Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have christened their second child!
The couple, who now reside in California after leaving their life as working royals behind in 2020, have announced that they have christened their daughter Lilibet.
In a statement released earlier today, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed that one-year-old Lilibet was christened last week. However, what has captured the public’s attention is that their announcement refers to Lili as a Princess for the very first time in public.
“I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3 by the Archbishop of Los Angeles, the Rev John Taylor,” the spokesperson detailed. The couple have also noted that their ceremony was held privately at their home in Montecito.
When baby Lilibet was first welcomed into the world, she was not given a royal title. The same rule also applied to her brother, three-year-old Archie, following his birth in 2019.
However, since the passing of the late Queen Elizabeth II and the ascension of Prince Harry’s father, King Charles III, the Sussex children have since been granted royal status. Royal rules state that the monarch’s children and grandchildren (if they are children of the monarch's sons) are entitled to become a prince or princess.
Following the statement’s release, Buckingham Palace has confirmed that its website's line of succession list will now be updated to reflect Archie and Lili’s new titles. Currently, the website page states the children’s names as “Master Archie” and “Miss Lilibet”.
It is understood that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex informed King Charles III of their decision to use their children’s prince and princess titles before releasing their statement. However, it is believed that the couple will only use the children’s titles in formal settings.
