The Royals Were Invited to Lilibet's Los Angeles Christening, But Reportedly Declined the Invitation
...really?
There's a lot happening right now on Planet Royal.
A spokesperson for the Sussexes officially confirmed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter Lilibet, 21 months, was christened in California 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 rep told People.
I want to pause here for a moment for us all to notice that the spokesperson referred to the little girl as Princess Lilibet, which is very significant, and will be ruffling feathers throughout the land as I write this.
While Archie and Lili were automatically entitled to use the titles of "Prince" and "Princess" when Queen Elizabeth passed away and their grandfather became monarch, it was unclear whether King Charles would be actively encouraging them to use these titles, whether he might let them choose whether or not to use them at age 18, or whether he would ban them from using the titles altogether.
To this day, the official line of succession lists the kids as "Master Archie" and "Miss Lilibet," which might indicate that the Sussexes decided to refer to Lili as "Princess" without consulting Charles. (I don't know enough about how this works to confirm whether or not that's the case, FYI.)
Anyway, a source also told People that King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate were invited to Lili's christening, but apparently chose to skip the event.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
This feels like a fairly heartless choice to me, considering the little girl isn't even two years old and it would have been nice for her to know that she was surrounded by family for the milestone. With that said, we also don't know how much notice the royals were given ahead of the event, and if it was just a few weeks, there's no way they could have canceled all their engagements and jetted off to California. Nuance, people.
However, Prince Harry has previously said that he's tried everything to mend his relationship with his family. "It never needed to get to this point. I’ve had conversations, I’ve written letters, I’ve written emails, and everything," the prince told Tom Bradby in January.
He implied that the ball was in their court, but still invited them to his daughter's christening. On their end, the royals invited the Sussexes to the coronation. Let's see if they can use these silver linings to reconcile, but I'm seriously starting to lose hope.
Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.
-
Taylor Swift Sweetly Dishes on Travis Kelce With a Young Swiftie at Children's Hospital
"I like Travis now," the fan shared.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
I Found the Most Luxe Beauty Stocking Stuffers Your Friends Actually Want
Beauty editor-tested and approved.
By Ariel Baker Published
-
32 Great TV Shows That Capture What We Love About Our Closest Friendships
Watch these with your bestie (or when you miss them).
By Katherine J. Igoe Published
-
Meghan Markle Masters Baby Shower Dressing in the Perfect Pink Posse Dress
Spring party inspo, delivered.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Every Time the Royal Family Broke Protocol in 2024, From Minor Rule Changes to Huge Mistakes
Meet the usual suspects: King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Kate Middleton.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Queen Camilla's Son Reveals He "Learned a Long Time Ago" to Stay Out of Prince William and Prince Harry's "World"
Tom Parker Bowles said "it was appalling what they went through."
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Prince William Is Allegedly Still "Very, Very Angry" About Royal Rift, But Kate Middleton Is Pushing For "Reconciliation"
"Never give up hope, there's always a chance."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Prince Harry's "Despair" at Online Trolls "Trying to Make Trouble" For His Family Is Understandable, Says Royal Expert
"He says he is happy. I believe him."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Meghan Markle Reveals Impressive Hidden Skill in New Netflix Documentary With Prince Harry
What can't she do?
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Princess Eugenie Could Spend Christmas With Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in California
"She has also been invited to Sandringham."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Yes, Queen Elizabeth Conducted Charles and Anne's Bath Time Wearing Her Coronation Crown
Literal Queen behavior, tbh.
By Amy Mackelden Published