For years, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have carefully guarded the privacy of their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. While the couple occasionally gives the public glimpses of family life, those moments remain relatively rare compared with the constant attention surrounding the Sussexes themselves. A new photo collection from PEOPLE brings together dozens of those glimpses, offering a look at how Archie and Lilibet have grown up away from the center of royal life and how their parents have chosen to share selected moments with the world.

Rather than focusing on royal duties or family tensions, the collection highlights something much more personal: birthdays, holidays, outdoor adventures, baking sessions, gardening and quiet moments at home. Across 42 memorable moments, a picture gradually emerges of a young family trying to create traditions of its own while maintaining connections to the history that came before them.

A childhood shaped by privacy and family traditions

Archie was born on May 6, 2019, while Lilibet arrived on June 4, 2021. Their early years have unfolded during a period of enormous change for Harry and Meghan, including their decision to step back from their roles as senior working royals and establish their family life in California. Away from the formal routines of royal life, the couple have emphasized a more private environment for their children.

That privacy is particularly noticeable in the way the Sussexes have shared photographs. Instead of routinely documenting every stage of Archie and Lilibet’s childhood, Harry and Meghan have generally selected special occasions or carefully framed family moments. The result is that even simple images can attract significant attention because they offer a rare glimpse into the children’s personalities and everyday experiences.

Among the moments highlighted are birthdays, Easter celebrations, Christmas traditions and family outings. The photographs show a childhood filled with activities familiar to many families: playing outside, spending time in the garden, baking, swimming and enjoying holidays. These ordinary details provide a striking contrast to the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the children’s family history.

Meghan has also spoken about the importance of giving Archie and Lilibet practical experiences. Gardening, for example, has become part of their family routine. She has described how working with plants can teach children patience and help them understand where food comes from. The family has even created a small farmers’ market-style stand, turning a simple activity into an opportunity for the children to learn about value, effort and responsibility.

The emphasis on these experiences suggests that Harry and Meghan want their children to have memories that extend beyond royal titles and public attention. Whether they are helping in the garden, preparing food or enjoying a family celebration, Archie and Lilibet are being introduced to experiences designed to feel grounded and personal.

The small moments that reveal a different side of Harry and Meghan

One of the most interesting aspects of the collection is how much it relies on seemingly insignificant moments. There are no grand royal ceremonies at the center of these memories. Instead, the focus is on the details that make up family life.

Meghan has spoken warmly about motherhood, describing it as something she had always dreamed of. Her comments about the children often focus on their personalities rather than their public identities. She has shared stories about busy mornings, homemade pancakes and the challenge of balancing family routines with everything else happening around them.

There are also playful glimpses into the children’s developing personalities. Harry and Meghan have previously mentioned that Archie and Lilibet have grown up with both American and British influences. Although the children generally have American accents, Meghan has noted that they occasionally use words or expressions associated with their father’s British background.

Such details may appear small, but they reveal the blending of two very different worlds. Archie and Lilibet are growing up in California while carrying a connection to the British royal family through their father. Their upbringing therefore naturally contains elements from both sides of their heritage.

The collection also includes moments surrounding celebrations and travel. From family holidays to visits and outdoor activities, the photographs demonstrate that the children’s lives are not defined solely by their parents’ public profiles. They are shown experiencing many of the same pleasures as other young children, from playing outdoors to celebrating special occasions with family.

For Harry and Meghan, these moments may also serve another purpose. By choosing what to share publicly, they can present a carefully limited window into their family life without turning their children’s childhood into a constant public spectacle.

A lasting connection to Diana and the Sussex family story

Perhaps the most emotional thread running through the collection is the connection between Archie and Lilibet and their late grandmother, Princess Diana. Although Diana died long before either child was born, her presence remains an important part of Harry’s family story and, by extension, the children’s heritage.

Lilibet’s name itself reflects that connection. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen in tribute to Harry’s mother, ensuring that Diana’s memory remains part of the next generation of the family.

Harry has also shared touching memories about how he talks to his children about Diana. One particularly poignant story involved Archie using the word “grandma” when looking at a photograph of Diana. For Harry, the moment reportedly carried both sweetness and sadness because his mother never had the opportunity to meet her grandchildren.

That connection became especially meaningful when Archie and Lilibet visited Althorp, the Spencer family’s ancestral home and the place most closely associated with Diana’s childhood. The visit offered the children an opportunity to encounter part of their father’s personal history in a way that went beyond photographs and stories.

Taken together, these moments create a more intimate portrait of the Sussex family. Harry and Meghan may have stepped away from royal life, but the past has not disappeared from their children’s upbringing. Instead, elements of British heritage, Diana’s memory and the family’s California lifestyle appear to coexist in the children’s everyday world.

Ultimately, PEOPLE’s collection is less about royal spectacle than it is about the passage of time. Archie and Lilibet are growing up, and the occasional photographs shared by their parents allow the public to witness only carefully selected fragments of that journey. From birthday celebrations and garden projects to family trips and moments connected with Diana, each image adds another piece to the story.

The larger picture is one of a family attempting to protect its private life while still sharing selected milestones with the public. For Harry and Meghan, those carefully chosen glimpses offer a way to celebrate their children without completely surrendering their privacy. And for those following the Sussexes, the images provide a rare opportunity to see the people behind the titles: two parents watching their children grow, creating traditions, and building a family identity that combines their California present with a very visible royal past.