She has her father’s hair. That’s the first thing everyone notices, isn’t it? That unmistakable, fiery Spencer red. Honestly, seeing Princess Lilibet now photos in 2026 feels like a rare reward for royal watchers who have spent years catching only the tiniest glimpses of the Sussex children.
It’s a far cry from the traditional royal rollout. You know the one. The stiff, staged portraits on the steps of a hospital or the perfectly curated birthday shots released by Kensington Palace. With Lilibet, everything is different. It’s "Montecito style"—blurry garden runs, candid kitchen moments, and snapshots that feel more like a friend's Instagram feed than a royal archive.
The 2026 Shift: Why we’re seeing more of Lili
For a long time, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle kept their daughter, now four years old, under what felt like a total media blackout. It made sense. They left the UK to escape the "goldfish bowl," and they weren't about to toss their daughter into it. But lately, things have shifted.
Basically, as Meghan has grown her lifestyle brand—now famously known as As Ever—Lilibet has become a soft-focus star of that world. We aren't getting formal "Princess" portraits. Instead, we’re getting the "jigsaw" version of Lilibet. A hand picking strawberries. A silhouette against the California sunset. The back of a head with waist-length red curls.
Recent sightings and the "Spencer Gene"
If you’ve seen the latest images shared via the Archewell Foundation or Meghan’s As Ever updates, the physical change is wild. She isn't a baby anymore.
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- The 2025 Christmas Card: This was a big one. It featured the clearest image we’ve had in years. Lilibet was seen holding Meghan’s hand, wearing a butter-yellow cardigan—apparently the "it" color of the season.
- The Strawberry Patch Snap: To mark the first day of spring in 2025, a photo showed Lili in a grey jumper, busy with a basket of berries.
- The "Jam-Making" Video: In a clip that went viral on TikTok and Instagram, Lilibet’s voice was actually heard. She was helping her mom mash fruit for a batch of homemade jam.
People are obsessed with how much she looks like a mini-Harry. It’s that "Spencer gene" Harry always talks about. The red hair is vibrant, often tied back in a messy scrunchie as she runs through their Montecito garden. Honestly, she looks like a kid who spends 90% of her time barefoot and outside.
The Privacy Paradox: Are the photos "staged"?
There is a lot of debate among royal experts—like those over at HELLO! or People—about how these photos are released. Some critics argue that by using Lilibet in brand-adjacent content, Harry and Meghan are doing exactly what they said they wouldn't.
But if you look closely at the Princess Lilibet now photos, they are fundamentally different from the paparazzi shots of the past. They are controlled. They are personal. You rarely see her looking directly at the camera. It’s a way for the Sussexes to say, "We’ll show you our life, but only on our terms."
I think it's also about safety. Harry has been very vocal about his legal battles regarding security in the UK. By keeping Lili’s face somewhat "protected" in photos, he's maintaining a barrier that wasn't afforded to him as a child.
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Why the world is still so obsessed
Lilibet Diana occupies a weird space in the world. She’s seventh in line to the British throne. She’s a Princess. But she’s also a dual-citizen American kid who probably says "trash" instead of "rubbish" and "sidewalk" instead of "pavement."
There's a fascination with how she’ll bridge those two worlds. Will she ever stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace? Reports from early 2026 suggest that Harry’s security situation in the UK might finally be shifting, which could mean Lilibet and her brother Archie might actually make a trip to see King Charles soon. If that happens, the "now photos" we see won't just be garden snaps—they’ll be global headlines.
What the latest images tell us about her personality
Meghan has described Lilibet as having a "strong personality." In recent clips, you can see her "pretending to be a grown-up lady," as her mom put it during the Invictus Games 2025 events.
- She’s active: Almost every photo shows her moving—running, picking fruit, or playing with their dogs.
- She’s creative: The jam-making and the "helping" in the kitchen seem to be a recurring theme.
- The sibling bond: In the accidental reveal from Gloria Steinem’s office (where a private photo was spotted), Lili was seen beaming while Archie played nearby. They seem incredibly close.
How to find authentic Princess Lilibet photos
Look, the internet is full of "deepfakes" and "reborn" doll photos claiming to be the young Princess. It’s annoying. To find the real Princess Lilibet now photos, you have to stick to the primary sources.
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Don't trust the random "Leaked!!" YouTube thumbnails. Stick to:
- The Archewell Foundation official site.
- Meghan’s "As Ever" brand communications.
- Reputable outlets like The Sussexes' preferred photographers (Misan Harriman is usually the go-to guy for their big milestones).
A glimpse into the future
As she turns five this June, we can probably expect another small update. Maybe not a full face-on portrait, but something that shows her growth. The "jigsaw" approach to her public image seems to be the blueprint moving forward.
If you're looking for actionable ways to stay updated on the Sussex family's official releases without falling for "clickbait" AI images, the best move is to subscribe to the Archewell newsletter. It’s the most direct line to the family’s approved media. You’ll get the real photos—the red hair, the Montecito sun, and the occasional "butter yellow" cardigan—straight from the source.
The story of Princess Lilibet is still being written, and for now, it's being told one carefully chosen, "barefoot in the garden" photo at a time.