Festive family photo! Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shared a sweet new shot with their 19-month-old son, Archie, for the 2020 holiday season.
The couple opted for a painted version of their family in their charming Christmas card, which was released on Wednesday, December 23, on the Mayhew charity social media pages. The snap highlighted the family’s life in California alongside their two dogs.
“This year we, as a family, have made donations to several charities with you in mind,” the couple said in a message alongside the watercolor rendering on the charity’s site. “From a local California organization that helps families transition out of homelessness, to two of our U.K. patronages: one that supports animal and community welfare, and the other, a memorial fund for a cherished friend that helps to educate children and fight poverty in Uganda, we have honored their work on behalf of all of us.”
A spokesperson for the family told Hello! on Wednesday that the original photo was “taken at their home earlier this month by The Duchess’s mother.” The image, which shows Archie with red hair like his father, also features holiday decorations. “The small Christmas tree, including the homemade ornaments and other decorations, were selected by Archie, and the tree will be replanted after the holidays,” the spokesperson said.
The card is the first time that Archie has been pictured since his birthday in May when he was seen sitting on his mother’s lap as she read the book, Duck! Rabbit!
The former military pilot, 36, and the Suits alum, 39, will be spending Christmas in California after moving to the United States in March. (The couple previously spent Christmas 2019 in Canada, one month before announcing their decision to step back from their senior duties as royal family members.)
As for Prince William and Duchess Kate, the pair will be home with Prince George, 7, Princess Charlotte, 5, and Prince Louis, 2, for Christmas. The kids “can’t wait,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month.
Archie’s parents were “hoping” to be able to spend the special season in the U.K. this year as well, but the coronavirus pandemic has impacted their travel plans, a source exclusively told Us in September.
“There’s a lot of tradition surrounding the holidays with [Harry’s] family, and they both have really loved that in the past,” the insider said at the time. “They have so much fun over Zoom, and they have bonded through Zoom calls. Harry is so close with his grandmother, [Queen Elizabeth II], and he is excited to get Archie back [to London] so that they can see her.”
The little one was born in May 2019, one year after Harry and Markle’s nuptials.
Last month, the former actress wrote in an op-ed for The New York Times that she had suffered a miscarriage in July while trying to expand their family.
“After changing [Archie’s] diaper, I felt a sharp cramp,” the Los Angeles native wrote in November. “I dropped to the floor with him in my arms, humming a lullaby to keep us both calm, the cheerful tune a stark contrast to my sense that something was not right. I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child, that I was losing my second.”
She and Harry are currently “trying to get pregnant again,” a source exclusively told Us at the time.
Another insider told Us earlier this month that while the pregnancy loss was “absolutely devastating,” the couple are “stronger” for it. “They still struggle to even think about it, but have supported each other through the agony,” the source explained.
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