The Royals Commemorate Lilibet's First Birthday In A Disappointing Way
This weekend wasn't about her. Although Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's only daughter Lilibet turned one on Saturday, June 4, 2022, the last few days' celebrations in the United Kingdom have centered around the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. After all, Queen Elizabeth is the first monarch to sit on the British throne for 70 years.
The revelry, which will continue through Sunday, kicked off with the traditional Trooping the Colour ceremony and parade, which saw only working members of the royal family standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, including Kate Middleton and Prince William and their three kids, George, Charlotte and Louis. Notably absent were the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who instead stood in the wings of the Major General's Office acting as babysitters for the likes of Savannah Phillips and Mia Tindall (via Elle).
It's worth noting that Prince Andrew was also excluded from the honor of appearing on the balcony, but bowed out anyway over his positive COVID-19 status, prompting some royal fans and an expert to question the timing of his diagnosis.
We did get to see Lilibet's parents — and a surprising crowd reaction — at the Service of Thanksgiving Friday, where the Queen was further honored, but not in person. Instead, she viewed the service from Windsor Castle, with BBC News reporting the 96-year-old was experiencing "discomfort."
Saturday, Lilibet's first birthday, the festivities continued, with the focus staying on the Platinum Jubilee.
Harry and Meghan have stepped out publicly without their kids
It had been speculated ahead of Lilibet's big day that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry would celebrate her birthday privately at their home at Frogmore Cottage, where they're likely to hide out, and that other members of the royal family may join them. But the Daily Mail contended that since the Queen is experiencing mobility challenges, it's more likely that the ex-royal couple took their daughter to see her at Windsor Castle, perhaps ahead of her birthday.
Either way, as royal expert Omid Scobie noted about the meeting, "Those moments with Lilibet are very much private between them and the Queen" (via Metro).
Remember, although she is now a year old, Queen Elizabeth has not yet met her namesake in person, with Meghan and Harry living full time in California and bowing out of several recent public events, including Prince Philip's memorial service in April (via BBC News). But no matter where the meeting ended up taking place, it's been confirmed that the monarch has finally had the opportunity to see Lilibet during this visit. So where are the long-awaited photos of this precious moment?
Unfortunately, it seems fans will not get to see pictures of the Queen with Lilibet — or of the child at all. In fact, how the royal family has commemorated the little girl's birthday is nothing short of super disappointing.
Lilibet won't be out front and center like Prince Louis
With Lilibet, nicknamed Lili, turning one on June 4, 2022, royal fans may have been hoping to finally see a photo of the baby royal. We have not gotten a glimpse of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's second child since Christmas. But it's clear we'll have to keep holding our breath for a snap of the royal who is eighth in line for the throne (via Town & Country).
Instead of a photograph being released like royal fans have come to expect from Kate Middleton when one of her kids celebrates a birthday (remember how cute Prince Louis looked on his fourth birthday in April?), we'll have to settle for, well, a tweet.
The Royal Family's official Twitter account simply tweeted, "Wishing Lilibet a very Happy 1st Birthday!" along with a balloon emoji. Meanwhile, employing the same emoji, Kate and Prince William's official Twitter account also very blandly tweeted, "Wishing a very happy birthday to Lilibet, turning one today!"
And Lilibet's grandparents didn't mark the milestone birthday with any more flair than that — at least publicly.
Charles and Camilla probably also met Lilibet privately
The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, A.K.A. Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, also took to Twitter to wish Lilibet a happy first birthday. At least they used a different emoji than the Royal Family's account and Prince William and Kate Middleton — a birthday cake.
The Daily Mail reports that Charles and Camilla have also enjoyed a meeting with Lilibet and her big brother Archie while the family of four is visiting the U.K. But again, it is not expected these meetings will be talked about publicly or photographed for fans to see.
Instead, royal fans are consumed with criticizing the manner in which the royals have commemorated the birthday, with several followers alleging that the Royal Family's account hadn't recognized other royal great-grandchildren's birthdays in the past.
Other Twitter users just wanted to know where the photo of Lili was, and at least one commenter snarked that the Queen clearly didn't pay for official photographs of Lilibet, alluding to tension between the monarch and Meghan and Harry following their departure from the family and the now infamous Oprah Winfrey interview that trashed them.