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Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attends day two of the Invictus Games 2020 © getty

Baby Meghan Markle pictured with maternal grandmother Jeanette in ultra-rare photo

Prince Harry's wife Meghan Markle had a close bond with her late maternal grandmother

Sophie Hamilton
Parenting Editor
February 23, 2024
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A previously unseen photograph of the Duchess of Sussex as a baby has emerged and it's absolutely adorable.

Shared by Meghan's cousin, Shawn Johnson, the photo shows the sweet newborn being cradled by her maternal grandmother Jeanette, who is the mother of Meghan's mum Doria.

WATCH: Meghan Markle and Doria Ragland revisit childhood home

In the rare photo, we see an angelic looking Meghan wrapped up in a white blanket, her eyes closed and her tiny hand touching her grandmother's cheek who kisses her granddaughter lovingly.

Jeanette, who lived from 1929 to 2000, and often cared for Meghan while her parents were at work, looked smitten in the picture, holding the baby girl safely in her arms.

Meghan Markle as baby being cradled by her maternal grandmother Jeanette© DailyMail.com
Meghan Markle as baby being cradled by her maternal grandmother Jeanette

Embroiderer and graphic designer Shawn is the son of Meghan's uncle on her mother's side, Joseph Johnson, and he lives in California, just as Meghan does.

He told the MailOnline how as a child, he would visit his now royal cousin in Los Angeles in the holidays, revealing: "We'd be at my grandmother's house, and we'd all get together. We all had a pretty good childhood growing up."

He added: "Meghan definitely helped make that childhood great – she was a big part of it."

Meghan Markle reading a bedtime story to Archie
Meghan with her son Prince Archie in 2020

In a previous interview, Meghan's uncle Joseph Johnson told The Mail about the Suits actress' close relationship with her grandmother Jeanette.

"Doria and my mother lived right around the corner from one another in LA, so Jeanette played a big part in caring for Meghan.

"After the birth, Doria went on with her career [as a make-up artist and later air hostess] and my mother would watch her during the day."

Britain's Prince Harry stands with his fiancée US actress Meghan Markle as she shows off her engagement ring whilst they pose for a photograph in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace in west London on November 27, 2017, following the announcement of their engagement. Britain's Prince Harry will marry his US actress girlfriend Meghan Markle early next year after the couple became engaged earlier this month, Clarence House announced on Monday. (Photo by Daniel LEAL / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images)© DANIEL LEAL
Prince Harry and Meghan announcing their engagement

Meghan and Jeanette reportedly had a close bond until she passed away in 2000 at the age of 71, and, writes the paper, Prince Harry's wife would sit by her grandmother's bedside at the end of her life as she battled heart disease.

Meghan is said to have taken after Jeanette with her "quick wit and wicked sense of humour".

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet© Netflix
Prince Harry and Meghan with their children Archie and Lilibet

HELLO! also revealed another new photo of Meghan as a baby, shared by her cousin Shawn.

In the cute snap, we see a very sweet baby Meghan looking at the camera wearing a black hoodie, looking identical to her son Prince Archie.

The royal mother-of-two had the same dark brown eyes and similar shaped features to Archie, who we recently saw more of in Meghan and Harry's recent Netflix docuseries.

 

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