Prince Harry Keeps His Mother's Legacy Alive For Archie And Lilibet In Literally The Sweetest Way
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcomed their two children, fans rejoiced at seeing the newest additions to the royal family. Yet there was a tinge of sadness involved as well, knowing that young Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet would never know their famous paternal grandmother, Princess Diana. The beloved "People's Princess" died tragically in 1997, leaving her two sons, Harry and William, Prince of Wales, motherless at 12 and 15. Growing up without her was difficult enough, but thinking of the memories Diana would have made with her five grandchildren makes the loss more heartbreaking still.
Unlike some siblings, who can get territorial over baby names, neither William nor Harry apparently had an issue with both of them using their mother's name for their daughters. In fact, both Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana and Princess Lilibet Diana were named both for Diana and for their great-grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. (Lilibet was the queen's childhood nickname.) Harry has also found another special — and delicious! — way to help his children honor the "granny" who meant so much both to the family and the world.
During his family's visit to the U.K. in July 2026, the duke attended a festival event for bereaved families of military members. Asked if he does anything in particular to remember his mother, Harry said (via People): "Yes, we do lemon drizzle cake." In fact, the Sussexes enjoy the treat twice every summer: on Diana's July 1 birthday, and every August 31, the anniversary of her death. The prince went on to explain: "I think traditions are really, really important. Especially when they're sweet."
The princes keep their mother's memory alive for their children
Prince Harry's dessert tradition virtually guarantees his two children will associate their grandmother, Princess Diana with sweet memories. The family favorite, more commonly known as a glazed lemon loaf cake in the U.S., is both delicious and super simple to make, as the video below shows. (Confused about the metric measurements? This site, Weekend Bakery, will help you with the proper conversions.)
@honey.lemon.cloud here's the recipe 🍋💛 #baking #lemondrizzlecake #fyp #viral
Both Harry and his brother, Prince William, find other ways to pay tribute to their late mother, and their example will no doubt be carried on by the next generation. The pair put aside their differences long enough to unveil a statue of Diana at Kensington Palace in 2021, to coincide with her 60th birthday. Other examples include Harry taking Archie and Lilibet to visit their grandmother's childhood home at Althorp during their July 2026 trip, and William encouraging his children to make "Granny Diana" cards every Mother's Day.
In the 2017 documentary "Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy" (via YouTube), William said that he's "constantly talking about Granny" to his children, and he especially enjoys sharing memories at bedtime. Similarly, Harry told the podcast "Confessions of a Female Founder" (per The Express Tribune): "We speak about my mum all the time," not just on her anniversary dates.
Most of all, the princes hope to keep their mother's spirit alive through their charity work and their love for their families. "I want to make as much time and effort with [my children] as I can, because I realize that these early years particularly are crucial for children, having seen what she did for us," William said in the documentary, adding: "We felt incredibly loved, Harry and I, and I'm very grateful that that love still feels there."