Meghan Markle’s daughter appears to be following in her aunt’s footsteps with an unexpected shared passion for photography. A few days ago, Princess Lilibet had a camera in her hands in Markle’s latest family post. The five-year-old was seen taking a picture of Prince Harry with a Polaroid camera.
Harry posed for his daughter in a straw hat. Markle shared the sweet photo in a nine-picture Instagram post for the Duke’s 42nd birthday on September 15. Lilibet’s face wasn’t visible in the shot. However, her long red hair fell around her shoulders. She also appeared to be wearing a floral dress.
Harry looked directly at the camera as Lilibet appeared to photograph him. Similarly, Kate Middleton has spent years taking pictures of Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Many of those snaps have later appeared on the official Prince and Princess of Wales social media accounts.
Middleton had previously opened up about photography during an ITV This Morning appearance in May 2020. According to Hello!, she was talking about Hold Still. It was her photography project with the National Portrait Gallery during the COVID-19 lockdown.
“Well I am very much an amateur photographer. I’ve sort of learned along the way, but during this time I’ve spent lots of time picking up my camera and taking photographs of the children because they are always around us when we are doing stuff together, which has been great,” she said.
She also explained why she likes capturing normal family moments. “One of the fantastic things about photography is really capturing that moment so it’s not staged, it’s not clearing your house so you have that perfect studio set up. It’s really capturing those moments that feel real to you,” Middleton added.
Her connection to the Royal Photographic Society began in 2017, when she was made an Honorary Member in January 2017. Then, in June 2019, she became the society’s Patron. She took over the role from Queen Elizabeth II, who had held it for 67 years.
Kensington Palace described Middleton as having a “longstanding interest in photography.” The Royal Family’s official website also states she has “a longstanding interest in the visual arts, photography, design and textiles” and describes her as “a passionate photographer.”
In June 2019, she joined children from Action for Children at a photography workshop run with the Royal Photographic Society. The workshop covered simple photography skills, including portraits, light, and color. Royal Photographic Society Honorary Fellows Jillian Edelstein and Harry Borden led the sessions.
Meanwhile, Middleton joined in with the children. Her camera work hasn’t been limited to family photos, either. During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, she teamed up with the National Portrait Gallery for Hold Still. Through it, people across the U.K. could send in photos showing what life was like during lockdown.
More than 31,000 entries came in, and 100 were eventually picked for the final exhibition. So, for now, Lilibet’s little camera moment is just an interesting link to her aunt’s years-long passion for photography.
