Meghan shares new photos of Lilibet to mark fourth birthday

Meghan shared a black-and-white snap of her cuddling her daughter, who is sitting on her lap, with the pair both sporting windswept hair, appearing to be on a boat.

The second image shows Meghan tenderly cradling the princess as a newborn following her birth in 2021.

Meghan wrote on Instagram: "Happy birthday to our beautiful girl! Four years ago today she came into our lives – and each day is brighter and better because of it.

"Thanks to all of those sending love and celebrating her special day!"

Meghan usually only shares photos of the princess pictured from behind to protect her privacy, but in the more recent photo you can see Lilibet's eyes and top half of her face, with the bottom half covered by Meghan's arms as she hugs her daughter.

The princess - the youngest child of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex - was born on 4 June 2021, a year after her parents stepped back from being senior royals and moved to the US.

She became a princess when her grandfather the King became monarch.

The couple also share Prince Archie, aged six.

Duchess of Sussex Meghan cradling newborn LilibetDuchess of Sussex

On Tuesday, Meghan said she wondered about launching a future business with her daughter as she chatted to Beyonce's mother Tina Knowles on her podcast Confessions Of A Female Founder.

"I wonder if one day I'll be in business with Lili and we'll be building something," the duchess said, with Knowles adding: "That's the best."

Last week, the duchess shared a clip of her and the princess beekeping in protective suits, writing: "Like mother, like daughter; she's even wearing my gloves."

Lilibet is named after her great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II.

The nickname was coined when then-Princess Elizabeth was a toddler and could not pronounce her own name properly.

Her grandfather King George V would affectionately call her Lilibet, imitating her attempts to say her name. It stuck and came to be used by close relatives.

-BBC