Prince Harry and Meghan Makle style their five-year-old son Prince Archie in a pair of jeans in Christmas card snap despite princes usually wearing shorts at that age
From Princes George and Louis to a young Prince Harry and Prince William, young royal boys are often spotted wearing shorts – rather than trousers – when accompanying their parents on official duties.
Yet Prince Archie, five, was dressed much more relaxed in the Duke and Duchess of Sussex‘s Christmas card, with the King’s grandson sporting a pair of blue jeans and a green jacket.
Likely thanks to his parents, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, no longer being working royals, and the casual nature of the snap, Archie was dressed in a pair of trousers, rather than shorts.
His cousins, Princes George, now 11, and Louis, six, would often be photographed sporting adorable shorts and knee-high socks when they were younger.
Prince Louis, for instance, opted for that ensemble when he attended Sandringham in 2022 for Christmas Day alongside his family members.
Speaking to PEOPLE magazine previously, Editor-in-Chief of Majesty magazine Ingrid Seward explained: ‘It is considered very suburban for a little boy to be in long trousers when he is just a little boy.
‘It is shorts until you’re 8 and then “woo, you’re in long trousers”. They suddenly feel very grown up,’ added the royal expert.
However, on special occasions exceptions are sometimes made, and George wore trousers publicly for the first time in 2018 when he acted as a Page Boy for Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie‘s weddings.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have released their new holidays card, featuring a rare glimpse of their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet
Previously, etiquette expert William Hanson told Femail that Kate put her son exclusively in shorts as it’s an aristocratic way to dress.
He claimed that shorts on young boys are, in fact, a silent British class marker and trousers are deemed ‘suburban’, which no self-respecting royal would want to be considered.
‘Catherine has to dress her own children and find a balance between royal tradition and heritage and more proletariat customs, such as the “suburban” habit of making young boys wear trousers,’ he explained.
‘Although I don’t really think that the sartorial rule of shorts for young boys would be a new one for Catherine.
‘I would suspect that her own mother and mother’s friends knew this – as more well-heeled middle class mothers do – and dressed their own boys accordingly.’
Meanwhile, Princess Lilibet appeared to be taking inspiration from her older cousin Princess Charlotte in Prince Harry and Meghan’s new holiday card.
The season’s greetings from the Archewell Foundation featured a photograph of the couple’s rarely seen children Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three.
It is the first time the public have seen Lilibet in two years, with a photo last released for her first birthday in 2022.
Prince Louis pictured at Sandringham in 2022 for Christmas Day alongside his family members
In the portrait used for the Wales family Christmas card in 2017, taken during the royal tour of Poland and Germany earlier the same year, Prince George was again wearing the shorts we had become accustomed to seeing him in
The season’s greetings from Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Foundation showcased the highlights of the Sussexes’ year, including pictures from their four-day visit to Colombia in August
A very grown-up Lilibet was seen with her mother’s long flowing hair and sporting a very familiar dress.
Though the photo was taken from a distance Lilibet could be seen lovingly running towards her father Prince Harry, wearing a sweet spotted dress in baby blue with white socks.
It’s a style that is beloved by Princess Charlotte, nine, who has often been seen in a very similar take on the patterned dress with a similar cut. However, it’s not known if the cousins have ever met.
In 2018, Charlotte was seen wearing a light-blue dress with a floral pattern and white collar as she visited St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington to see her baby brother Prince Louis.
In recent years, the middle Wales child has given a sophisticated twist to her beloved look, adding dark-blue tights and Mary Janes when attending the Easter Sunday service with her mother Kate in 2023 – paired with a £65 blue patterned dress from Rachel Riley.
As she attended Wimbledon in summer 2023, Charlotte once again made known her taste for her favourite design, choosing a £169 lightly floral dress speckled with blue flowers from Spanish brand Friki.
Royal fans were quick make comparisons, with one writing: ‘Why is Lilibet dressed like Princess Charlotte!’ Another noted: ‘It’s Princess Charlotte right down to the socks.’
And Lili wasn’t the only one who appeared to be taking inspiration from the Waleses, despite the long distance between Montecito in California and Windsor in the UK.
Meanwhile, Princess Lilibet appeared to be taking inspiration from her older cousin Princess Charlotte (pictured in 2018) in Prince Harry and Meghan’s new holiday card
In recent years, the middle Wales child has given a sophisticated twist to her beloved look, adding dark-blue tights and Mary Janes when attending the Easter Sunday service with her mother Kate in 2023
Harry and Meghan themselves seemed to reflect William and Kate’s own body language with their children, crouching down to hug them and demonstrating their close bond.
The season’s greetings from Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Foundation showcased the highlights of the Sussexes’ year, including pictures from their four-day visit to Colombia in August.
The card was shared on X/Twitter by the Sussexes’ long-time friend and royal reporter Omid Scobie.
Scobie, who wrote the couple’s biography Finding Freedom, captioned his post: ‘The Sussexes share highlights of their year on the 2024 Archewell holiday card.’
One of the pictures featured on the festive card showed Princess Lilibet running into Prince Harry’s waiting arms, while Meghan, 42, held her arms open for a hug from Prince Archie.
The couple’s three dogs were also a part of the family portrait that was released on Monday.
Reacting to the image, royal fans said they couldn’t believe how old Archie, five, and Lilibet, three, had become – with Harry and Meghan’s children rarely being spotted in public.
One comment read: ‘The kids are so big.’ Another person added: ‘Look at the kids. They have grown so much.’
It wasn’t just Lilibet who prompted comparisons – as Harry and Meghan’s body language was remarkably similar to William and Kate with their children. Pictured at a children’s party for military families in 2016
Kate was also pictured crouching down to a much younger Prince George and Princess Charlotte at Victoria Airport in 2016
As she attended Wimbledon in summer 2023, Charlotte once again made known her taste for her favourite design – choosing a lightly floral dress speckled with blue flowers
The last official photograph of Princess Lilibet was released on the occasion of her first birthday in June, 2022, when the Sussexes gave the world a rare glimpse of their daughter
A third X user noted the children’s bright red hair, like their father, the Duke of Sussex.
The card also included a personal message from the Sussexes, which read: ‘On behalf of the office of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Archewell Productions and Archewell Foundations.
‘We wish you a very Happy Holiday Season and a joyful new year.’
Several people were delighted to see a ‘glimpse of the kiddos’ on the new card, with one person adding: ‘So cute to see a picture of their children. ‘They are really redheads!’
Another comment read: ‘Okay so of course I went right to the photo of the kids!! Red heads!! Just like my grandkids!! I love it!!’ A third user exclaimed: ‘Omg. There [sic] babies have such red hair!!’
Earlier this month, it was revealed Prince Harry and Meghan will not be joining the royal family for Christmas this year as they have reportedly not been invited to the festivities.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex haven’t received an invitation to the royals’ Christmas at Sandringham, it has been reported.
They are expected to spend the festive holidays in America instead with their children Archie and Lilibet.
A photo of the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan, during a visit to a kindergarten school in Colombia
Prince Harry plants a kiss on Meghan’s forehead in a photo taken during their four-day visit to Colombia in August
Prince Harry and Meghan recently released their new Netflix docuseries about polo that has been widely panned by critics
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex relocated to Montecito, California, after they stepped down as senior members of The Firm in January 2020.
Meghan previously revealed how the Sussexes celebrate the holidays in America in an interview with Marie Claire, noting the festivities are always ‘low-key’.
She said: ‘We’re always making sure we have something to do,’ the Duchess told the magazine. ‘Like any other family, you spend time having a great meal and then what do you do? Play games, all the same stuff, someone brings a guitar – fun.’
The former Suits actress also stressed the importance of making ‘room at your table for your friends who don’t have family’ such as feminist icon Gloria Steinem, who once joined the Sussexes’ Thanksgiving party.
Meghan, who married Harry in 2018, added it is important to the couple that Archie and Lilibet experience the ‘magic’ of festive traditions such as putting out ‘carrots for the reindeer’ at Christmas.
