Inside Lilibet’s first birthday party: Photos reveal Meghan and Harry’s ‘intimate backyard picnic’

Harry and Meghan have given the world a rare glimpse of Lilibet – and the grace-and-favour Windsor home they left for LA – as it is understood that a photographer friend was banned from photographing the one-year-old with the Queen.

The Sussexes released a picture taken as the little girl – named in tribute to the Queen, whose childhood nickname was Lilibet – celebrated her first birthday in the grounds of Frogmore Cottage at Windsor on Saturday with birthday cake, balloons, party games and picnic snacks.

Among the gifts were apparently a pastel pink VW Beetle ride-on car, £75 from Selfridges, while Sussex supporters donated $100,000 to charity in her honour. Prince Charles may have bought her a swing similar to one he bought for Prince George.

In the first public picture of Lilibet since she was a babe-in-arms, it revealed that Her Majesty’s great-granddaughter smiling and dressed in a pale blue frock with a white bow in her strawberry blonde hair. 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex invited close friends and family to an ‘intimate backyard picnic’ while in Britain for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, before jetting home to California on Sunday. 

The image of Lilibet sitting happily on the grass was taken by family friend Misan Harriman, who also shared an image of Meghan holding her daughter inside Frogmore – the home they spent £2.4million of taxpayers’ money refurbishing before quitting as royals and emigrating. 

Mother and her red-haired daughter were posing with the photographer’s blonde wife Camilla Holmstroem, a former Goldman Sachs banker turned entrepreneur, and their two daughters, who both had their faces painted, one of the activities laid on for guests. But while Mr Harriman also shared a picture of him smiling with his eldest child on Instagram and Twitter, there were no pictures of Harry and Archie released.

Last night it was claimed that the Queen banned Harry and Meghan from having a photographer capture the Monarch meeting her great-granddaughter Lilibet for the first time. The photographer has not been named – but it may be their friend Mr Harriman, who has photographed the Sussexes several times since they became a couple around six years ago.

The 96-year-old is said to have met Harry and Meghan’s daughter on Thursday. However, they were allegedly told ‘no chance’ of an official photo because it was a ‘private family meeting’, The Sun reported. Palace insiders may have worried any photos taken by Harry and Meghan would be shared with TV networks in the US or in Harry’s upcoming memoirs.

On Saturday they enjoyed the British summer sunshine to throw a birthday picnic for their daughter’s first birthday. East London baker Claire Ptak – who made the couple’s wedding cake in 2018 – created new treats for the low-key bash. She later shared a picture of a small peony-covered cake that could be the one enjoyed by guests.

A spokesman for the couple did not name family members who attended the party, but Zara and Mike Tindall are believed to have made an appearance. But Prince William, Kate, George and Charlotte were in Wales representing the Queen.

The Sussexes left for their California home the following day – on a gas-guzzling private jet – before the grand finale of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee even began on Sunday.

Mr Harriman took the portraits used by the Sussexes to announce Meghan’s pregnancy with Lilibet in February 2021. 

Those who are said to have also been at Frogmore Cottage include Zara and Mike Tindall’s three children, Mia, eight, Lena, three, and Lucas, one, as well as Savannah, 11, and Isla, 10, daughters of Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly.

Three-year-old Archie’s godfather, Charlie Van Straubenzee, and his brother Tom, godfather to Princess Charlotte, were also invited, it is understood. 

Photographer Mr Harriman wrote on her Twitter: ‘It was such a privilege to celebrate the first birthday of Lilibet with my family and hers! Joy and face painting all around.’

Twitter royal commentator and friend of the Sussexes Omid Scobie said the couple invited close friends and family for an ‘intimate backyard picnic’ as he posted the picture. 

Mr Scobie added that Harry and Meghan’s wedding baker Claire Ptak made a special order for the party.

And was told by a spokesperson for the couple that they ‘remain incredibly touched by the countless birthday wishes for their daughter’ and have also been ‘amazed’ to learn that $100K (£79,000) was donated in Lilibet’s honour.  

The funds went to World Central Kitchen, a not-for-profit organisation partnered with the couple’s Archewell foundation, according to a spokesperson for the Sussexes.

The organisation has provided support in Uvalde, Texas and Ukraine, the spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for the couple did not name specific family members who attended the event. 

A source spoke to The Sun, about the party, saying: ‘It was a lovely do and had everything you’d expect from a child’s birthday party.

‘The idea was for it to be very relaxed and casual, with people free to pop in and out as they wished.’

They said that it was a ‘nice opportunity’ for some of the royal children to meet little Lilibet, with this trip being her first time in the UK.

They added that ‘lots of discussion’ had been had about the best gifts for the ‘milestone’ birthday, with a ‘£75 pink Volkswagen Beetle ride-on toy’ proving a popular idea.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the Platinum Jubilee early – missing the Pageant and the Queen on the balcony yesterday – as they flew back in a private jet to California with luggage that appeared to include a wooden swing set which looked similar to the one gifted to William and Kate by Prince Charles. 

The California couple released the photograph hours after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge put pictures on social media showing hidden moments from the Jubilee including new pictures of Louis with his father, William, and Kate and the children including Princess Charlotte and Prince George waiting in a doorway. 

The Queen, Prince Charles and Camilla, Kate Middleton and Prince William shared their greetings on social media at the exact same time. 

The official Twitter account for the Queen posted: ‘Wishing Lilibet a very Happy 1st Birthday!’,  the  account for Prince Charles shared an almost identical message.

The words posted on the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall’s social media read: ‘Wishing Lilibet a very happy 1st birthday today’ along with a cake emoji.

It is also very likely that Prince Charles met his grandchildren. It is understood that he and Camilla met Harry and Meghan privately. 

It comes after George Northwood, the Duchess’ hairdresser, who recently jetted out to the Netherlands to do Meghan’s beauty while she attended the Invictus Games with husband, shared a post on Instagram with several images of the Duchess. 

In a gushing caption, he posted: ‘So nostalgic and wonderful to be reunited Harry, Meghan and their family in the UK. Archie has grown to be the cutest, well mannered little boy and Lilibet is just beautiful.’

It comes after Harry and Meghan’s entourage were seen with a blue child-size scooter and wooden swing set which looked similar to the one gifted to William and Kate by Prince Charles. 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex appear to have come home with presents from their family after they left the Platinum Jubilee before festivities ended on Sunday and missed the Queen on the balcony. 

A member of their team was seen carrying a wooden swing with rope coming out of it and covered by a blue wrapping as Harry and Meghan’s team loaded their luggage from Santa Barbara Airport as their private jet touched down on Sunday evening. 

Another assistant was seen reaching for a blue scooter that was sitting on top of a suitcase to put it into an SUV which further indicated that Lilibet and Archie, who were not seen during the Jubilee, accompanied their parents. 

It was also reported that the Queen did meet her namesake for the first time as the Sussexes joined Her Majesty on Thursday or Friday and was invited to Lilibet’s first birthday at Frogmore Cottage. 

During their visit to mark Her Majesty’s 70 year reign, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were seen rarely – once was at the Trooping of the Colour and another time at St Paul’s Thanksgiving Service – and had no official role during the festivities. 

In 2016, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s son Prince George was seen playfully enjoying a wooden swing set that bore his parents’ names William and Catherine. 

The wooden roped-set was a wedding present from Prince Charles to the couple and was installed in their countryside home in Norfolk. 

In pictures taken on Sunday of Harry and Meghan’s luggage being unloaded as they landed back in California yesterday, an assistant was also seen carrying a wooden swing after the couple spent most of their time at their Windsor residence. 

Harry was pictured looking particularly glum as they landed back in California yesterday – with royal experts saying the sixth in line to the throne appeared angry, anxious and very uncomfortable during ‘fleeting glimpses’ of him and his wife during the UK visit. 

On Thursday they were relegated to the Major General’s Office with minor royals for the Trooping the Colour, where they were photographed playfully shushing children. 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will have been ‘really fed up’ at being sidelined by the palace’s ‘men in suits’ they have been so scathing about since quitting in 2020, it has been claimed.

And as they were met with some booing at their only public appearance at St Paul’s on Friday, the couple will have learned that the British public believe being a royal is ‘about service, not about self’, one critic said. 

Harry stopped to chat for a few moments with the Archbishop of York at the Thanksgiving Service but was not seen greeting his brother Prince William and his sister-in-law Kate. 

Another told MailOnline: ‘Their attitude seems to be if we’re not centre stage we don’t really want to be here’

 

Instead they spent most of their stay at Frogmore Cottage with their children and hosted a ‘relaxed’ party for Lilibet’s first birthday at the Windsor residence, believed to be attended by the one-year-old’s British cousins.

The Sussexes arrived back in California at 6pm on Sunday. Equipment that appeared to be a high chair was seen being offloaded from the plane. Harry was then photographed in the passenger seat of a black Range Rover that had arrived to transport the family home, and looked very serious after almost five days away from the US.

The Duke and Duchess did not attend the Platinum Party and stayed in Windsor alongside the Queen to reportedly watch the concert with Her Majesty. 

Harry and Meghan then drove, according to The Sun, to Farnborough Airport at 1.30pm, an hour before the Pageant started at 2.30pm and made their way back to California.

This was hours before the Queen – who sources say was ‘determined’ to bravely overcame her painful mobility issues – returned to Buckingham Palace to personally thank the thousands of well-wishers in the crowd who had turned out to express their own gratitude.

She was flanked by her three heirs – son, Prince Charles, grandson, Prince William, and great-grandson, Prince George – offering a glimpse into the monarchy’s future.

The Platinum Jubilee Pageant was an afternoon of entertainment for members of the royal family, who all sat together alongside their siblings and cousins.

The parade told the story of her life, and the nation, with an eccentric, fun and imaginative carnival-like display.

An insider said: ‘There was no fanfare, they just went. They didn’t stick around for the Platinum Jubilee pageant which is a celebration of Britain and all of its quirks and eccentricities over the Queen’s 70 year reign.’

Before the festivities started an aide told The Telegraph: ‘The media might try to make them prominent, but in reality they are not going to be playing a prominent role. A line has been drawn.’

The 96-year-old monarch was absent for much of the extended Bank Holiday weekend, after finding the first day enjoyable but tiring, and in a message of thanks acknowledged this but said her ‘heart’ had been with well-wishers.

Surrounded by her family, including Prince Charles, Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, George, Charlotte and Louis, she was cheered by thousands of well-wishers after stepping on to the balcony following the Platinum Pageant, which told the story of her life, and the nation, with an eccentric, fun and imaginative carnival-like display.

Smiling as she acknowledged the spectators, she looked down on The Mall where tens of thousands had waited in hope of seeing her.

The Queen said later in her message: ‘When it comes to how to mark seventy years as your Queen, there is no guidebook to follow. It really is a first. But I have been humbled and deeply touched that so many people have taken to the streets to celebrate my Platinum Jubilee.

‘While I may not have attended every event in person, my heart has been with you all; and I remain committed to serving you to the best of my ability, supported by my family.

‘I have been inspired by the kindness, joy and kinship that has been so evident in recent days, and I hope this renewed sense of togetherness will be felt for many years to come.

‘I thank you most sincerely for your good wishes and for the part you have all played in these happy celebrations.’

This was not her only surpises with her Paddington appearance seen as a much welcome appearance by the Queen.

A palace aide told the Sun: ‘As you saw she likes to spring a few surprises.’

After the outpouring of public affection during her balcony appearance, the Queen said she was ‘humbled and deeply touched’ so many people had taken part in marking her 70-year reign.

Investigative journalist Tom Bower, who is working on a biography of Meghan, told MailOnline that the Sussexes had been ‘trounced’ on their return to the UK.

He said: ‘I think Palace officials were unusually skilful in managing the Sussexes. Just enough exposure to please the Queen but at the same time so limited to show them that they have been sidelined. Harry’s grim expression exposed and confirmed the troubles he now faces. Meghan now faces problems about her status. Netflix are left with a problem: The Sussexes are no longer stars’.

Harry’s biographer Angela Levin said the couple were probably kept apart from Prince Charles and Prince William because of their ongoing rift and fears any private conversations could end up in Harry’s memoirs or on a US TV chat show.

She said: ‘I do wonder if they [Harry and Meghan] decided: ‘We’ve had enough of this, let’s go early’. I think they were furious. I think they believed they would come back and be welcomed with open arms – but the truth is that the world, and the Royal Family, has moved on without them. They thought that everyone would drop everything for them, but they didn’t’.

She added: ‘When Harry arrived at St Paul’s, he had a growling face. It was there throughout. They were really really fed up. William and Charles have grown closer – they have filled the gap left by Harry, that must be hard for him. I suspect his brother and father will have been worried about speaking to him in private in case it ends up in his memoirs or on US TV’.

Royal author Phil Dampier told MailOnline: ‘Their attitude seems to be if we’re not centre stage we don’t really want to be here.

‘They must realise they are no longer popular with the general public, and travelling in and out by private jet hardly helps their so-called green credentials.

‘I’m afraid that all the time Harry is writing a book and making Netflix fly on the wall programmes, Charles and William will not trust him. They would worry that any in depth conversations would be repeated in the media, and so I’m sure they are keeping him at arms length for the time’.

And after the Sussexes were met with some boos at St Paul’s on Friday, commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said: ‘This was about the Queen and the future of the monarchy, which they opted out of as senior working royals. Yet they owe their entire profile and contracts to the institution. This fabulous four days showed now strong it is and also how wrong they were to do the interview on Oprah, which caused it to lose support among the young and ethnic minorities and aired when Prince Philip was ill.

‘The Sussexes should have learnt a lesson over the last few days. When it actually comes to capturing hearts and minds it is about service, not about self’.

Coming full circle! Photographer who took ‘candid’ birthday photo of Harry and Meghan’s daughter Lilibet is a trusted friend who ALSO took pregnancy announcement snaps, ‘helped to introduce them’ – and joined the Duke at the recent Invictus Games

• Photographer Misan Harriman, 45, shared several images from Lilibet’s first birthday party 
• He shared a ‘candid, spontaneous photograph’ of one-year-old Lilibet, as well as a black-and-white photo of Meghan and Lilibet posing with his wife, Camilla Holmstroem, and their two daughters
• Harriman is the photographer behind Sussexes’s February 2021 pregnancy announcement photos
• At the time, Harriman – who was the first black male photographer to shoot a British Vogue cover – revealed that he introduced Meghan, 40, to the mutual friend who then connected her with Harry, 37

By Charlie Lankston For Dailymail.com 

The photographer behind a new birthday portrait of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s one-year-old daughter Lilibet is the same trusted family friend who took the black-and-white images that the couple used to announce the news that they were pregnant with a second child back in February 2021. 

Misan Harriman, 45, shared a series of three images taken at a ‘casual, intimate backyard picnic’ hosted by the Sussexes at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor on Saturday in celebration of their daughter’s first birthday, having been invited to attend the small gathering as one of just a handful of select guests, alongside his wife and their two daughters. 

Among the images shared by Harriman – who rose to global acclaim when he became the first black male photographer to shoot a British Vogue cover in September 2020 – was a ‘candid, spontaneous’ shot of Lilibet, which Harry, 37, and Meghan, 40, chose to share with the world to mark their daughter’s milestone birthday. 

As well as the sweet snap of the birthday girl, the Nigerian-born photographer also shared two other images from the party, including a black-and-white photo of proud mother Meghan holding her daughter in her arms while posing alongside Harriman’s wife, Camilla Holmstroem, and their two daughters. 

The final image saw Harriman posing with one of his daughters in his lap – and showed the little girl sporting some colorful face paint, which the photographer revealed was one of the highlights of the gathering. 

‘It was such a privilege to celebrate the 1st birthday of Lilibet with my family and hers!’ he wrote while sharing the trio of images on social media. ‘Joy and face painting all around.’ 

The release of the photos marks something of a full-circle moment for Harriman, who not only helped the couple to announce to the world that they were pregnant with Lilibet, but also played a hand in introducing them in the first place. 

While sharing one of the images from the remote pregnancy shoot – which he shot via iPad from London, while the couple posed in the backyard of their $14 million Montecito mansion – on social media, Harriman, who was a guest at the couple’s May 2018 wedding, opened up about the ‘small’ role he had in bringing the pair together. 

‘Meg, I was there at your wedding to witness this love story begin, and my friend, I am honored to capture it grow,’ he wrote at the time. ‘Congratulations to The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on this joyous news!’

Speaking to British Vogue following the baby announcement, Harriman added: ‘To be asked to help share this absolute joy after such an unimaginable loss and heartache is a marker of true friendship.

‘Meg reminded me that had I not introduced her to a mutual friend then she wouldn’t have met Harry. I’m grateful for whatever small part I played.’

According to Finding Freedom, a biography written about Meghan and Harry by their journalist friend Omid Scobie, Harriman even enjoyed dinner with the Duchess of Sussex the night before she went on her first date with her future husband, Grazia reports.  

It has long been reported that Meghan and Harry were introduced by the Duchess’ longtime friend, designer Misha Nonoo, who is based in New York City, but is thought to have been the person who first brought the Sussexes together.  

While confirming the couple’s pregnancy news, a spokesperson for the Sussexes shared an insight into the close friendship they have with Harriman, saying at the time: ‘The photograph of the Duke and Duchess was was taken by the couple’s longtime friend Misan Harriman. What wonderful news for the Sussexes!!’

It is not known whether Harriman has had the chance to visit the couple’s California home in person, however he did pay a visit to Los Angeles earlier this year in order to photograph celebrities on the red carpet at Elton John’s Academy Awards party. 

Taking to Instagram to share some of his images from the event, Harriman revealed that he photographed everyone from Demi Lovato and Ed Harris to Elton’s husband David Furnish. Elton and David are longtime friends of Harry and Meghan’s, and the latter was actually due to team up with the Duchess of Sussex on an animated series for Netflix, before it was canceled by the streaming company amid cutbacks as a result of plummeting stock prices and dwindling subscriber numbers. 

The show – titled Pearl – was understood to be based loosely on Meghan’s own childhood, and filmmaker David was going to serve as a producer on the series. 

Netflix shelled out a $100million to ink a production deal with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in September 2020, however as of yet, the couple has yet to produce any published content for the streaming giant. 

However, the couple have been working on an upcoming documentary about Harry’s military sporting event, the Invictus Games, and were trailed by a Netflix camera crew when they traveled to the Netherlands in April in order to host the latest instalment of the competition – which Harriman also attended with the Duke. 

The photographer shared several images and videos from his time at the Invictus Games, including several snaps of Harry interacting with veterans and military servicemen and women during the event. 

One shot shows the Duke comforting an emotional participant from the UK team, who was seen tearing up while sitting with a Union Jack wrapped around his shoulders. Another snap showed Harry and Harriman sitting alongside one another, while engaged in conversation.  

It is not known whether Harriman took part in any filming for the couple’s Netflix documentary, Heart of Invictus.  

Although Harriman only became a professional photographer in 2016 following a career in finance, he already boasts an impressive and lengthy resume, having quickly become one of the UK’s most prominent snappers. 

In fact, he had a hand in helping another member of the royal family announce some special news back in 2019, when Princess Beatrice enlisted him to take an engagement portrait of her and her now-husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, which they released to the world when they announced their betrothal. 

In September 2020, he became the first black male photographer to shoot a British Vogue cover in its then-105-year history. 

The activist-themed cover featured England footballer Marcus Rashford and model Adwoa Aboah, with Mr Harriman working with a predominantly black team on set.

A year before, the Duchess of Sussex guest edited the September issue, which is traditionally the magazine’s most important of the year. 

Harriman’s work has also featured in Vanity Fair, Harpers Bazaar and People Magazine, a biography on his website states.

As well as Meghan, the Nigerian-born photographer has snapped a host of celebrities including actors Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Cate Blanchett and Olivia Colman and singer Rihanna.

He is a self-described activist supporting diversity and inclusion in the workplace, as well as a mental health campaigner with an interest in dyslexia.

Before his British Vogue cover, the photographer won praise with a series of photographs that he took during the Black Lives Matter protests in London earlier that same year, with many showing profiles of demonstrators holding signs advocating racial justice.

Speaking last August about the positive public reception to many of his BLM pictures, he told CNN: ‘Through my lens I have seen the beating heart of London.’

Many of the pictures taken at the protests were profiles of activists holding signs advocating racial justice.

Among them was a photograph of England youth hockey player Darcy Bourne outside the US Embassy, holding up a sign reading ‘Why is ending racism a debate?’

The photographer, who runs a media company called ‘What We Seee’, also covered demonstrations against former President Donald Trump and protests by Extinction Rebellion.

More recently, Harriman, who is the chairman of the Southbank Centre in London, was appointed as the head of a collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) created by ‘up-and-coming’ artists from Africa and Asia. 

The collection is funded by the blockchain company the Tezos Foundation’s non-profit arm, which donated £1 million to be used for the procurement of digital artwork from ‘underrepresented’ communities, The Art Newspaper reported. 

‘The Tezos Foundation Permanent Collection will support and celebrate a new generation of artists that have chosen a smart contract-enabled path to be their true selves,’ Harriman said of the project. ‘As the first curator of this collection I want to make sure the world sees the diverse voices that are making truly extraordinary work with crypto art. We will be the custodian for this new community of creatives.’