Meghan And Harry Have Something To Say About Lilibet's Christening Rumors
Fans of the royal family have been eagerly awaiting news about the christening of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter, Lilibet Diana. Most royal babies are christened in the Church of England, but since Meghan and Harry's exit from the royal family in early 2020, the plans have seemingly been up in the air, as noted by Page Six. On October 11, a palace source told The Telegraph that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have decided not to christen their little girl in England, despite originally wanting to. "There will not be a christening in the U.K. It is not happening," the insider told the outlet. A second source told the publication that it is "highly unlikely" that Meghan and Harry will hold the christening overseas.
Meghan and Harry's oldest child, son Archie, was christened at Windsor Castle. The ceremony was officiated by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. Welby also performed Meghan and Harry's wedding ceremony in 2018, as well as baptized Meghan and confirmed her into the Church of England.
Rumors that Prince William is the sole reason Lilibet will not be brought to England for her christening have been flying. So, the Sussexes decided to speak out publicly about the speculation.
Meghan and Harry say Lilibet's christening plans aren't finalized
This week, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle released a statement about Lilibet Diana's upcoming christening through their rep. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a point to dispel the rumors that little Lili won't be christened in the U.K., but made no new announcement and confirmed no details about the plans for the event. "Plans for the baby's christening have not been finalized," their spokesperson told E! News. "And as such, any assumptions about what will or will not take place are mere speculation."
Meanwhile, Meghan has yet to return to the U.K. since exiting the royal family in 2020. For his part, Harry has returned home on two occasions. In April, he made a quick trip home to attend the funeral for his grandfather, Prince Philip. He came back again in July when he and his older brother Prince William unveiled a statue in honor of their late mother, Princess Diana, as noted by ELLE.
Royal expert Russell Myers previously revealed that Meghan returning home for the christening of Lilibet could prove to be very awkward for the royal family. "Meghan isn't flavor of the month with the family. Certainly, the family has always said they will be much-loved members of the family. However, we're still talking about the fallout of the Oprah Winfrey interview," Myers told "Today" in July (via Express). Only time will tell what the plans actually end up being.
Lilibet's christening could impact her future relationship with the royal family
The christening of little Lilibet may seem unimportant to some, but for Lilibet, it's incredibly important. While she's a baby now and doesn't currently possess the willpower or independence to make her own choices regarding her living situation or any potential involvement in the royal family, she may as an adult want to grow roots in the royal family and become closer to Prince Harry's side of the family. This might be harder if she's not christened in the United Kingdom.
According to The Telegraph, Lilibet won't be a "member" of the Church of England, despite the rest of her family belonging to the church, if she's not christened in Britain. What's more, Queen Elizabeth holds the title of Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England. She's a figurehead of the church, and who's to say that Lilibet won't be further ostracized from Harry's family if she's christened in the United States?
Lilibet's christening will directly impact her future, but the decision ultimately falls on Meghan Markle and Harry — and we ultimately have to respect it.
Will the queen allow the christening to occur in the United Kingdom?
If baby Lilibet is christened in the United States, the familial implications may appear immediately. According to Cosmopolitan, a royal expert revealed it's "unlikely" that royal family members would fly to the States to attend Lilibet's christening. Furthermore, Ingrid Seward, a royal biographer, told The Sun, "If Lilibet is christened in America, maybe Harry's friends would fly out. I don't think any members of the immediate royal family would have time." Apparently, royal family members' schedules are "organized six months in advance."
If true, the occasion could feel slightly hollow, with less family in attendance to make the christening feel special and celebratory. Still, Steward isn't convinced that the christening will occur in the United States, so there may not be any reason to worry. She told The Sun she'd be "very surprised" if it took place "stateside," adding that the queen would no doubt let the christening happen in Britain if Meghan Markle and Prince Harry wanted it there.
"The queen is not going to say no, she may not be able to be there herself but she's not going to say they can't have it there. The only reason [it wouldn't be held in the U.K.] would be if Meghan didn't want to come over here with the baby," Steward continued.
Ultimately, the decision lands back in Meghan and Harry's palms, and we're no closer to knowing which country will host Lilibet's christening. Some believe that the issues surrounding the christening will feature in Harry's forthcoming memoir, per Geo News, but that's all we can really speculate about at the moment. In either case, we just hope the event goes well for everyone involved.