Lilibet Diana's First Birthday Means More To The Queen Than You Might Think
It's been just over two years since Prince Harry and Meghan officially departed from the British Royal family, announcing on January 13, 2020, "We intend to step back as 'senior' members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen" (via People).
And while the last two years have seen their fair share of difficulties as Meghan and Harry have relocated to California and navigated the wedge between them and the Royals, there have been reasons to celebrate, too.
In June 2021, Meghan and Harry announced the birth of their second child, Lilibet Diana, so named after Queen Elizabeth and Harry's late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales (via BBC).
"She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we've felt from across the globe," Harry and Meghan shared in a statement following her arrival. "Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family."
Six months later, Meghan and Harry publicly shared their very first picture of Lilibet, when she appeared on the family Christmas card, alongside Meghan, Harry, and big brother Archie (via Town & Country).
The very special day Lilibet's birthday (almost) coincides with
Lilibet's will mark her first birthday on June 4, 2022, and as it turns out, this landmark birthday is almost 70 years to the date that Queen Elizabeth was first crowned the ruler of the United Kingdom (via People).
In honor of the very special event, the U.K. will celebrate with a weekend of festivities taking place June 2-5, known as the Platinum Jubilee and comprised of events like BBC's Platinum Party at the Palace (a concert broadcast live from Buckingham Palace), the lighting of Platinum Jubilee beacons, a Thanksgiving service at St. Paul's Cathedral, and many more ceremonial events.
The Queen first ascended to the throne in 1953, following the death of her father, King George VI, when she was only 25 years old. Although her father passed away in February 1952, the Queen was granted a 16 month mourning period before the official coronation celebrations.
It's not yet known if Meghan, Harry, Archie, and Lilibet will join the Queen in the United Kingdom for these celebrations, and the Queen has yet to meet her newest great grandchild in person yet, likely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other factors. However, a source told People that the Queen met her namesake shortly after her birth via a video call.
Meeting new family members over Zoom because of COVID? Royals really are just like us.