Yesterday, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle brought their children Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 4, to Disneyland for their birthdays—and a belated Mother’s Day celebration for Meghan. Archie turned 7 last week, and Lilibet will turn 5 on June 4. In the photos, Meghan and her mom Doria Ragland wear Mickey Mouse ears, Lili hugs Cinderella and meets Aurora, and the siblings ride a boat.
Meghan is very close with her mom, who also lives in California. In a 2014 post on The Tig, her now-shuttered blog, titled “Love Letter,” she described her mom: “Dreadlocks. Nose ring. Yoga instructor. Social worker. Free spirit. Lover of potato chips & lemon tarts. And if the DJ cues Al Green’s soul classic ‘Call Me,’ just forget it. She will swivel her hips into the sweetest little dance you’ve ever seen, swaying her head and snapping her fingers to the beat like she’s been dancing since the womb. And you will smile. You won’t be able to help it. You will look at her and you will feel joy.”
Last June, to celebrate Princess Lilibet’s 4th birthday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex also brought their children to Disneyland. “Thank you @disneyland for giving our family two days of pure joy!” Meghan posted on Instagram at the time. That reel featured a Little Mermaid-themed cake for Lili, on numerous rides with their kids, and the Duke and Duchess going on Space Mountain.
This past fall, Meghan and Harry shared some of their favorite Disney memories in an ABC special, The Happiest Story on Earth: 70 Years of Disneyland—A Special Edition of 20/20, marking the theme park’s 70th anniversary. They spoke about Archie and Lili’s excitement before even entering the park. “They’re like, ‘This is amazing!’ Like, guys, this isn’t even the front of it. Prepare yourself. You’re about to be blown away,” Harry said.
He added, “To see the kids throw themselves into these experiences when they have no idea what they’re walking into, it was amazing. It brings out the kid in you again.”
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Deputy Digital Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms.