The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have released a new image of son Archie to mark his second birthday.
The picture shows the birthday boy holding a bunch of balloons as he stands with his back to the camera.
It is believed that senior royals including the Queen, Prince William and Kate Middleton will share some Zoom time with Archie on his big day as the family continues to be separated by thousands of miles. Earlier on Thursday, Prince Charles shared an image of a doting Harry holding newborn Archie at his christening in 2019 as his grandfather looked on proudly.
The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall captioned the image: "Happy birthday to Archie, who turns two today," but many noted that Meghan Markle did not feature in the image chosen to mark the occasion by Clarence House.
Kate Middleton and Prince William posted an image from baby Archie's christening in July, 2019, to mark the occasion. You can read their birthday wishes here.
Harry and Meghan also used the day to appeal for public help to raise money for better access to coronavirus vaccines for all. In a joint statement on their Archewell foundation website, Harry and Meghan said: “We will not be able to truly recover until everyone, everywhere, has equal access to the vaccine. And with that intention, we are inviting you to contribute whatever you can – if you have the means to do so – to bring vaccines to families in the world’s most vulnerable places.
“For a donation of just 5 dollars, you can cover the cost of a dose for someone in need. And because we were able to secure matching support from a number of organizations, that $5 you give will automatically turn into 20 dollars – covering the cost of four doses.”
In a message on the royal family's Twitter account, the Queen said: "Wishing Archie Mountbatten-Windsor a very happy 2nd birthday today."
