With the December release of the Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan (which has the best ratings of any documentary ever on the streaming platform), there has been a renewed focus on all of the drama in the British royal family. There are rabid anti-Meghan Markle trolls who can't stop talking about how much they hate her. There are fierce Harry and Meghan stans who are all too quick to place the blame at Prince William's feet. With all of that toxic energy, it can be easy to wonder if there is anything that royal fans can agree on.
Well, we think we know one topic about which everyone on Team William/Kate and Team Harry/Meghan can agree: All of the royal kids are completely adorable! With the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June and the increase in royal events after the pandemic, we actually got to see a lot more of the youngest members of the famous family this year. It's amazing to see how fast they are all growing up and starting to step into their royal roles.
While we enjoy seeing them in more official photos, we have an even bigger soft spot for the candid moments when we can catch them just being silly. We've rounded up 15 of the year's cutest photos of the royal kids, but just don't ask us to pick a favorite. They are all too precious!
Christmas Card Cuties
The young royals look adorable whenever they are dressed up for official functions, but we're always glad to see them getting to be casual and wearing clothes any kid would be comfortable running around in. We're officially obsessed with Charlotte's romper in the family's oh-so-summery Christmas card.
The Sweetest Hug
We don't get to see much of Princess Eugenie's 1-year-old son, August Brooksbank, but we love this snapshot of the little guy getting a quick cuddle from his mother. Eugenie shared this for British Mother's Day in March, and also gave a shout-out to her mom, Sarah Ferguson.
Doting Dad
OK, to be fair, we're not 100% sure if this picture of little Archie sitting on Harry's shoulders was actually taken in 2022. However, we didn't get to see it until this year, and it is way too sweet for us to skip over. We love seeing what a doting dad Harry has turned out to be.
Mr. Personality
There was so much pomp and circumstance associated with the late Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee in June, but some of the most unforgettable images from the event were of little Prince Louis. He inspired a treasure trove of memes by acting like the silly and easily bored 4-year-old that he is.
Royal Mini-Me
William and Kate's family (minus Louis) attended the annual royal Christmas carol service in December, and we love that both Charlotte and George were looking like little mini-me versions of their parents. Kate and Charlotte even coordinated their festive plum-colored coats.
Aggressive Cheese
Getting kids to smile and show some excitement in photos can be a challenge, so we are kind of dying to know what the photographers told the Cambridge kids to say to get this shot. It's an aggressive "say cheese!" moment for sure. Who doesn't love to see the royals let loose and ham it up a bit?
Royal Cheeks!
The Platinum Jubilee events also let us see some more of Eugenie's son. It looks like August is on the path to being a ginger like his mom's cousin Harry, which we love, but we chose this picture because those are some seriously great baby cheeks! We also love August's patriotic little sweater.
Tub Time
Speaking of cute cheeks, look at this sweet photo (recently featured in the Harry & Meghan Netflix docuseries) of little Archie enjoying a bath under the careful watch of his mom and dad. We think Archie may end up looking more like Meghan than Harry, but time will tell.
Royally Bored
Being a royal kid might have plenty of perks and opportunities to attend exciting events. However, Charlotte showed in August that not every royal function is going to be entertaining. She was looking pretty bored during this appearance at the Commonwealth Games. Maybe field hockey just isn't her thing?
Little Lili
Harry and Meghan have been fairly protective of their children's privacy, so we didn't see a lot of baby Lilibet in her first year. The Sussexes did release a photo of her for her first birthday in June, and we were so smitten with her chubby checks and reddish hair.
Royal Confusion
In July, George attended the Wimbledon men's singles final match between Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios. Cameras caught the young prince making the exact same face that we do when we try to remember how tennis scoring works. Don't worry, George, it is confusing!
Archie Loves His Mama
This is a bit of a throwback picture of Meghan and Archie, but we saw it for the first time this year, so we're counting it. (We make the rules around here!) This is such a cute picture of Archie giving his mama a big kiss, and we're as delighted about it as Meghan seems to be.
Charlotte's Birthday Pic
Charlotte turned 7 in May (complete with the missing teeth that are a hallmark of that age), and we got to celebrate her with this cute picture of her and her best dog. The shot was captured by mom Kate Middleton herself!
Happy Birthday, Louis!
Kate also took these two terrific photos of her youngest child, Louis, which was shared in April in honor of his fourth birthday. The pictures seem to perfectly captures Louis' usual levels of energy and personality. And we love that his sweater sends the subtle message that he's a total star!
Wave Practice
No matter what the future of the British monarchy looks like (who could even try to guess at this point?), there is one thing for sure: George, Louis, and Charlotte are going to get a lot of practice at learning to wave. They don't quite look like naturals yet, but it will come.
