Duchess Meghan
Her family and baby Lili appear in the children’s book
Duchess Meghan has published her children’s book – and the whole family is featured.
© imago images / PA Images
Meghan has integrated daughter Lili into her children’s book. She had previously revealed that it came from a Father’s Day poem for Harry.
The first children’s book by Duchess Meghan (39) is here – and she has included her entire family, including her newborn daughter Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. “The Bench”, which explores the bond between fathers and sons from a mother’s point of view, was published on Tuesday. Husband Prince Harry (36) and their 2-year-old son Archie appear several times in Christian Robinson’s illustrations.
Attentive fans have noticed, however, that the couple’s second child was not left out either. The “People” magazine shows two corresponding pictures. You can see Harry feeding chickens with Archie and Meghan standing in a vegetable garden with baby Lili in a sling and a sun hat on her head. In the second picture, Harry is sitting on a bench with the baby in his arms. In both pictures, the family dogs, Beagle Guy and Labrador Pula, are not far either.
Inspired by the new life in California
Meghan also refers to the many animals in her biography on the back of the book: “Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is a mother, wife, feminist and activist”, it says there. “Through the Archewell Foundation’s charitable work, she and her husband are committed to promoting compassion in communities around the world. She currently resides in her home state of California with her family, two dogs, and a growing flock of rescued chickens.” The book also seems to be inspired by her new life in the USA.
In a May press release announcing the book, Meghan stated that it grew out of a Father’s Day poem she wrote for her husband. “The Bench” is dedicated to Prince Harry and Archie: “For the man and the boy who make my heart beat,” it says.
Not the first children’s book by a British royal
“The Bench” is not the first children’s book by a member of the British royal family. Prince Harry’s father, Prince Charles (72), published the book “The Old Man of Lochnagar” in 1980, which tells the story of an old man who lives in a cave in the cliffs around the Balmoral royal estate in Scotland, where Queen Elizabeth II (95) spends her summer vacation. Proceeds from sales of the book went to the royal charity, The Prince’s Trust.
Duchess Sarah (61), the ex-wife (1986-1996) of Charles’ brother Prince Andrew (61), has even written a popular children’s book series about the little helicopter “Budgie”. The books were adapted as an animated television series.
The Sussex couple have lived in California since 2020
British Prince Harry and US actress Meghan Markle have been married since May 2018. Almost exactly a year later, their son Archie was born in London. In spring 2020, the couple resigned from all positions and duties as senior royals and moved to California, where daughter Lili was born on June 4th.