Archie and Lilibet not featured on Meghan and Harry's 2022 Christmas card
Watch: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wish the public a 'joyful holiday season'
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have shared their 2022 Christmas card.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's festive note features a black and white image of them holding hands, taken at the 'Ripple of Hope' gala in New York earlier this month, at which they were honoured for standing up to racial injustice.
They wrote: "Wishing you a joyful holiday season. From our family to yours, and on behalf of our teams at Archewell Foundation, Archewell Audio, and Archewell Productions, we wish you health, peace and a Happy New Year."
It was signed: "Best wishes, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex."
Read more: William and Kate release new family photo for Christmas amid Harry and Meghan Netflix controversy
Royal fans were delighted at the photo of the pair, however they couldn't help but clock an unusual detail: the absence of their two children. Both Archie, now three, and daughter Lilibet, now one, featured on the couple's 2021 Christmas card, in a photo taken by their wedding photographer Alexi Lubomirski.
On that occasion, the image – which was Lilibet's first public photo after her birth in June 2021 – captured the family of four at home in Montecito, California.
It read: "Happy Holidays. This year, 2021, we welcomed our daughter, Lilibet, to the world. Archie made us a 'Mama' and a 'Papa', and Lili made us a family."
On Twitter, fans responded to the image with one social media user commenting: "Harry and Meghan have released their Christmas card for 2022. It's sweet."
In reply, another responded: "Is it possible this is a card for those that have supported Archewell? Just seems a little odd they wouldn’t have included their little ones in a family Christmas card but that might just be me."
A third asked: "Why no children?"
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Another suggested that it might have been a deliberate move not to include their children, adding: "Do you guys think H&M are separating their family life vs business life for Archewell?"
However, many social media users simply praised the couple for sharing a beautiful photo of themselves.
One person wrote: "Lovely couple, finally some freedom, and hopefully now a bit of peace."
Another shared "they're a beautiful couple!" and a third added "elegant and chic".
Read more: Harry reveals Archie's like Meghan and Lilibet resembles Diana
Both children made frequent appearances in the couple's recent Netflix docuseries, shown in a series of family photos and videos.
In the series, Harry spoke about consent. "As a dad, and as parents, I think consent is a really key piece to this. That if you have children, it should be your consent to what you share."
Meghan added: "We've been really conscious of protecting our kids as best we can and also understanding the role they play in this really historical family."
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