Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Sweetly Message Princess Charlotte on Her Birthday

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(Image credit: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS)

published 2 May 2019

There aren't too usually many public photos of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle interacting with their nephews and niece, beyond the group shots during Trooping the Colour and other big events. But we got a lovely little look at the behind-the-scenes dynamic for the aunt and uncle (and soon to be parents...any day now...), based on an Instagram comment the @SussexRoyal account left for Princess Charlotte's birthday today.

The loving aunt and uncle got real with the emojis, saying, "Happy Birthday Charlotte! 🎂🎈Lots of love, H and M xo." Royal reporters have noted in the past that "xo" is American (vs the British "xx"), so this might, in fact, be Meghan picking up her phone to deliver a sweet message herself.

So amongst other things, this is also a hint that Meghan hasn't had her baby yet—because it's just H and M, no third member of their family just yet (Buckingham Palace will tell us when she's in labor, so those conspiracy theories that Meghan had the baby aaaages ago and just isn't telling us are apparently not true). Hilariously, if they actually did announce the baby this way with a single initial as part of an Instagram comment, I think fans, myself included, would lose their collective minds. And baby name speculation based off of that initial would be off the charts.

Here's the original post:

A post shared by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@dukeandduchessofcambridge)
A photo posted by on

And here's the message:

Text, Font, Line, Screenshot, Icon, Number, Document,

I just love how informal everything is: Kate, taking the photos (and becoming a budding photographer in the process, which I love), posting them onto social media casually like a regular, proud mom, and then the coolest aunt and uncle ever swooping in to offer a supportive comment.

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.