Prince Harry and Meghan praised for going against Kate and William's 'traditional' style after sharing new Archie photo

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex have been praised for the way they went against the more "traditional" royal style with little Archie in his 2nd birthday tribute. 

• Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shared a very special photo of Archie in honor of his 2nd birthday and the couple have been praised for their approach. 
• Royal biographer Omid Scobie has praised their styling choice for Archie, which is very different to the “traditional” outfits worn by other royal children such as the Cambridges. 
• This royal news (opens in new tab) comes as Kate Middleton was given an adorable surprise gift for Prince George and her reaction was the sweetest (opens in new tab). 

Archie Mountbatten-Windsor (opens in new tab) turned two years old last week and the Royal Family and royal fans alike were quick to wish him a wonderful day. It was thought that he would be enjoying a Zoom date with the Queen (opens in new tab), as well as with his cousins Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Archie is seventh in the royal line of succession (opens in new tab), though his father Prince Harry could still be king (opens in new tab) one day and the Sussexes are important members of the Royal Family.

Having settled with his parents Harry and Duchess Meghan at their new LA home (opens in new tab), it has sadly been some time since they got to see Archie in person. And there was one heart-breaking detail in the Royal Family’s birthday tributes (opens in new tab) to Archie that royal fans noticed, as each of the photos were taken quite some time ago.

Though there was one much more up-to-date birthday snap - the one posted by Harry and Meghan themselves. In it, Archie is holding onto a balloon, wearing jeans and trainers in a refreshing twist on a classic royal look.

Alongside the photo posted on their Archewell website was a message inviting the public to mark Archie’s birthday by giving a small donation to the international Covid vaccine fund. 

The departure from the more formal outfit choice for royal children was praised by biographer, Omid Scobie.

Speaking on his podcast, The HeirPod, he declared: “This was a cute moment. We not only had a new picture from the couple of Archie, in his garden I presume, in jeans and Nikes - which, for a royal kid, is very welcome because I think sometimes the dress code can be a little too traditional.

“This was, I think as we’ve come to experience from the Sussexes, it was a photograph of Archie, but not particularly clear,” he added. 

In contrast, in family photos shared by Prince William and Kate Middleton, their sons are generally wearing trousers or shorts, with shirts and sometimes also jumpers. Charlotte also often wears smarter shirts and jumpers in colder months. 

All three are usually seen in smart shoes and socks, such as in the adorable snap recently posted of the Queen and Prince Philip alongside many of their ten great-grandchildren (opens in new tab) at Balmoral.

This photo and many other Cambridge family snaps are taken by Kate herself, with her children’s beaming faces clearly visible. 

In contrast, Harry and Meghan’s photo has Archie facing away from the camera. The photo is artistically blurred and the same could be seen in their sweet family Christmas card last year. 

Despite the differences in their style, however, it’s adorable to think of Archie chatting with his cousins on his 2nd birthday.

This year also marked his last birthday as an only child, with Harry and Meghan's second child due later this year.