Why the first picture of Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor could be just weeks away

A picture of Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor has been eagerly anticipated by royal fans ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced her birth and now one could be just weeks away. 

• Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have yet to release the first photograph of their daughter Lilibet Diana, who was born in June. 
• It could be that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s annual Christmas card is used as the perfect way to introduce Lilibet to the world.  
• This royal news comes as Prince Charles cancels HMS Queen Elizabeth tour after a tragic accident. 

The matter of when the first picture of Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor will be shared with the world has been on royal fans’ minds for months now, but the release of an adorable snap could perhaps be closer than they think. Prince Harry might be one of the Queen’s grandchildren and sixth in the royal line of succession, but he and Meghan Markle have been conscious of keeping their children, Archie and Lilibet, out of the royal spotlight. 

Despite rumors that Meghan had circulated the first baby picture of Lilibet with the Royal Family over WhatsApp, fans have yet to see a glimpse of the couple’s daughter, who was born on June 4, 2021. It had been thought that Prince Harry and Meghan could bring Lilibet to the UK this year for a royal Christmas, though it seems this might not happen after all according to recent reports.

But whilst the Duke and Duchess of Sussex might decide to remain in the US for the festive season, that doesn’t mean that another Christmas tradition won’t be going ahead. And if it does happen once again, the first picture of Lilibet Diana could be seen in just a few weeks time. 

Why might a picture of Lilibet Diana be released this Christmas?  

Whilst it’s not yet been confirmed when the first picture of Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor might be released, it’s thought it could possibly come at Christmas as part of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s annual Christmas card. Last year’s Christmas card snap featured Prince Harry, Meghan and Archie surrounded by their dogs, just months before the couple announced Meghan’s pregnancy with Lilibet.

The 2020 Christmas card was shared by Mayhew, an animal welfare charity which Meghan is a Patron of.  Posting the lovely family photo, the caption excitedly declared, “We’re thrilled to receive wonderful Christmas wishes from our Patron, The Duchess of Sussex, who also made a personal donation, helping dogs, cats and our community. From all of us at Mayhew, thank you and Merry Christmas.”

By the time Christmas comes around Lilibet will be six months old, meaning Prince Harry and Meghan might feel happy to share their daughter’s first picture with fans now she’s slightly older. And having shared a snap of the entire family for their card last year, it would perhaps be considered surprising were they to leave their daughter out of the next one. 

If Lilibet does appear alongside her older brother Archie and parents in their 2021 Christmas card photo, it’s likely that the photo will be shared not by the Sussexes directly, but through a charity as they did last year. 

It’s of course possible that Prince Harry and Meghan might opt not to release an official Christmas card at all this year. However, Prince Harry and Meghan could also perhaps choose to share a Christmas photo via their Archewell Foundation website.

It was in a statement shared on their site that the couple announced Lilibet’s birth. Earlier this year, the couple also posted pictures of themselves as children with their moms on the site, showing they’re sometimes happy to share very meaningful pictures there.

What else can we expect from the first picture of Lilibet Diana?

Though Prince Harry and Meghan Markle might well release the first picture of Lilibet this Christmas, royal fans might need to prepare themselves for an artistic approach. Unlike Archie who was born when their parents had not yet decided to “step back” as working royals, Lilibet was welcomed in California. This means that whilst Archie’s first official pictures were taken during a photo-call at Windsor Castle, Lilibet’s might be taken in the style the Sussexes have favored in recent times.

For Archie’s birthday in May, Prince Harry and Meghan shared a new photo of their son holding an adorable bundle of balloons and wearing a sweet, casual outfit of jeans and trainers. His face, however, remained obscured by the balloons, denying fans a glimpse at the now two-year-old’s features. The style of the snap was something commented on at the time by royal biographer Omid Scobie on his The HeirPod podcast. 

He remarked upon the Duke and Duchess’ choice to keep Archie’s face away from the camera, stating, “This was a cute moment. We not only had a new picture from the couple of Archie, in his garden I presume, in jeans and Nikes – which, for a royal kid, is very welcome because I think sometimes the dress code can be a little too traditional.”

Omid went on to add, “This was, I think as we’ve come to experience from the Sussexes, it was a photograph of Archie, but not particularly clear.”

The release of this birthday snap followed months after Prince Harry and Meghan’s 2020 Christmas card, which featured a watercolor style design. Meanwhile, during her recent appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, Meghan Markle shared a photo of Archie feeding chickens, with his head turned away from the camera.

With these recent snaps, including their last Christmas card photo, Prince Harry and Meghan have consistently opted to keep their son’s face private. This suggests that if a picture of Lilibet Diana is shared at Christmas, they could do the same with her.

Either way, royal fans would no doubt be delighted to see the first picture of Lilibet in whichever way the Duke and Duchess of Sussex might choose to share it.