Meghan Markle’s post celebrating Princess Lilibet’s fifth birthday quickly became the subject of intense online debate, with fans and commentators raising questions about details they claimed were concerning. The photos shared on Meghan’s Instagram account on Thursday, June 4, featured the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry alongside the birthday girl, but the absence of seven-year-old Prince Archie and the children’s appearance drew significant attention.Princess Lilibet, born on June 4, 2021, is the second child of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Captioning the post with a white heart emoji, Meghan wrote, “Our dream girl. Happy 5th birthday, Lili,” with the comments section turned off.
What the birthday photos showed
The first image featured a candid family moment in the garden of their Montecito home, with Prince Harry holding his daughter in his arms while Meghan stood beside them smiling. As in many of their recent photos, Lilibet faced away from the camera, with her strawberry-blonde hair covering her face to protect her privacy.The second image showed the young princess walking barefoot through the grass in a white embroidered sundress, reaching out to touch bright blue-purple flowers.
Why Prince Archie’s absence drew attention
One of the most discussed aspects of the post was the noticeable absence of Lilibet’s older brother. According to comments compiled by Bored Panda, reactions online were swift and pointed. “Poor Archie… Dudes nowhere to be seen,” one user wrote. “Ah yes, family portrait with one child missing,” added another, while a third commented, “Lily is being prepared for a business venture with mumsie. No boys allowed, apparently.“Several users also questioned the body language in the images. “Is it me or does the body language never quite ‘land’, like bad stock photography?” one skeptic wrote. “The kids are strangers to Meghan, and therefore there’s no familiarity or warmth in their interactions. Harry is more natural with them, but there’s still something a bit off with him,” another commenter observed.
Questions about the children’s appearance
Some viewers also took issue with Lilibet’s appearance in the photos, with one user writing, “No shoes, or socks or slip, thin, sleeveless dress. Unbrushed hair, yet both parents are wearing long sleeves, heavy fabric attire. If it feels cold to you, it’s cold to the child.” Others pushed back on what they called the performative nature of the post. “It’s so performative and attention-seeking. If you really value your privacy and want to shield your children from the public eye, then simply stop posting photos of them on social media every 5 minutes,” one commenter wrote.
The hypocrisy debate
The birthday post also reignited debate about Meghan’s recent speech at the inauguration of The Lost Screen Memorial in Geneva, Switzerland, ahead of the opening of the 79th World Health Assembly, where she argued that making online spaces safer for children was “not simply a technology issue” but a “public health issue.” Many online pointed to the timing of the post as contradictory to that message.PR experts, however, offered a different perspective. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Megan Dooley noted that the appearances were “very selective and intentional rather than casual and unplanned.” She added, “Meghan is allowing more of a glimpse behind the curtain into their family life, carefully curated, of course, to support the positioning of her lifestyle brand as warm and aspirational, with its roots in home, motherhood, and authenticity.“The birthday post came as Meghan continues to expand her public profile, with her lifestyle brand continuing to grow and a second season of her cooking and lifestyle show ‘With Love, Meghan’ expected to arrive later this year.
