09 March 2023 , 14:54
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have finally confirmed that their daughter Princess Lilibet has been christened - and it seems there is a touching sad connection to the day they revealed the news.
It was revealed yesterday that Lilibet had been christened on Friday at the couple's home in California in a small and intimate ceremony.
In a statement confirming the ceremony, the Sussexes also revealed that they have started to use a princess title for Lilibet, which she assumed when her grandfather King Charles acceded to the throne in September.
Lilibet, who is two in June, is named in honour of her late great-grandmother Elizabeth II, who was known as Lilibet as a pet name.
Harry and Meghan revealed their daughter Lilibet has been christenedAnd it turns out that the news of young Lilibet's christening came exactly six months to the day that her namesake great-grandmother passed away.
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The late Queen died at her beloved Balmoral estate on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96 - with the former monarch able to meet her 11th great-grandchild during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations last year.
However, it is not the first time that Harry and Meghan have announced happy news on a particularly poignant date.
Harry and Meghan's daughter Princess Lilibet (Misan Harriman/Duke and Duchess of Sussex HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
Lilibet is named in honour of her great-grandmother Elizabeth II (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)On Valentine's Day back in 2021, the couple revealed that they were expecting a second child - exactly 37 years to the day after it was announced that the late Princess Diana was pregnant with Harry.
Talking about the poignant date in their Netflix docuseries, Harry said: "I was shocked. We had no idea. It was just a coincidence, or maybe not a coincidence."
Meanwhile, earlier today, the royal family's official website was updated to reflect Harry and Meghan's children’s new titles, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Harry and Meghan’s youngsters became a prince and princess on the accession of their grandfather the King six months ago, but the Sussexes publicly used Lili's title for the first time on Wednesday when announcing their daughter’s christening.
Archie and Lili are now listed on royal.uk's line of succession page as Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex.
Harry and Meghan say their children's titles are their birthright (AFP via Getty Images)Previously they were Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor. The siblings are sixth and seventh in line to the throne, having already moved up a place each after the death of the late Queen.
A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan said the decision to use the titles had been "settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace".
"The children’s titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became monarch.
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"This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace," the spokesperson said.
Lilibet, who is 21 months old, was christened in an intimate ceremony at the Sussexes’ family home in California on Friday, watched by her grandmother Doria Ragland and celebrity godfather Tyler Perry.
The King, the Queen Consort and the Prince and Princess of Wales were reportedly invited but did not attend.
The "alignment" on the titles has given rise to suggestions Harry and Meghan will attend the King’s coronation in May, which also falls on Archie’s fourth birthday.