Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been accused of breaking Californian law after posting a photograph of Princess Lilibet not wearing a lifejacket on a moving vessel.
In order to mark International Women's Day on Saturday, the Duchess of Sussex posted a sweet montage of family photos, including one snap which featured Harry cuddling daughter Lilibet Diana, three, on board a boat.
The youngster was clad in a bright pink T-shirt and floral leggings while her dad, clearly in off-duty mode in a backwards baseball cap and shorts, planted a loving kiss on her head.
In the state of California, where the couple live, the law states that children under 13 must wear a life jacket at all times while on a moving vessel of any length.
© InstagramThey must wear a Coast Guard-approved life vest in serviceable condition and of a type and size appropriate for the conditions and the activity.
Exemptions for children under 13 include: those tethered to a sailboat by a harness, those in an enclosed cabin, and those on board a vessel during an emergency rescue.
Fans were up in arms about the photograph, taking to X (Twitter) to express their dismay that the Sussexes wouldn’t have put Lili in a lifejacket.
"A child on a boat without a lifejacket makes me cringe. We’ve had several drownings in our state for that very reason," one tweet read.
Another shared: "How irresponsible. Even pet owners put life vests on their pets when riding in boats."
5 times royals broke with protocol
1. Wedding vows
When Diana married Prince Charles in 1981, she removed the word ''obey'' from her wedding vows.'' It was a longstanding tradition for royal brides to include this word.
2. Marrying a divorcee
Prince Harry was granted permission by Queen Elizabeth II to marry Meghan Markle, despite her being a divorcee. Meghan was previously married to American film producer Trevor Engelson between 2011 until 2014.
3. Oysters
In 2013, Prince Charles ate oysters, which might seem harmless but the royals have a long list of foods they avoid with seafood off the menu due to its attendant higher risk of food poisoning.
4. Private attendance
Princess Kate paid her respects to Sarah Everard – a young woman murdered by a police officer – in a vigil on Clapham Common in March 2021 without making an official royal announcement.
5. The Queen's autograph
The Queen signed a football back in 1998 for Malaysian Manchester United supporters. Typically, royals do not sign items to avoid the risk of forgery.
Others rushed to their defence, however, insisting that we don't know the circumstances in which the photograph was taken. "They may be tied up at the dock," one person wrote
It's likely the couple - who are devoted parents to Lilibet and her brother Prince Archie, five - were moored at the time. In fact, they might not have been in California at all - the image could have been taken during their vacation to Costa Rica in late 2023.
© Instagram / @meghanIn the UK for example, it is not currently mandatory by law to wear a life jacket on a boat as a child. It is strongly recommended, however.
Meghan and Harry's big week
The couple have been in the headlines all week following the launch of the former Suits actress' new eight-part Netflix series, With Love, Meghan.
The programme sees the mother-of-two and her celebrity friends sharing stories about their lives while embarking on a string of domestic activities, from cooking cherished recipes to gift-wrapping, beekeeping and hosting.
© NetflixDespite mixed reviews for the show, it was revealed on Friday that a second season would be dropping this autumn. Director Michael Steed has already filmed the second installment.
Sharing the news with her devoted followers, Meghan posted an Instagram video of herself dancing while wearing an apt food-themed cap reading "lettuce romaine calm".
She captioned the post: "Lettuce romaine calm… or not(!) because I'm thrilled to share that Season 2 of 'With Love, Meghan' is coming!
