Harry, Meghan & Baby Archie Totally Won The Holidays With Their Enchanting Christmas Card
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are getting into the spirit of the holidays, one GIF at a time. As baby Archie rang in his very first Christmas, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex blended new and old traditions when releasing their first Christmas card as a family on Monday, Dec. 23. Unsurprisingly, the youngest royal steals the show in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s 2019 Christmas card with his adorable antics.
While members of the British monarchy have released family Christmas cards throughout the years, 2019's edition was a highly-anticipated one for fans of Prince Harry and the former Suits star due to the fact that their son would be joining them for the very first time. IMHO, there's no such thing as too many Archie photo-ops, and the 7-month-old's parents delivered one day before Christmas Eve with a digital card showcasing the adorable royal and the family's penchant for bending traditions to make them their own. The best part? The e-card was turned into a GIF, so you can see the lights twinkling in the background while baby Archie stars front and center.
In the photo, a beaming Markle and Prince Harry are seated in the background while the pensive infant stares into the camera.
"Just sharing the sweetest Christmas Card from our Vice President, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Very Merry Christmas, everyone," The Queen's Commonwealth Trust's Twitter account wrote while sharing the e-card.
It was a Christmas surprise for fans, many of whom speculated that the Sussex family wouldn't be releasing a card this year after Prince William and Kate Middleton dropped theirs a few days earlier. According to multiple news sources, the candid shot was captured by one of Markle's friends, Janina Gavankar, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was shot while the family is spending the holidays in Canada.
The message's e-card form is definitely new for the royals, and Prince Harry and Markle apparently sent it to all of their recipients digitally in order to be more environmentally conscious. In short, it's a fresh take on the longtime royal tradition that's very on brand for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
"Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. From our family to yours," they captioned the GIF.
This is just one of many firsts for Prince Harry and Markle, who are reportedly spending their Christmas holidays in Canada with Meghan's mom, Doria Ragland, instead of joining the Queen and other members of the royal family at Sandringham as they've previously done.
According to a statement from the royal palace, the Sussexes had decided to cross the pond to spend some "private family time," a decision which reportedly has the Queen's full support.
"The decision to base themselves in Canada reflects the importance of this Commonwealth country to them both," a palace spokesperson said in an official statement, per Business Insider. "They are enjoying sharing the warmth of the Canadian people and the beauty of the landscape with their young son."
From the look of things, the family of three is very much enjoying their winter escape, so here's hoping we get to see more footage of the royal family's newest member in the coming days.
