Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex welcomed their second child, Lilibet Diana, in June of this year but have never shared a photo of her publicly.
Initially, fans hoped to see a snap of the newborn baby girl within days of her birth, as is fairly traditional for royal babies.
But Harry and Meghan opted out of that tradition this time around, and as weeks stretched into months it became clear they couple had no immediate plans to share photos of their little girl.
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex at Sandringham in 2017. (Getty)
Five months after her birth, we still haven’t seen a single glimpse of Lilibet but there are clues that suggest the Duke and Duchess will share their daughter’s first photo with the world very soon – and she probably won’t be alone in the snap.
Each year, members of the royal family release Christmas cards that typically feature family portraits, often including royal children.
Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge often pose for professional family photographs with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to use on their cards.
Though the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are no longer working royals, they have continued to join in on the tradition even after their bombshell royal exit in 2020.
Last year, they released their own Christmas card which featured a rare photo of them with their firstborn, Archie, who is now two.
The snap showed an artistic rendering of the couple cuddled up with their son in a cubby house, the family’s two dogs close by.
While the image wasn’t a traditional portrait, it was clearly based on a real photo of the family and sent royal fans into a spin.
Now, with Christmas just over a month away, royal watchers are hoping that the Sussexes will release a new card for 2021 featuring Lilibet.
Season’s greetings from the Sussexes in 2020. (Image: Mayhew/The Sussex Family)
The image would most likely be another group shot of the entire family, including Meghan, Harry, Archie, Lilibet and possibly even the family pets.
Of course, no details have been revealed as of yet and the duke and duchess may choose to forego the tradition entirely this year – but royal watchers are holding out hope.
It would be the first photo ever released of Lilibet, who has never been seen in public despite massive public interest.
Harry and Meghan made it clear when they stepped down from royal duties in 2020 that they were seeking a more private life for themselves and their children.
Ever since, the pair have been strict about their privacy and security, working hard to keep their two children from prying eyes and public spectacle.
Though both the duke and duchess have stepped out for a number of public appearances in the US since relocating there, they keep their children out of the spotlight and only share details about Archie and Lilibet on very rare occasions.
With that in mind, it’s reasonable to assume the couple will continue to prioritise their children’s privacy if or when they release a Christmas card.
That could mean hiding Archie and Lilibet’s faces, having the children turn away from the camera or opting for another artistic card that disguises the children’s features.
