In a highly perplexing turn of events, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced that their daughter, Princess Lilibet Diana, was christened at their California home on Friday. This marks the first time that she has been publicly referred to as a princess, confirming that Harry and Meghan will indeed use royal titles for their offspring.
According to a spokesperson for the couple, members of the Royal Family were invited to the christening. It is worth noting that Lilibet was not born a princess, as she is not a granddaughter of the monarch. However, when King Charles ascends to the throne, she will have the right to that title.
Despite the fact that the royal website currently lists Lilibet and her brother Archie with the titles Miss and Master, Buckingham Palace has said that it will be updated in due course to reflect the new title.
This is the second child for Harry and Meghan, who moved to the US after stepping down as working royals in 2020. Their son, Archie, was born in May 2019. While members of the Royal Family were reportedly invited to the christening, none were in attendance.
It is important to note that Harry and Meghan want their children to decide for themselves whether or not to use their titles when they are older. They will not use the titles conversationally, but Archie and Lilibet will be referred to as prince and princess in formal contexts.
However, the children will not be able to style themselves as HRH, as the right to do so comes from their father, who stopped using it when he stepped back from being a working royal. The rules governing the titles of royal children were set out by King George V in 1917.
The christening was presided over by Right Reverend John Harvey Taylor, the Bishop of Los Angeles. It is interesting to note that Taylor was a former newspaper journalist who worked in the office of former US President Richard Nixon between 1984 and 1990 prior to being ordained.
In an expanded version of the talk, the spokesperson for the couple said, “We are happy to announce that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday. Members of the Royal Family were invited to the joyous occasion at their California home. We are thrilled to publicly call her a princess, and it is confirmed that Harry and Meghan will use the royal titles for their children.”
When asked about the discrepancy between Lilibet’s birth and her title, the spokesperson explained, “While she was not born a princess, she has gained the right to that title when King Charles accedes to the throne.”
It is worth noting that the royal website currently lists Lilibet and her brother Archie with the titles Miss and Master, but Buckingham Palace has confirmed that it will be updated in due course to reflect the new title.
Harry and Meghan’s desire for their children to decide for themselves whether or not to use their titles when they are older is rooted in their own experiences. As the spokesperson explained, “They want their children to have the freedom to choose their own paths, including the decision to use their titles.”
Interestingly, the spokesperson also revealed that the children will not be able to style themselves as HRH. “This right comes from their father, who stopped using it when he stepped back from being a working royal,” they said. “The rules governing the titles of royal children were set out by King George V in 1917.”
The christening was presided over by Right Reverend John Harvey Taylor, the Bishop of Los Angeles. Taylor’s unique background as a former newspaper journalist who worked in the office of former US President Richard Nixon prior to being ordained adds an interesting dimension to the event.
“In a quoted talk, “the spokesperson for the couple said, “We are excited to announce that Harry and Meghan”.
