Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Holiday Hugs for Archie and Lilibet Echo an Iconic Princess Diana Moment…..Read More

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s heartwarming holiday card evokes a nostalgic memory of Princess Diana’s special bond with her young sons

On Dec. 16, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared their 2024 holiday card, marking the first time in three years that they’ve included a photo of their children in their seasonal greetings. The image features Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, joyfully running toward their parents, who stand with arms outstretched. Meghan, 43, gazes at Prince Archie with affection while Harry crouches to catch Princess Lilibet as she speeds toward him.

The family photo (which includes their beloved dogs!) is one of six in the collage-style card, and gives a glimpse into the couple’s parenting style. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are raising their kids out of the spotlight in Montecito, California, and the warmth captured in their holiday card picture is reminiscent of how Princess Diana was with her sons.

The late Princess of Wales broke the royal mold with her way of parenting Prince William and Prince Harry, and the former nursery school teacher seemed to lean into her instincts when raising her sons. Princess Diana took her sons with her on royal tours as babies and brought them to favorite childhood places like theme parks and McDonald’s when they got older, and introduced them to real-world issues including homelessness through the charities she backed.

Diana’s tactile way with people also extended to her public displays of affection with her young sons, and she was known to hold their hands and reach for hugs as they grew up. The late Princess of Wales memorably raced to hug her sons on the royal yacht Brittania in Toronto, Canada, in 1991 when they joined her and the future King Charles on a tour, and her open embrace was just like Harry and Meghan’s in the holiday picture.

Diana’s physical affection towards her children particularly stood out in the royal family. Royal biographer Ingrid Seward wrote in her book Prince Philip Revealed that Charles’ “emotional retentiveness” was due to his upbringing: “Diana reckoned that if Charles had been brought up in the normal fashion, he would have been better able to handle his and her emotions,” Seward wrote, adding that Diana once said the only thing Charles “learned about love was shaking hands.”

His feelings seemed to have been suffocated at birth,” Seward added. “According to her, he never had any hands-on love from his parents. Only his nannies showed him affection but that, as Diana explained, was not the same as being kissed and cuddled by your parents, which Charles never was. When he met his parents, they didn’t embrace: they shook hands.”

Over the summer, a friend told PEOPLE that Harry has been “reluctant” to show Archie and Lilibet publicly in order to protect them.

“Harry has been reluctant to show his children publicly, not out of a desire to hide them but to protect their privacy and safety from potential threats,” the friend said. “He wants them to lead as normal a life as possible without the fear of kidnapping or harm.”

“As a dad and husband, Harry is determined to ensure that history doesn’t repeat itself,” the friend added, referencing the fate of the late Princess Diana, who died following a car accident in Paris in 1997 after being chased by photographers.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex established a new life for their family in her home state of California after stepping back from their royal roles in 2020, and Meghan told PEOPLE in May that they are thriving.

We’re just doing great. And happy to be watching our family grow up and evolve. Of course, I’m happy. We’re really happy,” the Duchess of Sussex said behind the scenes of her trip to Nigeria with Harry.

The couple went abroad to further the work of their charitable Archewell Foundation and other philanthropic initiatives, and their collage-style holiday card also featured pictures from that trip as well as their similar tour of Colombia in August.

Prince Harry and Meghan’s big hugs for Archie and Lili aren’t the only link to the children’s late grandmother, Princess Diana. The latest shot of the siblings confirms that they both still have red hair, like their dad Harry, a trait inherited from Diana’s Spencer side of the family!

It’s a little-known fact that Princess Diana’s sisters and brother all naturally have red hair, and Prince Archie’s red hair was first revealed in his family’s 2021 holiday card.