Princess Lilibet of Sussex turned two years old (!!!) on June 4, and royal fans couldn't help but notice that she didn't get any public wishes from U.K.-based royals on social media.
Don't worry, though: This was not a spiteful move on the royals' part at all, just a question of policy, per one royal commentator.
"In recent years and certainly since King Charles III's reign began in September 2022, we have only seen public messages from the Royal Family's social media accounts for working members of the Royal Family, such as the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal," explained Hello!'s online royal correspondent Danielle Stacey.
"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020, and no longer carry out royal duties. Similarly, the palace doesn't typically share messages on the likes of Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and Zara Tindall's birthdays nor their children's special days."
OK, this totally makes sense, and was corroborated by a source who told Us Weekly that the royals "did not snub" little Lili with the move, adding, "There is no and has never been protocol for wishing happy birthdays to non working members of the Royal Family."
It still feels worth noting that the late Queen, then-Prince Charles and Camilla, and Prince William and Kate did express their best wishes to Lilibet on her birthday last year—so this year's radio silence is probably just a "slimmed-down monarchy" situation. Fair enough, I guess.
Let's also acknowledge that social media is just social media, and that Lili's grandpa King Charles didn't forget about her in real life—far from it. In fact, he reportedly "had his aides looking at custom-made cubby houses," and had Prince Harry warning him "to be less extravagant." So.
-
Paris Hilton Is Finally Ready to Share Her Daughter With the WorldHilton shared why she chose the name London, who her daughter resembles, and the special significance behind her birthdate.
-
Kim Kardashian Confirms to Jimmy Kimmel Whether the Weirdest Rumors About Her Are True or NotEmphasis on the WEIRDEST rumors.
-
Cute Summer Outfits From the Runways With Real-Life AppealFrom beach bumming to al fresco dining.
-
Another European Royal Is Set to Abdicate the Throne—Though When, Exactly, Remains UnclearThis follows the shocking abdication of Queen Margrethe of Denmark earlier this year.
-
King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands Shares Swoon-Worthy Story of How He Met His Wife, Queen Maxima, in Spain 25 Years AgoHe raised a glass to the country during a state banquet at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, held in honor of King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain.
-
Royal Family Is Up Against Its “Biggest Crisis” Since the 1936 Abdication, Expert Says“It’s been quite shocking.”
-
King Charles and Princess Kate’s Aligning Cancer Battles Show “The Cracks Turning Into Craters” for the Monarchy, Royal Author SaysThe King always wished for a “slimmed-down monarchy”—but not like this.
-
The Reason Members of the Royal Family Aren’t Allowed to Eat Sandwiches with Square Corners Goes Way, Way BackRoyal family protocol weirdness is possibly nowhere more pronounced than in their interesting food rules.
-
Meghan Markle's New Brand Is "No Different" From What King Charles, Other Royals Have Done for Decades: ExpertHer new venture has predictably received criticism ahead of launch.
-
Omid Scobie: Princess Kate’s Photoshop Scandal Exposes Just the Tip of the Iceberg of “Years of Deceit, Coverups, and Lies”His comments come after news agency AFP said Kensington Palace is no longer a "trusted source."
-
Your Next Must-Watch Royal Film Hits Netflix on April 5, and the Trailer Was Just Released‘Scoop’ depicts Prince Andrew’s catastrophic November 2019 BBC 'Newsnight' interview.
