Royal Family Snubs Princess Lilibet's Christening Despite Invite From Harry & Meghan
By Favour Adegoke on March 11, 2023 at 1:00 AM EST
The Royal family was conspicuously absent at Princess Lilibet's christening despite receiving invites from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Top guests at the ceremony reportedly included Meghan's mother and Lilibet's godfather, Tyler Perry.
Perry revealed the couple asked him to be Lilibet's godfather in December in the final episode of their Netflix docuseries. Harry and Meghan were also recently contacted about King Charles III's coronation but haven't confirmed their attendance.
The ties between Harry and Meghan and his family have been strained for a while, even more now because of his memoir, Spare. After its release, the King issued the couple an eviction notice from their UK home, Frogmore Cottage.
Read on to find out more.
The Royal Family Skips Princess Lilibet's Christening
According to People, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle officially christened their daughter, Lilibet, last Friday. The couple reportedly sent invitations to the Royal family in Britain, who failed to attend the festivities.
An insider spoke to the magazine and revealed there were about 30 guests, including Meghan's mom, Doria Ragland, and Lilibet's godfather, Tyler Perry. A rep for the couple later confirmed to Page Six that Rev John Taylor, the Archbishop of Los Angeles, christened Lilibet.
After Queen Elizabeth's death in September 2022, Archie and Lilibet were accorded the Prince and Princess titles. This was according to rules created by King George V back in 1917. The palace confirmed to People that they would update the royal family website to reflect the kids' new titles.
Tyler Perry Is Princess Lilibet's Godfather
Perry, a very successful filmmaker, became associated with Harry and Meghan when he offered them his home when they first left the UK. The week before Lilibet's christening, the "Why Did I Get Married" star was spotted arriving in California.
Perry first revealed the couple had asked him to be their daughter's godfather in December. He was featured on the finale of the Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan" and shared the story of how they asked him to accept the position.
Perry explained that the couple was "pretty serious" when they called, which was different from their usual lightheartedness. He said, "I go, 'Okay, what's going on?' They said, 'Well, we'd like for you to be Lili's godfather.' I go, 'Whoa.' I had to take a minute to take that in. And I thought, 'I'd be honored. I'd absolutely be honored."
Prince Harry And Meghan Were Invited To King Charles's Coronation
It seems to be the season for invitations as Harry and Meghan recently received official email "correspondence" from King Charles regarding his coronation. A source told The Sunday Times, "I can confirm The Duke has recently received email correspondence from His Majesty's office regarding the coronation."
However, the insider said the couple is yet to confirm if they will be in the UK for the coronation. They said, "An immediate decision on whether The Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time."
The coronation has been confirmed to hold on May 6th, which is coincidentally the fourth birthday of Archie, Harry's son. Reports have speculated that the couple may decline the invite to stay home and celebrate their first child's birthday.
The Ties Between Prince Harry And His Family Are Strained
The family ties between Harry and Meghan and the rest of the Royal family have been strained ever since the couple left the UK. The coronation invite, in particular, was such a hot topic because of the recent release of Harry's memoir, Spare.
In "Spare," the Duke wrote about his interactions and relationship with his father, King Charles III, and brother, Prince William. He also made several heavy remarks about his stepmother, Queen Consort Camilla, which was a line he reportedly crossed that the King had to address.
Shortly after the memoir's release, the King's office issued Harry and Meghan an eviction notice from Frogmore cottage, their UK home. With the eviction, any future visits to Britain might require the couple to find private accommodation and security elsewhere.