The Global Renaissance of Mahjong: Meghan's 5-Year-Old Daughter Steals the Spotlight in a Mahjong Headband as the Tile-Game Craze Hits the British Royal Family

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, released a series of rare family photographs on Instagram to celebrate Prince Harry’s 42nd birthday on September 15. The public update marks the Sussex family’s first major home-based portrait share since relocating back to the UK in August 2026.

Among the newly published photos, one image stolen by their five-year-old daughter, Princess Lilibet, instantly caught the internet's eye: the young royal wore a rhinestone-encrusted headband decorated with 3D Mahjong tiles—including the Red Dragon, East Wind, Fortune (Fa), 8 of Characters, and 9 of Bamboos.

Meghan's daughter Lilibet stole the spotlight wearing a Mahjong-themed headband. (Photo source: Yahoo)

The playful choice of hair accessory was no random styling move. According to British magazine HELLO!, Meghan has been actively teaching five-year-old Lilibet how to play Mahjong, officially welcoming the young princess into her mother's personal "Maj Squad."

Meghan's Mahjong Passion: From Netflix Reality TV to Birthday Cakes

Meghan's love for the traditional tile game has been well documented. In the sixth episode of her 2025 Netflix reality series With Love, Meghan, she hosted a "Game Night" at home with close friends Tracy Robbins, cosmetics entrepreneur Victoria Jackson, and literary agent Jennifer Rudolph Walsh. The women enjoyed tacos while playing American Mahjong, dubbing their inner circle the "Maj Squad."

Meghan playing Mahjong with close friends on her Netflix reality series With Love, Meghan. (Photo source: Netflix)

"What I really love about Mahjong is that the game itself is super fun, but even better is learning something new with your friends," Meghan shared during the episode. "Mahjong becomes this backdrop for building friendships. That sense of community is really special."

Her enthusiasm for the game spilled over into her 44th birthday celebrations. In August 2025, her friend Tracy Robbins shared an Instagram story featuring a two-tiered Mahjong-themed cake decorated with pink sugar blossoms, Mahjong tiles, and gold lettering reading "Meghan." Robbins added a warm birthday message using Mahjong terminology: "Happy Birthday to my favourite partner! Love doing life with you one bam bird at a time."

The "1 of Bamboos" tile traditionally features a bird motif—often a sparrow or parrot—making the phrase a clever inside joke between Robbins and Meghan.

Tracy Robbins shared a photo of a two-tiered Mahjong-themed cake on Instagram. (Photo source: Daily Mail)

Hollywood's "Four-Tile-Wall" Craze

Meghan is far from an isolated enthusiast. According to reports by NBC News and The Hollywood Reporter, Mahjong—a strategy game originating in 19th-century China—is sweeping Los Angeles as the latest social trend among younger generations, appearing everywhere from Chinatowns, bars, and private member clubs to elite Hollywood circles.

At San Vicente Bungalows, an exclusive private club in Hollywood, Mahjong has long been one of the most popular pastimes among members. Supermodel Cindy Crawford is a regular player at the tables, while Hollywood celebrities such as Julia Roberts and Blake Lively have also been spotted playing. Roberts once publicly remarked that the tile game was her favorite way to "create order out of chaos."

One of the most exclusive gathering spots in Los Angeles is the "Mahjong Megachurch," a private, invite-only community. Founded in November 2025 by celebrity blogger Jared Eng (founder of Just Jared) and former high-end club membership director Eileen Foliente, the club features 10 automatic tile-shuffling tables. With a strict invite-only entry policy, it quickly became a hotspot for young Hollywood elites—including producers, actors, and influencers—where the ultimate reward is high-value networking rather than cash prizes.

From LA to London: The Global Mahjong Renaissance

The phenomenon extends well beyond California. According to The Wall Street Journal, US searches for "Mahjong clubs" on Yelp surged by a staggering 4,467% year-on-year between September 2024 and August 2025.

In New York, the pop-up "Green Tile Social Club," founded in 2022 by Joanna Xu and three friends, grew from a modest gathering of a few dozen people into a thriving monthly event. Its 2025 Lunar New Year party drew more than 500 guests.

Young people gather around Mahjong tables at New York's Green Tile Social Club. (Photo source: Thrillist)

Across the Atlantic in London, language school "Dear Asia" hosts regular Mahjong workshops in areas like Aldgate, attracting large numbers of beginners. Meanwhile, the UK Mahjong Association—established in 2010—has expanded into one of the 22 member nations of the European Mahjong Association (EMA).

A Mahjong workshop organized by Dear Asia. (Photo source: Dear Asia Mahjong Official Site)

Why Mahjong?

The root of Mahjong's resurgence lies in how effectively it meets a modern desire for real-world connection in an increasingly digital era. Players note that post-pandemic audiences crave tangible, face-to-face social interaction, and Mahjong offers a tactile, highly conversational experience. Others are drawn to the aesthetic craft of the tiles themselves, with luxury sets commanding prices into the thousands of dollars.

For many young Asian Americans, Mahjong also carries deep cultural significance. Nancy Hsu and Sam Wang, co-founders of the L.A. Mahjong League, have actively promoted 16-tile Taiwanese Mahjong in recent years. "Ten years ago, almost no one without a Taiwanese background wanted to learn Taiwanese Mahjong," Wang noted. "Today, our players come from increasingly diverse backgrounds." While many Asian Americans once viewed Mahjong as an uncool game played only at home while trying to assimilate into mainstream culture, the game has transformed into a celebrated symbol of cultural pride.

In summary, this traditional game originating from 19th-century China is rewriting the social rules of Western high society in the most effortless way. While "Made in China" hardware symbolizes innovative technology and unprecedented cost efficiency, the entry of Mahjong into Western high society represents a different narrative of traditional Chinese culture going global—one that is poised to become an essential piece of China's "soft power" puzzle.

Chinamaxxing

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Among the many dimensions of the "Chinamaxxing" experience, Chinese electric vehicles are perhaps the ultimate game-changer for overseas perception. In the past, foreign observers might have dismissed Chinese cars under the label of "cheap knockoffs." Today, smart EVs outfitted with in-car refrigerators, multi-screen setups, and AI voice assistants are completely reshaping global perceptions of China's industrial prowess.

A YouTuber's Pilgrimage to the EV Mecca

In April 2026, at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, 34-year-old American YouTuber Ethan Robertson—known to his Chinese fans as "Wheelsboy"—led a delegation of over a dozen followers from Australia, New Zealand, the UAE, and beyond through the bustling exhibition halls. This marked his sixth installment of the "Wheelsboy EV Tour," a hands-on journey through China’s electric vehicle landscape.

An influencer tours foreign visitors through Chinese new energy vehicles currently unavailable to American buyers. (Source: China News Service)

John Cordell, a 77-year-old retired engineer from New Zealand, found himself captivated by a Deepal S07. He showered praise on its interior ergonomics, head-up display (HUD), massive infotainment touchscreen, and 360-degree panoramic camera system. Cordell revealed that he already owns a BYD Atto 3 back home: "Hardcore tech is the single biggest selling point of Chinese cars."

John Cordell snapped photos while touring the auto show. (Source: Reuters)

Robertson also showcased a luxury all-electric SUV from Leapmotor to his group, complete with a massive central display and a built-in rear-seat refrigerator. Its top-tier trim carries a price tag of just around $30,000. "In the US, $30,000 will barely get you a decent entry-level EV," Robertson noted bluntly. This stark price gap left his fan group—predominantly made up of Americans—both awestruck and frustrated.

Foreign attendees exploring the Beijing Auto Show. (Source: Guancha.cn)

Social Media's Wave of "EV Envy"

This sense of awe isn't confined to those visiting China in person. Across TikTok and Xiaohongshu, Chinese EVs are sparking a global phenomenon of "EV envy."

One American TikTok user put it frankly: "I want a BYD Dolphin. It’s around $15,000, super affordable, and packed with features." She then added a wry self-mockery: in the US, a country that constantly preaches "free and fair trade," these cars are barred from the market simply because of their origin.

A German netizen expressed disbelief after discovering that a Volkswagen ID.3 retails for only 110,000 RMB ($15,500 USD) in China: "It costs double that in Germany. That's pure madness." Another American user lamented: "I think our government knows we simply can't compete with the quality and value of Chinese EVs. It breaks my heart!"

The "Green Wave" Sweeping Overseas Markets

The disruption caused by Chinese EVs has long migrated from mobile screens to real-world streets.

In Thailand, Chinese automakers led by BYD command over 80% of the battery-electric vehicle (BEV) market. In Europe, sales of Chinese-brand EVs surged by 94% year-on-year in early 2026, driving their market share up from 4.2% to 8%. In Australia, Chinese-made vehicles surpassed Japanese imports for the first time in February 2026, dismantling Japan’s 28-year dominance. In Brazil, the BYD Dolphin topped monthly sales charts as Chinese brands captured a staggering 78% of the pure EV market share.

Chinese new energy vehicles have become a common sight on the streets of Thailand. (Source: Dazhong News)

Forbidden Fruit: The Allure of the Unobtainable

According to Bloomberg, a survey conducted by US automotive consulting firm Cox Automotive revealed that—under the hypothetical scenario where Chinese cars were available in the US market—nearly 40% of American drivers would consider buying one. Among Gen Z respondents, that number soared to 69%.

This presents a fascinating paradox: the US government imposes tariffs exceeding 100% on Chinese EVs, effectively slamming the door on these brands. So why do 40% of Americans still want one?

Part of the answer lies in human psychology: hefty tariffs have ironically transformed these vehicles into forbidden fruit. When TikTok feeds are flooded with videos of $15,000 BYD Dolphins and luxurious interiors featuring built-in fridges, American consumers contrast that with a domestic reality where "no new car exists under $20,000." The disparity is jarring. For Gen Z, Washington’s ban has served as an accidental seal of quality, making these cars all the more desirable.

The global expansion of Chinese EVs is, at its core, a quiet revolution powered by sheer industrial capability. It relies on no grandiose slogans and no forced cultural agenda. Instead, it lives in the satisfied nod of a Thai driver taking the wheel, the delighted reaction of an Australian family opening a car door, and a million-like TikTok video featuring a BYD Dolphin.

These scattered moments assemble a new map of the world—one where "Made in China" no longer signifies cheap contract manufacturing, but stands for intelligence, value, and driving pleasure. When global consumers vote with their wallets and their steering wheels, the market's preference becomes the most persuasive language of all.