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Though red hair is not a common sight in the British royal lineage, Prince Harry more than compensates for its rarity. The Duke of Sussex carries the ginger gene so robustly that both his children have inherited his vibrant trait. Meghan Markle’s dark brunette genes seemingly didn’t stand a chance against the formidable redhead legacy, evidenced in the striking hair color of Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie. Lilibet’s hair blazes in a brilliant shade of fiery red, while Archie sports a rich, deep copper mane.
The redheaded lineage seems to draw more from their late grandmother’s family. While Princess Diana herself was a blonde, her siblings, Sarah and Charles Spencer, were known for their red locks, a trait that Harry humorously acknowledged on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” in 2023. He acknowledged, with a smile, that the “ginger gene is a strong one” and laughed about the Spencer family’s powerful genes. When Harry first anticipated parenthood at the start of his relationship, he doubted the redheaded gene would prevail against Meghan’s dominance. Evidently, he was mistaken.
He was wrong, indeed, but it’s a mistake he happily embraces. With enthusiasm, he has cheered, “Go gingers!” Meghan appears equally delighted. Despite keeping Lilibet and Archie’s faces away from social media, she occasionally shares glimpses of their life, prominently highlighting their striking red hair.
Lilibet and Archie’s hair was on display in the summer of ’26
During July 2026, Meghan offered a peek into their family adventures on Instagram, capturing moments from their lively vacation in southern Portugal. The images included the carefree spirit of Princess Lilibet, her radiant red hair shining like gold under the sun as she darted behind her brother and father. In parallel, Prince Archie was seen from behind, engulfed in an overgrown garden at sunset, where the vibrant rays illuminated his fiery tresses, showcasing the contrasting shades of their hair.
Lilibet and Archie’s hair always shines in the sun
Earlier in June 2026, Meghan expressed her readiness for warm summer days with a series of Instagram photos featuring family moments at their California home. Among these were shots of Prince Archie energetically playing soccer with Harry, his auburn hair catching the sunlight. Another image focused on Lilibet’s quirky Beyoncé-themed T-shirt, with strands of her vivid red hair spilling over her shoulder, giving fans another delightful peek at the offspring’s standout inheritance.
Lilibet’s hair was the highlight of her 5th birthday pictures
On June 4, 2026, Princess Lilibet turned 5, and Meghan Markle couldn’t let the big day go without a celebratory post on Instagram. To mark her baby girl’s birthday, Meghan shared a couple of sweet snaps that, as usual, hid Lilibet’s face. On the other hand, her striking red hair was on full display in both. In the first, she was in Prince Harry’s arms, showing the similarity between her hair tone and her father’s. The second picture showed Lilibet touching a flower outside with her hair partially concealing her face.
Lilibet’s hair is striking even in artificial light
It doesn’t take being outside to see the vibrancy of Princess Lilibet’s red hair. A picture Meghan Markle posted in May 2026 showed that her hair is just as bright in indoor lighting. Meghan took a mirror selfie in a walk-in closet that showed the Duchess of Sussex in a lilac-colored trench coat as Lilibet, sitting on her heels, appeared to help her mother with her shoes. She had on a red dress with a matching scrunchie that softened the red in her hair, making the orange and blond hues stand out instead.
Archie has had red hair since his newborn days
Before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left royal life in January 2020, their son, Prince Archie, had made a few public appearances, as was expected from working royals. In those early months, he was a bald little thing, so it was hard to gauge what hair color he would end up having. But it turns out that the newborn hair he had grown was already red. To celebrate Archie’s 7th birthday, Meghan shared a picture of the tiny babe on Harry’s chest, which showed that it was evident from the get-go that he had inherited his father’s ginger genes.
Meghan Markle has a bunch of redheaded Valentines
On February 14, 2026, Meghan Markle celebrated Valentine’s Day by giving a shoutout to her favorite people on Instagram. While she shared just a picture of Prince Harry holding a ballerina dress-clad Princess Lilibet, Meghan included her son in the caption. “These two + Archie = my forever Valentines,” she wrote. The snapshot was taken at sunset, when the light was already fading on the horizon. And yet, Lilibet’s hair was as red as ever. Next to her father, the similarities between her hair color and Harry’s are undeniable.
Lilibet’s hair was the highlight of International Day of the Girl
Meghan Markle frequently celebrates Princess Lilibet on days dedicated to women and girls, which usually gives her fans a chance to see her gorgeous hair. In October 2025, the Duchess of Sussex marked the International Day of the Girl with a short clip of Lilibet running on grass followed by a picture of her by a pond next to her mother. Lilibet stood with her back to the camera in a pink outfit with her striking red hair in a half-ponytail that fell in waves against her back.
Lilibet and Archie were on the set of With Love, Meghan
Meghan Markle has two great little helpers in Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. When she filmed Season 2 of “With Love, Meghan,” she took her children along. Meghan shared a series of pictures from the set in September 2025, and Lilibet and Archie’s hair totally stole the show. In one snap, brother and sister sat with headphones in as they watched their mother on a screen. They were outside, and their red hair just shone. In fact, the picture here shows how deeply red Archie’s hair actually is.
Lilibet and Archie spend a lot of time outside — where their hair shines
Having launched her Instagram in January 2025, Meghan Markle was slow to start posting more content featuring Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. April 2025 marked the first time we actually got to see just how strikingly red her kids’ hair was. She shared a couple of snapshots from a slow Sunday spent at home, featuring Lilibet and Archie helping with the rose bush. The sun was shining bright, making their vibrant red locks stand out. The pictures showcased the differences in Lilibet’s golden red compared to Archie’s vibrant copper tone.
Meghan Markle introduced Lilibet and Archie on Instagram in 2025
In March 2025, Meghan Markle shared the first picture featuring Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie on Instagram as she launched her lifestyle brand, As Ever. “Every day is a love story,” she captioned the post jointly shared with the As Ever page. The picture showed Meghan from behind as she held Lilibet on her hip while Archie wrapped himself around her opposite leg. Lilibet wore a straw hat matching her mother’s, but strands of vibrant red hair slipped out from underneath it. And Archie’s deep red hair reflected the setting sunlight.