Meghan Markle celebrated her 42nd birthday on Friday and there is one special birthday tradition she definitely won't have skipped which was inspired by her mum, Doria Ragland.
According to her old blog, The Tig, which was shut down in 2017, The Duchess of Sussex revealed she treats every birthday like her own "personal new year" and sets herself resolutions.
She penned in August 2016: "My mom has always said that birthdays are your own personal New Year – your own chance to make resolutions just for yourself and what you prognosticate for your year ahead."
Meghan went on to say: "And while I’ve always loved that sentiment. I have to say that when I close my eyes and think of what I wish for, I come up with a blank. A big old happy blank. I am feeling so incredibly joyful right now, so grateful and content that all I could wish for is more of the same.
"More surprises, more adventure, more opportunities to grow, more days filled with giggles and cheeky jokes, more delicious meals, and more inspiration." The sweet tradition will no doubt be passed down to her little ones, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Meghan would have written the post just weeks after meeting Prince Harry for the first time in July 2016. The pair crossed paths at Soho House's Dean Street Townhouse. The Duke of Sussex confirmed in his tell-all book Spare, that it was the couple's mutual friend, Violet von Westenholz, who first put him in touch with then-Suits actress Meghan. See them talk about their first meeting in the video below.
Meghan and Harry most likely celebrated the Duchess' big day at home in Montecito with their little ones, and her mother Doria before they enjoyed a solo dinner at Italian restaurant Tre Lune. For her birthday look, Meghan wore a black and white strapless column-style dress by Posse, priced at an affordable $239.
In their Netflix Series, Harry and Meghan, eager fans got a glimpse of how the family like to celebrate birthdays, as there were numerous clips showing them marking Lilibet's first birthday in the vast gardens of Frogmore cottage.
Little Lili was seen next to the most delicious-looking birthday cake, which was made by Violet Cakes By Claire Ptak the same person who created Harry and Meghan's decadent wedding cake in 2018.
Lili had the same two-tier cake with textured buttercream frosting. Inside were two of the most delicious-sounding sponge flavours - Amalfi lemon and elderflower. "But this time we covered it with a strawberry buttercream specially for Lilibet,' Claire revealed.
The cake also featured white and pink peonies and was topped with strawberries. So if Lilibet's celebrations are anything to go by, Meghan is sure to have had a fabulous day!