read simply: ‘Wishing Archie Mountbatten-Windsor a very happy 2nd birthday today. 🎈’

This beautiful photo was taken back in 2019, two days after Archie was born. Instead of opting for the traditional photograph taken outside the hospital, Harry and Meghan decided that the first pictures of their newborn son should be taken at Windsor Castle where they introduced him to the world. 

The Queen’s decision to post this particular snap on Archie’s birthday is not only a lovely reminder of his arrival, but also a heart-warming reflection of the enduring bond between Her Majesty and the Sussex family. 

This comes after rumors of a rift between the Royal Family and the Sussexes emerged in the aftermath of Harry and Meghan’s shocking tell-all Oprah interview, which aired earlier this year.

This saw the couple make a series of revelations, including Meghan’s shocking claim that an unnamed member of the Royal Family commented on Archie’s skin color before he was born. As might have been expected by royal fans, the Queen’s response to grandson Harry and Meghan’s interview was “careful and constructive”.

The official Buckingham Palace statement reiterated that: “Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved family members.”

The Queen's birthday photo choice reflects this sentiment, as do reports that Prince Harry saw her privately when he flew back to the UK to attend Prince Philip’s funeral last month. Harry officially missed the Queen's 95th birthday after returning to the US to reunite with pregnant Meghan and Archie. But according to Harper’s Bazaar, he met Her Majesty privately on at least two occasions whilst back in the UK.

“The love and respect he has for his grandmother will always be unwavering” a source also previously revealed to them. 

This is something Prince Harry also declared during his and Meghan’s interview with Oprah. When asked whether the Queen was “blindsided” by their decision to step back, he replied: "No, I would never blindside my grandmother, I have too much respect for her."

The respect and love between the Queen and the Sussex family comes through brilliantly in her choice of birthday photo for Archie.