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Meghan Markle holding daughter Lilibet during her first birthday party© Twitter/Misan Harriman

Meghan Markle and Princess Lilibet caught adorably waving at the Montecito parade - watch video

Lili, two, and Meghan were dressed in red, white, and blue for the special American day

Rebecca Lewis
Rebecca Lewis - Los Angeles
Los Angeles correspondentLos Angeles
Updated: July 9, 2023
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American girls! The Duchess of Sussex and her daughter Princess Lilibet were caught waving enthusiastically as the Fourth of July parade in Montecito drove past them.

In a video shared by Rosewood Miramar Beach – the same hotel where Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker got engaged – the mother-daughter duo were briefly seen roadside as they watched the model T Fords drive by, and waved at the occupants as well as holding miniature American flag pinwheels.

Meghan will stay in California with the children
Meghan with Archie and Lili

Meghan was crouched down to keep a close arm around two-year-old Lili, and the mom appeared to be wearing light wash flared jeans with a white tee and a black and white sweater tied around her neck.

Lili – who was also pictured this week in the arms of her father, Prince Harry, – wore a sweet blue floral dress by Doen, which retails for $98 and was reminiscent of a dress previously worn by Princess Charlotte, Harry and Meghan's niece, paired with knee-high white socks and red Mary Jane shoes.

Prince Archie appeared to be there as well, although he was hiding behind two other young girls also in the crowd, while dad Harry – wearing a khaki shirt and jeans, paired with a baseball cap – stood talking to another local. 

WATCH THE PARADE VIDEO HERE:

View post on Instagram
 

The roadshow began at Montecito Union School and made its way down San Ysidro Road towards East Valley, and included "25 vintage and modern vehicles driven by community leaders and representatives from local organizations," according to the Montecito Journal. 

The family of four watched as novelty cars and local ambulances and fire trucks made their way through the streets, decked out in red white and blue decorations for the annual celebration. 

Harry and Meghan smiling together at Invictus Games Toronto 2017© Getty
Harry and Meghan have kept a low profile in their home town

The new pictures of the former royals reveal that as Lili grows older she is taking after her mother's side of the family, as avid royals fans shared photos of the young girl alongside her grandfather, Thomas Markle, pointing out the strong similarities between the two. 

Body language expert Darren Stanton later told HELLO! that the way Prince Harry held on to his daughter is telling of his caring approach to fatherhood. 

"You can tell how caring he is as a father, and how seriously he takes parenting. From the way he is holding her, I can tell he has a lot of joy in that moment while being protective of her," Darren told HELLO

"It’s clear he is at his happiest when with his children and Meghan. He and Meghan show they are very tactile with their children and always have been. Harry's body language suggests he is very much a hands-on father, and it’s important to him to be that way with his children. He doesn’t hold back from that."

The royal couple previously said they only intended to have two children
The royal couple previously said they only intended to have two children

The pair moved their family to Montecito, two hours north of Los Angeles in California in 2021, a year after they decided to leave their home in Windsor, England, stepping back from their roles as working senior members of the royal family, and move to the United States.

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