A split image of Charles Spencer and the Sussexes

Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's vibrant 'Spencer' red hair is identical to great-uncle's Charles Spencer

Archie and Lilibet live with their parents, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex

August 4, 2024

Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet have both inherited beautiful red hair and the link to their family can be seen whenever their great-uncle, Charles Spencer, shares old photos from the Spencer archive...

Earlier this year, the ninth Earl Spencer shared a family photo of himself taken 50 years ago alongside his elder sister Lady Sarah McCorquodale, and their close family friend James. In the image, both Charles and Sarah's flame-red locks couldn't go unnoticed. 

Captioning the post, Charles penned: "A photograph (taken by my father) from 50 years ago, in the gardens of Park House, in Norfolk, which was 'home' till I was 11 (and still is, to me, in many ways). My sister Sarah stands behind me, and family friend James is cross legged in front: I ended up being godfather to his son, in fact, 20 years later. 

"Memories of such a happy time and place - those Norfolk childhood years were golden."

Both Archie and Lilibet have beautiful red hair

Prince Harry has previously spoken about his little ones having "very strong" Spencer genes in a candid interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

"The Spencer gene is very, very strong. I actually really, genuinely thought at the beginning of my relationship [with Meghan] that should this go the distance and we have kids that there's no way the ginger gene will stand up to my wife's genes, but I was wrong!"

Baby Lilibet Diana on her first birthday

In his Netflix series, Harry & Meghan, which aired in 2022, Prince Harry also shared just how much his little girl reminds him of his mother, Princess Diana, and her side of the family. 

He said in the final episode: "I think at the moment I see a lot of my wife in Archie and a lot of my mum in Lilibet. She's very Spencer-like. She's got the same blue eyes."

© The Duke and Duchess of Sussex

The Spencer family genes are strong!

As well as Lady Sarah and Charles, Princess Diana's other sister Lady Jane Fellowes also had beautiful red hair. Harry has always had a warm relationship with his aunt and uncles and that bond is reported to still be close since Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle left the UK in 2020.

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