The Royals Basically Said “No, Thanks” To Lilibet’s Christening
It took place at Harry and Meghan's California home.
The royal family has a newly anointed princess. On Mar. 8, a spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shared the couple held a christening for their 1-year-old daughter, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, last week. “I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3 by the Archbishop of Los Angeles, the Rev John Taylor,” the representative told People. However, it seems not all their relatives celebrated this milestone. The royal family reportedly did not attend the ceremony, despite receiving invitations from Harry and Meghan.
According to People, Lilibet’s christening took place at the couple’s home in Monticeto, California. The gathering had a small invitation list of less than 30 guests, including Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, Lilibet’s godfather Tyler Perry, and a godmother whose name has yet to be revealed. A source told People that Harry and Meghan invited Prince William, Kate Middleton, King Charles III, and Queen Camilla to the gathering; however, they did not attend.
Lilibet’s new title is special, as this marks the first time she has been publicly referred to as a princess. According to BBC, the 1-year-old gained the new name after Charles’ accession to the throne following Queen Elizabeth II’s death last September. Buckingham Palace confirmed in a statement that the official royal family website will be updated soon to display Lilibet’s title.
Even with their absence, the intimate event seemingly was a blast. People reported Tyler Perry (a.k.a, the maestro of musical plays) brought an entire gospel choir to sing “Oh Happy Day” and the couple’s wedding song, “This Little Light of Mine,” at the event. The couple’s older son, Archie Harrison, also joined in on the festivities, sharing a dance with his little sister at one point in the ceremony.
It’s not yet clear why the senior royals turned down the invitation. However, their no-show speaks to the continued strain in their relationship with Harry and Meghan since the couple stepped down as senior royals in 2020. Earlier this month, King Charles III reportedly evicted the couple from their Frogmore Cottage at Windsor Castle to make room for his brother, Prince Andrew, to move in the residence.
The release of Harry’s memoir, Spare, sparked tension with the royal family, as it detailed damning claims of a rift between Harry and William and an alleged disagreement between Meghan and Kate over bridesmaid dresses. To top the royal drama off, a source close to Meghan and Harry recently revealed they haven’t received an invite to King Charles’ coronation in May. Yeah, it’s a lot happening.
It would be an interesting sight to see if the family reunites for the upcoming ceremony. However, with the senior royals’ latest absence for Lilibet, there’s no telling what the coronation guest list will look like.
