Prince Harry and Meghan Markle share first photo of Lilibet on their Christmas card

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have shared their first photo of baby Lilibet Diana on their family Christmas card, including a nod to Princess Diana.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry shared the first photo of their daughter, Lilibet “Lili” Diana, as part of their 2021 Christmas card, released six months after the birth of their second child.

In the casual and relaxed family snapshot, Meghan, 39, is seen holding Lili up in the air while Harry, 36, sits next to them with the Sussexes’ firstborn child, 2-year-old son Archie Harrison, on his lap.

Harry, Archie and Lili are all barefoot and wearing faded jeans in the family portrait, while Lili, who is laughing delightedly, is wearing a white dress to match her big brother’s white button-down shirt.

“This year, 2021, we welcomed our daughter, Lilibet, to the world,” the card says. “Archie made us a ‘Mama’ and a ‘Papa,’ and Lili made us a family.

Royal photographer Alexi Lubomirski, who took this photo, also photographed Harry and Meghan’s engagement photos.

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and their children Archie and Lilibet. Picture: Supplied

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, release their 2021 family Christmas card featuring the first photo of daughter Lilibet Diana: “Archie made us a ‘Mama’ and a ‘Papa’, and Lili made us a family” 🤎 pic.twitter.com/mlhfEMGshF

— Dionne Grant (@DionneGrant) December 23, 2021

Instead of captioned “Merry Christmas”, the card said “Happy Holidays”, as is more common in the United States.

The couple also announced that their Archewell Foundation will be making donations this Christmas holidays to various organisations that support families, including Team Rubicon and Paid Leave for All.

“As we look forward to 2022 we have made donations on your behalf to several organizations that honor and protect families - from those being relocated from Afghanistan to American famiilies in need of paid parental leave.”

Lubomirski, the photographer behind the Sussexes’ Christmas card, took to Instagram to share his work.

He wrote: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Archie and Lilibet. This is one of those rare and special projects, that one is fortunate enough to be a part of.

“To be able to continue the story of this family whom I first photographed as an engaged couple, then on the day of their wedding, as a married couple and now seeing their love manifest into two beautiful children, has been a delightful honour.

The Sussexes’ Christmas card shows a happy baby Lilibet.

“Anyone who has seen my #allloveseries, will know that one of the greatest joys I receive from photography, is when I am able to photograph “love” in some form or another.

“To be trusted by your subjects enough, to open themselves up and have their connection documented and translated into an image, is one of the greatest gifts a photographer can have.

“This day with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was one such joyous experience, and one that I feel extremely privileged to have been invited to capture. X”

Meghan and Harry welcomed Lilibet Diana on 4 June at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California.

“She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we’ve felt from across the globe,” the Sussexes said in a statement at the time.

Lili is eighth in line to the British throne and is named in honour of the prince’s paternal grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and his late mother, Princess Diana. Lilibet is the Queen’s family nickname.

HIDDEN CLUE THAT HARRY IS INCLUDING DIANA IN THE CARD

Those who look closely at the image will notice that Prince Harry - pictured in a pair of ripped jeans, blue shirt and a beaded bracelet on his wrist - has deliberately chosen his accessory to amplify the message of supporting family during this time.

It’s believed the Duke of Sussex acquired the bracelet during a trip to Africa, shortly after his mum Princess Diana died tragically, and over the years, Harry has come to associate the bracelet with keeping her memory alive.

The family portrait contains a tribute to Princess Diana

Harry wears the bracelet he acquired on a trip to Africa after Diana’s death

In a past interview, Harry revealed he first visited Africa in 1997 after his mother died and as an adult he took up some of the causes she had championed there.

“I first came [to Africa] in 1997, straight after my mum died,” he explained.

“My dad told my brother and me to pack our bags — we were going to Africa to get away from it all,” The Sun reported.

Princess Diana had exposed the humanitarian crisis of landmines when she famously walked through an area being cleared of explosives in Huambo, Angola.

Three years ago, Prince Harry continued his mother’s work when he visited the same site and recreated the iconic photo.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex visiting the minefield in Angola in 2019 and his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, during her visit in 1997. Picture: The HALO Trust / AFP

The Duke of Sussex has rarely been seen without the bracelet in the past 25 years and wore it when he introduced his son Archie to the world in 2019.

Africa has additional personal resonance for the couple as it’s where Harry took Meghan on a romantic trip ahead of their engagement in 2017.

Before stepping down as senior working royals in January 2020, the Duke and Duchess completed a royal tour of Africa - where Prince Harry visited Huambo Orthopaedic Centre which has now been renamed after his mother.

The new card marks a clear change in direction for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have hidden their children’s faces in previous social media photos.

Archie’s second birthday in May was marked with a photo of him with his back to the camera.

During the couple’s bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview and Prince Harry’s mental health documentary, Archie made a small cameo but royal watchers could not get a closer look until now.

Meghan and Harry famously defected from the royal family in early 2020 and after a brief stint in Canada now live in a mansion in Montecito, California.