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The Duchess of Sussex celebrated Lilibet’s 4th birthday with a heartfelt Instagram tribute — and a touching nod to big brother Archie

(Left) Meghan Markle and Princess Lilibet in a photo she shared to Instagram on June 4, 2025; (Right) Meghan Markle and Prince Harry at a photo call with Prince Archie at St. George’s Hall at Windsor Castle on May 8, 2019.Credit :

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex/Instagram; Dominic Lipinski – WPA Pool/Getty

A photo Meghan Markle posted for her daughter Princess Lilibet’s birthday also featured a special connection to her son, Prince Archie.

Prince Harry and Meghan’s daughter Lilibet turned 4 on June 4, and the Duchess of Sussex led the celebrations by posting two previously unseen pictures of her and Lilibet to Instagram.

PEOPLE confirms that Princess Lilibet was swaddled in the same merino wool blanket by British knitwear brand G.H. Hurt & Son that her big brother Prince Archie, now 6, wore for the official photo call organized to introduce him to the world when he was two days old.

The iconic British brand that has supplied baby shawls for the royal family since Queen Elizabeth had Prince Charles in 1948.

The newly unveiled picture of Meghan and Lilibet showed Lili as an infant snuggled close to her mother’s chest as the Duchess of Sussex held her daughter in bed. Infant Lili — who seemed to be asleep! — kept cozy in a striped hat as Meghan held her daughter in her arms.

Meghan Markle and Princess Lilibet in a photo she shared to Instagram on June 4, 2025.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex/Instagram

“Happy birthday to our beautiful girl! Four years ago today she came into our lives – and each day is brighter and better because of it,” Meghan wrote below the Instagram carousel, which opened with a more recent shot of her and Lili snuggling close on a boat. “Thanks to all of those sending love and celebrating her special day!”

Prince Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, became a family of four when their daughter Lilibet was born at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California on June 4, 2021, following their step back from their royal roles and U.S. move in 2020. The couple were already parents to Prince Archie, now 6, who made his public debut with more fanfare.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex broke with precedent by introducing their firstborn Archie Harrison at a photo call two days after he was born, instead of on the hospital steps shortly after his arrival. Princess Anne was the first royal mom to debut her baby on the hospital steps the 1970s after welcoming her first child, son Peter, and Princess Diana and the future King Charles followed suit with their sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.

Prince William and Kate Middleton took the tradition into the next generation when all three of their children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, were born, but Harry and Meghan did things differently when Archie arrived.

Instead of posing for photos with their newborn outside the hospital when he was just a few hours old (A moment Princess Kate once described as personally finding “slightly terrifying”,) Prince Harry and Meghan introduced Archie with a more controlled photo op. Prince Archie made his public debut at St. George’s Hall in Windsor Castle on May 8, 2019 when he was two days old, the same location where his parents rang in their wedding luncheon just a year prior.

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and Prince Archie at St. George’s Hall at Windsor Castle on May 8, 2019.

Dominic Lipinski – WPA Pool/Getty

There, the couple swaddled their son in the Ivory White Leaves and Flowers Baby Shawl from G.H. Hurt & Son.

Harry and Meghan kept Archie cozy in the cashmere baby hat from the same knitwear maker that was part of a set that included mittens.

“The staff here are over the moon,” Richard Taylor, director at G.H.Hurt & Son, told PEOPLE at the time. “We thought Harry and Meghan might do something slightly different because their modus operandi has been to do new things, so I think it’s really nice that they are also keeping some family traditions as well.”

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and Prince Archie at a photo call at St. George’s Hall at Windsor Castle on May 8, 2019.

Dominic Lipinski – WPA Pool/Getty

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The Ivory Leaves and Flowers Baby Shawl takes three days to make and is produced by eight people, and currently retails for $312.

“I can’t tell you how amazing it is from the point of view of a small business like us – it gives us the platform to promote what is a very traditional, artisan craft and something we have enjoyed doing for over 100 years!” Taylor added about having the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as customers.