Meghan Markle Faces Backlash for Barefoot Daughter Lilibet's 'Unkempt' Appearance in Birthday Tribute Pics: 'Do They Ever Brush Her Hair?'

Meghan Markle has caught heat from critics for the fifth birthday photos she shared of daughter Lilibet, who was barefoot with seemingly unbrushed hair, while the former royals appeared camera-ready, polished, and perfectly styled in the carefully curated snaps, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

The 44-year-old and her husband, Prince Harry, 41, posed in one photo with their "dream girl," who once again was turned away from the camera to hide her face.

Markle shared two photos on her personal Instagram page on/ June 4 to mark the occasion.

The first showed Harry holding Lilibet in his arms as he looked down, beaming at his second child. Markle stood next to him with her right hand on his shoulder, grinning in the girl's direction.

"Our dream girl. Happy 5th birthday, Lili," the former actress shared in the caption, including a second photo of the little girl barefoot in the yard of their Montecito, California, mansion.

She was wearing the same off-white summer sundress as in the previous photos while touching the purple flower of an Agapanthus plant, also known as the "Lily of the Nile."

Critics were quick to point out the stark contrast in the family snapshot, which notably excluded the couple's 7-year-old son Archie, focusing on the vastly different appearances of the trio.

Harry looked neatly dressed in a crisp navy button-down shirt and dark jeans, while Markle appeared camera-ready in an olive-green long-sleeved top, chic camel-colored belted trousers, and her $18,700 Cartier Juste Un Clou necklace.

But while the former Suits star looked polished enough for a public appearance, detractors seized on Lilibet's bare feet, rumpled sundress, and messy tresses, arguing the young one's casual look clashed with her carefully stylized parents.

Users on Reddit and X were quick to call out the contrast, as well as how Markle tends to present Lili in photos.

"Why are they both in pants and long sleeves, and their child has no shoes, dirty fingers, unkempt hair, and a sleeveless sundress?" one person asked.

"Always so unkept, always so scruffy. Does she not believe in combing her little girl's hair? Or is this a statement to show how natural & unfettered Lili's childhood is in comparison to the stuffy uptight royals?" a second user questioned about Markle and her daughter.

A third on X asked, "Why do they not brush that child's hair?" while a fourth pointed out the pattern, writing, "Same old, same old…Lilibet’s hair is a mess, and she is shoeless."

A fifth sneered about Markle, "This self-proclaimed maven of fashion and beauty rarely treats that poor girl to shoes and a hairstyle."

This isn't the first time Markle has received criticism for Lilibet's hair and lack of shoes.

For the child's fourth birthday, the couple took her and Archie to Disneyland, and the Los Angeles native showed plenty of photos from the Happiest Place on Earth.

But once again, fans asked why Lilibet's hair appeared unbrushed, and she was barefoot in public while Archie was more neatly put together in a long shirt, khakis, and dark sneakers.

Markle received similar questions when sharing a video of a family visit to a Santa Barbara pumpkin patch in October 2025. Archie wore a smart jacket and jeans, while Lilibet wore a pink knit pajama set and had wild hair.