It's hard to top the sweetness of a royal baby's first appearance [1] (could you even handle Archie and his parents [2]?!) but those exciting moments are just the beginning for high-profile families around the world who are regularly photographed. And we can't help but love when famous mums and their offspring (or heirs!) share adorable snaps for the cameras. It's a delightful reminder that their role as Mum is even more important than their royal title. Ahead, see the best frame-worthy photos of royal mums and their little ones around the globe.
Princess Anne and Zara Phillips
Princess Anne and her daughter Zara embraced at a royal event in 2017. The pair share a love of horses and equestrianism.
Queen Mathilde of Belgium With Princesses Elisabeth and Eleonor, and Princes Emmanuel and Gabriel
Belgium's Queen has four children, whom she's not shy about showing affection [4]. She kept them close during King Philippe's 50th birthday party in 2010.
In 2013, Queen Mathilde (then a Princess) shared this adorable family portrait with the world.
The Queen was attentive to her young son during a military parade in 2016.
The Duchess of Sussex and Archie
Meghan Markle [5] was beaming as she introduced her newborn son [6] to the world in 2019. The photos were hopefully just the beginning of many sweet mum moments for Meghan.
Princess Claire of Luxembourg and Princess Amalia
In 2014, Princess Claire introduced her first child, daughter Amalia, to the world.
The new mum glowed at her daughter's christening [7]. Her second child, Prince Liam, was born in 2016.
Princess Charlene of Monaco With Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques
Princess Charlene couldn't contain her affection as she showed off her newborn twins [8] with a sweet kiss in 2015.
The Princess looked lovingly at her twins during their 2015 christening ceremony.
Princess Charlene was hands-on with the twins at an event in 2018.
Autumn Phillips and Savannah
While she doesn't hold a royal title, Autumn Phillips (who is the wife of Peter Phillips, Queen Elizabeth II's oldest grandchild) does seem quite happy with the title of Mom to her two daughters, Savannah and Isla. Here, she and Savannah attend an event at Ascot Racecourse in 2013.
Autumn had her daughters laughing while watching an equestrian event in 2016.
In 2014, Autumn looked every bit the "normal" mum as she rode a carousel with Savannah and Isla in Windsor.
Queen Elizabeth II With Prince Charles and Princess Anne
Queen Elizabeth II isn't known for being affectionate in public, yet cameras have captured a few sweet snaps [9] of HRH with her children like this one of the family when Prince Charles and Princess Anne were young.
The Queen posed for a formal portrait with her oldest two children, Charles and Anne, in 1954.
Sofie, Countess of Wessex With James and Louise
The Countess got down on her children's level during a 2016 visit to the Bristol Zoo.
Sophie embraced her young son after completing a cycling race from Edinburgh to London in 2016.
Princess Madeleine of Sweden With Princess Adrienne and Princess Leonore
Princess Madeleine proudly showed off her daughter's during Princess Adrienne's christening in 2018.
The princess is often holding her daughters in photos, like this one of the pair in 2016.
The royal mum couldn't contain her joy as she played in the grass with her daughter, Leonore, in 2016.
Princess Sofia of Sweden and Prince Alexander
Princess Sofia cradled her young son during his christening in 2016.
The Swedish royal looked lovingly at Prince Alexander while attending a royal event in 2018.
Queen Letizia of Spain With Princesses Leonor and Sofia
Queen Letizia is often affectionate with her daughter's during public appearances and she showed them extra attention during an official event in 2011.
The Queen and her daughters showed off their matching smiles in 2016.
In 2010, Letizia held her young daughter's hands on their way into a church service.
Princess Diana With Princes William and Harry
Princess Diana often showed her affection for her sons [10], even when picking them up from school in Eton in 1995.
The boys sat in their mother's lap during a 1987 trip to Spain.
Princess Mette Marit of Norway With Prince Sverre Magnus and Princess Ingrid Alexandra
Royal duties didn't stop Norway's Crown Princess from chatting with her daughter during a parade in 2017.
Princess Mette-Marit rested her hand on her son's shoulder while at a park opening in 2016.
Zara Tindall and Mia
Zara, the oldest granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, doesn't seem to follow in her grandmother's footsteps when it comes to showing emotion in public [11]. In fact, she planted a sweet kiss on daughter Mia's face after competing in an equestrian event in 2016.
Zara got playful with Mia while watching a polo match in 2017.
The queen's granddaughter held her own daughter in her lap at a 2018 event.
Empress Masako and Princess Aiko
Then Japanese Princess Masako held her daughter, Princess Aiko, during an appearance in Tokyo in 2002.
Queen Maxima of The Netherlands With Princesses Catharina-Amalia, Alexia, and Ariane
Queen Maxima keeps her three daughters close during official outings, including the above, when they huddled together during a 2018 royal photo shoot.
She had her daughter's smiling while at a royal event in 2019.
Queen Maxima embraced her youngest child during a Summer photo call in 2017.
Princess Mary of Denmark With Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent, Prince Christian, and Princess Josephine
Princess Mary and her children celebrated together after finishing the Royal Run in 2018.
Princess Mary was hands-on with her young daughters during a photo shoot in 2014.
The princess shared a moment with her son during a balcony appearance in 2018.
The Duchess of Cambridge With Prince George and Princess Charlotte
Kate Middleton usually sticks to royal protocol by keeping her emotions to herself during official events, but she's still every bit a playful, loving mum [12]. Here, she played with Prince George and Princess Charlotte in the grass at a polo match in 2018.
Kate let Charlotte smell her bouquet during their 2016 tour of Canada.
Kate's face beamed with pride and joy at Prince Louis's christening in 2018.
Kate helped guide her little ones at her sister's wedding [13] in 2017.
Princess Victoria of Sweden With Prince Oscar and Princess Estelle
Princess Victoria got down on her son's level during a royal event at the Stockholm Palace in 2019.
Princess Victoria looked like something out of a storybook as she embraced her daughter in 2017.
The princess couldn't resist a smooch from her son during a royal event in 2019.