For a long time, royal children were "seen but not heard" — sometimes not even seen. But that's changed a lot, basically since Princess Diana came on the scene. Now royal parents can be seen doting on their kids at home and in public, whether or not the cameras are there.
Some of the most loving mamas and dads out there in the royal world are the core four from the UK monarchy — Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle, of course — but in reality, a number of royals have been sweet parents. The Queen and King of Spain have had so many cute moments with their daughters, as has the princess of Denmark with her son, and the princess of Sweden with her daughter.
Check out these 15 adorable royal moments between parents and their kids.
Diana snuggling Harry
Princess Diana was one of the first royal parents to really express affection for her kids in public. Previous generations of royals usually left the kids to the nannies or treated them in a more "seen but not heard" fashion. But Diana changed the parenting game, so it was no surprise to see her cuddling little Prince Harry on a trip in 1987.
A moment with Fergie and Eugenie
Little Princess Eugenie is just 10 here and competing in a horse show. Her mom Sarah Ferguson made sure to give her an extra squeeze — either for good luck or as a consolation after a loss. Aww. Nothing like a reassuring moment with mom to make everything so much better.
A mother's gaze
Princess Mary of Denmark took in her precious son Prince Christian's face during his christening in 2006. He was Mary's first child, so of course she was completely enamored with him. Christian isn't having such a fun time here, but his mother is glowing in her love for her little boy.
On their level
Long before Kate Middleton was known for always crouching down to a child's level to have a conversation with them, King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain were doing that with their own two young daughters. The parents look so engaged with the story Leonor and Sofia were telling them. The ability to listen is so important as a parent.
Princess Sofia's first day of school
Princess Sofia had a little bit of a snafu on her first day of school and accidentally fell down. Fortunately, her mother Queen Letizia was there to console her daughter and wish her well on her way to class. Sofia was just three years old at the time, but already a champ at getting over struggles.
Birthday kiss
These photos were snapped on Princess Victoria of Sweden's 35th birthday, and we love that she made it all about her daughter, Estelle, on her own big day. During the photo call, Victoria snuck a quick kiss of her daughter's foot, because how can anyone resist a baby foot? Estelle seems less than interested in this bonding moment, but when she grows up, she'll appreciate this picture.
Family bonding
The year 2012 marked Queen Letizia's 40th birthday, and to commemorate the occasion, the Spanish royal family released some photos of the family in a more casual setting. This one is our favorite, because it could be of any family — royal or not. Felipe is playing with his daughter, making her laugh.
So cute.
Huge hugs
Prince William is definitely his mother's son. Just as Princess Diana expressed emotion and love in public, so does William. Here he is giving his son, George, a cuddly hug during a trip to Canada back in 2016. It's one of the sweetest photos of the two of them, and we can't get over just the complete love in both of their eyes.
New baby
In 2018, Kate Middleton gave birth to her third child with Prince William, but she was no less enamored with Prince Louis as with either of her other kids. At the photo call outside the hospital, Kate was caught tucking Louis' blanket a little more snugly as both she and William looked down at their new son with adoring eyes.
Polo playtime
A polo match might not sound like the coolest event for a kid to go to, but Kate always makes them fun for her children. She's been seen running around and playing with them, or even just sharing a sweet moment. Here she makes Princess Charlotte giggle as Prince George looks on and plays beside them. What a fun family outing.
Archie on tour
In 2019, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took then-4-month-old Archie on a tour of South Africa. The new royal parents hadn't been spotted in public much with their little one, which made this trip all the more exciting. On a stop to meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the press snapped this cute pic of Harry holding onto Archie's foot as Meghan bounced the wiggly baby in her lap.
Adorable.
Royal Grandpa
There aren't many cuddly photos of Prince Charles with his own sons, William and Harry, while they were growing up, but he seems to be trying to rectify that as a grandpa. Here, he shares a touching moment with little Prince Louis. This photo was taken at Charles' 70th birthday celebration, and he looks overjoyed to have his youngest family member there.
Christmas card
Kate Middleton takes the best photos, and she snapped this one for the family's 2019 Christmas card. It really shows off Prince William's doting father side, as he gives a big kiss to Prince Louis. It also shows how close the kids are with each other. Little Charlotte has her hands on her brother's shoulders. We love siblings who get along.
Family fun time
The Kensington Royal Instagram page posted this photo in honor of Mother's Day, but we also spy Prince William in the background there. It's a lovely candid photo of two parents playing games with their kids — some sort of piggyback race. Kate and William may be royal, but they're just as down-to-earth as parents as many of us.
Reading to Archie
Archie turned one this May, and Meghan Markle celebrated the big occasion by posting a video of her reading to her son. Archie may be little, but he was totally enthralled by the picture book, and Meghan's love for her little one was so apparent. We know they're not in the public eye anymore, but we hope they occasionally post more content like this. We love seeing baby Archie.
