LOOK: Duke and Duchess of Sussex release rare photos of little Lilibet

Britain's Prince Harry, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Zara Tindall leave after attending the National Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London. Picture: Reuters

Britain's Prince Harry, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Zara Tindall leave after attending the National Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London. Picture: Reuters

Published Jun 7, 2022

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One of the candid shots taken by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s close family friend Misan Harriman during Lili's birthday party last weekend shows the child grinning in a pale blue frock.

She’s also seen wearing a white ribbon on her red hair inherited from her dad, 37.

A second black and white shot shows the duchess, 40, known as Meghan before marrying Harry, clutching her daughter in her arms and smiling for the camera.

The pair and their three-year-old son Archie celebrated Lili's first birthday on Saturday while the family were in Britain for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, which celebrated the 96-year-old monarch’s record 70-year reign.

Other royals and their children believed to have been invited to the event at Harry and Meghan’s Frogmore Cottage home in the Windsor estate, included Zara and Mike Tindall’s children Mia, eight, Lena, three, and Lucas, one.

Peter Phillips' and Autumn Kelly’s daughters Savannah, 11, and Isla, 10, are also thought to have attended.

Other guests likely to have been at the birthday celebration include Archie’s godfather Charlie Van Straubenzee, 34.

Misan posted the message on Instagram, where she uploaded the images of Lili: “It was such a privilege to celebrate the first birthday of Lilibet with my family and hers! Joy and face painting all around.”

She added a heart and cake emoji to the note.

A source told The Sun about the birthday party: “It was a lovely do and had everything you’d expect from a child’s birthday party.

“But there was no formal entertainment. The idea was for it to be very relaxed and casual, with people free to pop in and out as they wished.

“It was a nice opportunity for the other royal children to meet Lilibet for the first time.”

One of Lili's favourite presents was believed to have been a £75 pink Volkswagen Beetle ride-on toy.

According to Harper’s Bazaar, Violet Bakery's Claire Ptak, who produced Harry and Meghan's 2018 wedding cake, created a custom cake for the special day.

It is understood the Queen first sat down with Lili – named Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor in tribute to Princess Diana and the monarch – on Thursday or Friday. (03.06.22)

It is not known if Her Majesty attended Lili’s party, which came after she backed out of two key events when she suffered “discomfort” on the first day of celebrations while waving at tens of thousands of fans from the balcony of Buckingham Palace and watching a 70-aircraft RAF flyover in her honour.

The Sussexes returned to California on Sunday (05.06.22) before the end of the Jubilee festivities and their assistants were seen what appeared to be presents for Lili and Archie on arrival.