Neil Patrick Harris's Latest Family Photo Leaves Fans Shocked for This Reason

How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris has sparked an online conversation following a recent Instagram post with his family. While many may best recognise the star for his role as Barney Stinson in the long-running CBS sitcom, Harris lives a far different life to his on-screen character. The 53-year-old entertainer is a well-known LGBTQ+ rights activist, and is himself married to fellow actor David Burtka, as they tied the knot in 2014 after 10 years together. Harris and Burtka also share two children , son Gideon and daughter Harper, who are twins, born in 2010. The couple has even shared snaps of their kids on the day of their birth in the past, which led to many fans being shocked at the latest snaps. In the wholesome image, the kids can be seen standing between their dads, bringing fans to the exact same conclusion. Fans have been saying the same think about Neil Patrick Harris' children. Credit: Instagram/@nph Fans notice one thing about the kid The children were born in 2010, meaning that they are 16 this year, and it seems like fans can't handle the fact that they are nearing adulthood. Social media users posted about how grown up the teens looked, as one fan wrote: “Beautiful family! They’re not babies anymore. Time sure does fly by.” Another added: “Aw, they’re adults now, I knew. Gideon would look like you, but wow. Beautiful preteen adults.” “Wait a minute now, how are they that grown up already??” a third said. A different fan pointed out how both children look like both parents, despite only being biologically related to one of them, saying: “The way both kids manage to look like both parents when they’re biologically one of each is just amazing.” The couple have spoken about their desire to raise children, as Burtka told Out magazine that "if he hadn’t wanted kids, I don’t think we’d be together." In order to have children, they used an IVF process which involved both of them contributing their own sperm, meaning either twin could be biologically linked to either dad. Harris explained to Barbara Walters in 2024: “We inserted one of my sp*rm and one of David’s sp*rm into two eggs with the hope that they would both take, just because we both wanted to be dads biologically. Both took, miraculously.” He previously explained that he doesn't care to find out which twin is his, saying that "we are their parents and I love them implicitly.” Neil Patrick Harris, Gideon Scott Burtka-Harris, David Burtka, and Harper Grace Burtka-Harris. Credit: Dia Dipasupil / Getty Twins roast their dads during awards speech Back on May 11, the family attended Family Equality’s gala in New York City, where Harris and Burtka were honored with the Luminary Award. The couple were presented with the award by Elton John and David Furnish, celebrated both men's "visibility, advocacy and enduring commitment to LGBTQ+ families," according to PEOPLE . According to Entertainment Tonight , the 15-year-old siblings, Harper and Gideon, delivered an emotional tribute filled with jokes aimed directly at their dads. Gideon joked: "We had twice the dad jokes, and zero the improvement." Harper added: "Whenever I’m confused or doubting myself, papa just turns to me and repeats the family motto: 'What would Doogie do?'" The joke referenced Harris’ breakout role as teenage doctor Doogie Howser in Doogie Howser, M.D. Featured image credit: Instagram/@nph