The royal family’s sweetest moments caught on camera

Just when you think they can’t get any more photogenic, the British royal family surprises us all with a little extra sparkle. Sometimes it’s a new little family member joining the clan or a gorgeous wedding. Whatever spurs the latest snaps, the Royal Family has not disappointed their adoring fans in recent years.

There have been so many adorable moments captured on film. From Duchess Kate and Duchess Meghan stunning us with their style to the littlest royals putting on a pint-size show, there are plenty of precious photos to fill a whole palace. Here are our favorites.

Royal Wedding

There were so many heart-warming moments during Prince William and Kate Middleton’s 2011 wedding, it’s hard to pick just one. The couple was so clearly in love and excited for their special day, it really showed through in all of the photos. Their smiles lit up the whole city — and, really, a whole world filled with on-lookers. Their traditional first kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace was one of the more adorable and memorable moments captured.

Olympic Thrill

There were many cheer-worthy moments and record-breaking feats of athleticism throughout the London 2012 Olympic Games. Prince William and Duchess Kate caught some of the action during the first week of the games at the Velodrome, a venue that hosted indoor track cycling events. They may have been watching the incredible athletes, but all eyes were on the adorable royal couple. William and Kate hugged each other tightly as they cheered on the athletes in front of them.

Dancing Duchess

Meghan Markle visited Star Hub in Cardiff, Wales, which plays host to StreetGames, an organization Prince Harry has worked with in the past. While there, she embraced this group of girls in a massive group hug. In fact, there are so many girls in the group, you can barely see Meghan anymore! Markle attended a street dance class at Star Hub, a leisure center with community rooms, a pool, library, fitness studios and more. The center aims to help disadvantaged children through sports and athletics.

Nurturing Parents

When she was younger, almost all photos of Princess Charlotte captured her nestled in Duchess Kate’s arms. As a mom, Kate seems to like to hold her daughter close with both arms. It’s also rare to find to a photo of the royal mother-daughter pair without genuine smiles across their faces. This photo is from a royal family trip in 2017. It also captures Princess Charlotte practicing her wave. More recent photos of Princess Charlotte show her walking along on her own more often, but never far from Duchess Kate’s side.

Caring For Corgis

Queen Elizabeth II’s love of dogs, especially corgis, is very well known. Over the years she has owned many of the breed and fans greet her with corgi portraits and their own corgi pups. In this cute photo, she takes time to bend down and give a corgi a pat on the head. That’s one very lucky little dog to get such loving attention from the Queen of England. She was visiting Sherborne in Dorset in southwest England during her Diamond Jubilee progress in 2012.

Birthday Portrait

For the 70th birthday of Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, he and his immediate family posed for several special portraits. They sat on a bench in the gardens of Clarence House surrounded by a beautiful, leafy green background. Present for the photo were Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall; Prince Willliam, Duke of Cambridge; Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge; Prince George; Princess Charlotte; Prince Louis; Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. They all looked especially sweet in this candid capture, though Prince George’s wide grin is especially infectious.

Royal Robe

President Obama and his wife Michelle made several official visits to England — including stops at Kensington Palace — during his time in office. During one of those Kensington Palace visits, a pint-size Prince George offered a special royal welcome. Even though major heads of state were in the room, it was George’s attire that caught the most attention. He wore pajamas with a robe over the top. It’s not often you see a royal in a robe, but he looks absolutely adorable.

Winter Wonderland

Just when you thought Prince William, Duchess Kate, Prince George and Princess Charlotte couldn’t get any cuter, there’s this moment when a photographer snapped them on a ski holiday. The combination of the snow and snowsuits in a winter wonderland setting is almost too much to handle. The little ones have cozy knit hats to match those of their parents. The royal holiday ski tradition — and the accompanying photos — are something we can all look forward to for a long time.

Flower Girl

No matter where she is, or how formal the occasion, Duchess Kate is always bending down to connect with her children at their level. Here, a photographer snapped an adorable moment on the steps outside St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s wedding day. Princess Charlotte looks like she’s listening intently to whatever mom has to say while also soaking up the sights all around her. She was part of the bridal party for the wedding.

Sweet Sneezes

There were hundreds of flowers included in the decorations for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal wedding ceremony. So it’s only natural that the photographers ended up catching one of the bridesmaids mid-sneeze. Princess Charlotte was the one who sneezed for the camera. She wore a flower crown and was always right around nose level to bouquets and other flower arrangements. Her sneeze is just precious, though, and she still looks every bit the princess in this relatable moment.

Lip Reading

At first glance, this photo looks like just another traditional royal wedding day snap. It is, but it’s also so much more. This beautiful photo captures the exact moment Prince Harry made everyone swoon. After Meghan had walked down the aisle to join him at the front, he turned to her and appeared to tell her, “You look amazing.” Then he added, “I’m so lucky.” The cameras didn’t manage to capture her response, but you can use your imagination.

First Kiss

Immediately following the ceremony at St. George’s Chapel, the royal bride and groom walked back down the aisle and outside. There, on the steps of the chapel, they shared their first kiss as a married couple. Clearly in love, they paused under an archway of overflowing, beautiful flowers. Their first kiss was not quite so elevated as Prince William and Kate’s balcony smooch, but it was no less romantic. They smiled and then waved to the cheering crowd gathered nearby.

Princes And Page Boys

Princess Charlotte and Prince George had yet another opportunity to be in a wedding party for another royal wedding in 2018. Both children were among the bridesmaids and page boys at Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s wedding. This photo captures Prince George in what looks like a moment of mischief plotting. We may never know what prompted this silly look, or what he was thinking. However, the expression on his face, as well as on Princess Charlotte’s, is simply priceless.

A Hair Tug

On Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s first official trip to Ireland there was a lot of hand-shaking and waving to the crowds, as is to be expected. But one little boy was determined to get more than a smile and a wave from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Walter Cullen, a 3-year-old, had another way of getting the attention of the royals. He reached out and grabbed Markle’s hair!

Markle was all smiles as she interacted with the little boy, who proceeded to touch her hair and face — but Prince Harry, on the other hand, wasn’t having any of it and jokingly scolded the little boy. Thankfully, the adorable exchange was caught on camera.

Little Prince

The whole family came out to celebrate Prince Louis’ christening at the Chapel Royal, St. James’ Palace in London. This photo shows Prince William, Duchess Kate, Prince George and Princess Charlotte all decked out in coordinating shades of blue and white. Duchess Kate holds little Louis and looks lovingly down at him. Meanwhile, Prince William holds hands with the two older children. It’s hard to look away from Prince Louis’ christening gown, covered in intricate Honiton lace, but the whole scene is truly precious.

Polo At The Park

A polo match is a popular event for royals. Duchess Kate brought Prince George and Princess Charlotte to the Maserati Royal Charity Polo Trophy at Beaufort Park on June 10, 2018 in Gloucester, England. Both Prince George and Princess Charlotte frolicked in the grass and looked like they had a grand old time. They probably could have cared less about the posh polo match going on nearby, so occupied were they with a hill to roll down and toys to play with. Duchess Kate sat in the grass and played right alongside her two children for some quality family bonding time.

Trooping The Colour

Members of the royal family gathered on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the Trooping the Colour ceremony on June 9, 2018. This photo captured Duchess Meghan, Prince Charles, Duchess Kate, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince William all together. Queen Elizabeth was just outside the shot. They’re all looking up to watch a fly-by of aircraft by the Royal Air Force. The Trooping the Colour ceremony marks the official birthday of the Sovereign. It’s a very belated celebration each year because it doesn’t occur on Queen Elizabeth’s actual birthday of April 21. The littlest royals stole the show with wide eyes and genuine excitement for the planes and parade.

Big Brother, Big Sister

In the photo below, Prince William is seen walking hand-in-hand with Prince George and Princess Charlotte as he’s on his way to the hospital where they will meet their new baby brother, Prince Louis. Duchess Kate had recently given birth to the newest little prince in the Lindo Wing at St. Mary’s Hospital on April 23, 2018. Both royal children look excited to meet their little brother, and Princess Charlotte offers a mini wave. Prince William looks down and chats with them along the way.

Beach Buddies

Like many tourists who pass through Sydney, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan visited South Bondi Beach. While there, they spoke to members of OneWave, an awareness group for mental health and well-being. Here they are sitting down in the sand as part of a circle of OneWave members. The beautiful beach was a natural spot to talk about wellness. They both looked like they enjoyed the time both with each other and with the OneWave members. Harry and Meghan locked eyes and smiled wide in this photo.

Taking Flight

While in Hamburg, Germany, Princess Charlotte and Duchess Kate took a look at a few helicopter models at the Hamburg airport. Princess Charlotte looked especially thrilled to explore the aircraft with her mom. Prince George and Prince William didn’t make it into this adorable shot, but they toured the helicopters as well.

This stop was part of their official visit to Poland and Germany. The whole family toured around several cities in July 2017, a trip that perhaps filled the little royals with the desire to learn how to fly someday.

Fiji Breakfast

On her visit to Suva, Fiji, Duchess Meghan didn’t just attend a morning tea reception at the British High Commissioner’s Residence. In fact, she rolled up her sleeves and helped prepare some of the meal alongside the locals. She wore a long printed dress and placed flowers in her hair and around her neck to perfectly match the tropical surroundings and the fresh food. This photo shows her mixing up something sure to be delicious in a wooden bowl with a smiling chef watching over her.

Walk In The Woods

Even for royals, it can be hard to plan and pack for an extended trip. Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry’s tour of Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji spanned more than two weeks. As a result, Duchess Meghan borrowed Prince Harry’s jacket for one outing and looked better than ever. The duo took a walk in the woods along Redwoods Treewalk in Rotorua, New Zealand. She looked so comfortable in his oversize jacket, we wouldn’t be surprised if Meghan never returned it and instead held onto the cozy parka for herself.

Local Leaders

Prince Harry met a local elder during his visit to Lake McKenzie in Fraser Island, Australia. The two of them carried on an animated conversation on the beach. They both waved their arms around. Then, they paused and posed for photos. This snap captures a wonderful moment with the two of them and the crowd behind. The only thing that could have made it better would have been Prince Harry attempting the local elder’s on-point tree pose — though the khakis may have made that difficult.

Teddy Bears

In between official royal engagements, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan made time for a walk along the beach. They wandered along the picturesque Kingfisher Bay Jetty in Fraser Island, Australia. While long walks on the beach are almost always romantic, what caught our eye was this shot of the couple holding matching teddy bears. They’re both all smiles with their stuffed toys. Perhaps the matching toys will become favorites of their baby or gifts for their royal niece and nephews.

Warm Embrace

Duchess Meghan took a walkabout to greet the crowds at the Government Gardens on Oct. 31, 2018, in Rotorua, New Zealand. This marked her and Prince Harry’s final day of their Autumn tour visiting Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand. She was certainly in no rush to move on as she lingered with the crowds lined up along the road. One little fan, 2-year-old Catalina Rivera, wriggled through the railings and received a full hug from Meghan in return for her efforts.

Free Hugs

Along their South Pacific tour, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan made a stop in Dubbo, Australia. They visited a farm and greeted locals there. Many people in the small town came out to catch sight of the royals, including local schoolchildren. Meghan gave out hugs, and this little boy, Luke Vincent of Buninyong Public School, was one of the lucky recipients of a royal embrace. Prince Harry wasn’t far away and knelt down to get closer to the kids just like his wife.

Gracious Greeting

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan made stops on the North Island of New Zealand during their extended royal tour. They received a very warm welcome from the Kiwis. In fact, Meghan received a “hongi,” or traditional Maori greeting. For the hongi, two people press their noses together and share a breath. Duchess Meghan was clearly game. This was part of the official welcoming ceremony for the royal couple at Government House in Wellington on Oct. 28, 2018, and we sort of love the intimacy and warmth of the tradition.

Community Cooking

Duchess Meghan certainly isn’t stingy with her hugs, and she always looks lovely doling them out. She visited Hubb Community Kitchen and embraced kitchen coordinator Zaheera Sufyaan. Meghan worked with women displaced when the Grenfell Tower tragically burned. They produced the “Together: Our Community” cookbook, which includes 50 family recipes from the women in the Hubb Community Kitchen. Meghan contributed by writing the foreword for the cookbook. Naturally, the cookbook was an instant bestseller on Amazon and has helped fund the kitchen and community.

Christmas Cheer

Along with the rest of the royal family, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan attended the Christmas day services at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, which is located on the Sandringham estate. They all walked along the path to the entrance of the church and paused to greet the crowds who gathered to say hello. Prince Harry looked especially excited while talking to a couple of youngsters and their family. As he shook their hands, his grin stretched from ear to ear.

Safe Space

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan visited Tomorrow’s Women Wirral, a charity organization, in Jan. 2019. According to its website, Tomorrow Women’s Wirral “is a female only safe environment where women can address their issues to help lead a happier, healthier more fuller lifestyle to be all they want to be.” This particularly adorable snap shows an expectant Meghan learning about the program and speaking with the women involved. She wore a bright purple dress topped with a bold red coat.

Sculpture Ceremony

During a visit to Birkenhead, England, Duchess Meghan paused to chat with children. She was in Hamilton Square to view a recently erected sculpture. The sculpture marked the 100th anniversary of Wilfred Owen’s death on Jan. 14, 2019. While Meghan walked through the crowd, all the while looking like a natural, the children gave the mother-to-be bouquets of flowers. She knelt down, holding hands and smiling as she spoke with the children. She’s clearly learned from Duchess Kate’s excellent example.

Kids Greet Kate On Her Return From Maternity Leave

After Kate Middleton gave birth to Prince Louis, she retreated from her official royal duties for several months. In October 2018, the Duchess of Cambridge returned to official duties from maternity leave and she paid a visit to the Sayers Croft Trust Forest School and Wildlife Garden at Paddington Recreation Ground in London. She helped schoolchildren there learn about the mental health benefits of experiencing nature.

“She said we were lucky to live near a place like this,” Mirianthe Engomitis told People of Middleton’s appearance. “She was asking if we had been here to see the park’s progress. It was lovely of her to stop.”

As is clearly evidenced by the photos, the youngsters definitely took a liking to Middleton.