Prince Harry Reveals Which Royal Family Member Princess Lilibet Takes After
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have done their utmost to protect their two children from the spotlight, but it comes with the territory when you’re in the Royals. When their daughter, Princess Lilibet Diana, was born, the pair enjoyed some time together as a family before realizing that the world simply had to know. This means her birth was a worldwide affair—and fans couldn’t be happier.
At this time, Meghan and Harry had already thrown in the towel as working royals. However, the Royal Family went on to release their own statement, congratulating the couple on the birth of their child. After all, this was another future prince or princess to add to the line of succession.
Huge Congratulations
Given that relationships between Harry and the rest of his family were reportedly on the rocks back in June, when Lilbet was born, many motioned to how the royals would ring in another bub in the brood. Would they refrain from celebrating? Would they lay it on thick with the congrats? However, in the end, all members of the Royal Family ultimately opted to let the Queen, the then-Prince Charles and Camilla, and Prince William and Kate Middleton issue a joint statement instead.
Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images
In this statement, they welcomed the arrival of “Her Majesty’s 11th great-grandchild” and admitted that the entire family “is overjoyed” at the news. But were they? Or did they think that Lilibet would drive an even bigger wedge between Harry and them?
What’s in a Name?
While Harry was going through a tough spot with his dad and bro, many fans figured The Queen easily thrilled with the birth of Lilibet – which was named after her. Prince Harry and Meghan Marle confirmed this when announcing Lilibet’s birth, saying, “Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet.”
But what about the rest of Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor’s namesake? The official statement continued, “Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honour her beloved late grandmother, the Princess of Wales.”
A Christmas Shout-Out
The royals are, after all, living their lives under a microscope, so when it comes to what they do and do not say in public, some caution is always exercised. This is why you will never hear the monarch talking about his personal life to an average Joe. And while all fans were secretly hoping the Queen would drop the mother of all hints when it came to the fact that her great-granddaughter shares a name with her, she didn’t spill a word until her Christmas speech.
Even then, the Queen didn’t mention Lilibet by name. During her address to the world, she simply referred to, “our young children, of whom we were delighted to welcome four more this year.”
More Details Coming to Light
For some time, the world was kept poà onto Prince Harry, Meghan Markìle and theìr chìldren life. All that changed in 2023, however, with the release of Harry’s book, Spare. That notorious book offered up royal tales and scandals, snippets of private lives never heard of before and some of those lives were his offspring. Indeed, in the pages of his book he confirmed that he was the one to have delivered princess Lilibet.
“When the doctor said it was a question of minutes, I told Meg the first thing I wanted was for the little baby to see my face,” he wrote in the book.
Choosing the Godfather
We also learned a bit about the inner circle of the family — and the inner circle of Lilibet — about a few months ahead of Harry’s tell-all book. Harry and Meghan had previously revealed in their 2022 docuseries that they had made Tyler Perry Lili’s godfather. As expected fans already knew how much Tyler Perry had assisted the family In fact, he provided Harry and Meghan with a place to stay and protection when they departed from the UK.
Apparently, Tyler Perry was honored to have been asked to be the godfather of Harry and Meghan’s daughter. But he was a little concerned about one particular thing, and he couldn’t shake his hesitation.
Sticking to Their Guns
Tyler, who told cameras about being asked to be Lilibet’s godfather, said, “I said, ‘Um, wait a minute. Does that mean we have to go over there, and do all that in the church with [the royal family], and kind of work all that out? I don’t wanna do that.” And in almost any other circumstance, it should have been. But by then, in distancing themselves from the other royals, Harry and Meghan had.
This led to them deciding to fight back. But even if the royal family objected to Tyler’s appointment, they weren’t going to take it back.
A Big Birthday
The docuseries also provided an opportunity for fans to see Archie and Lilibet in the flesh as well. They were glimpse in lots of shots playing and interacting with each other and to see the incredible life, I think Prince Harry, Megan built for themselves was just beautiful. And we even got to see Lilibet’s first birthday in one scene during a small party at Frogmore Cottage with her immediate family.
Royal fans adored the behind-the-scenes glimpse, but they missed a cake – one created by royal wedding cake designer Claire Ptak, who is: of course, responsible for the wedding cake of Harry and Meghan.
Like Mother, Like Son
Their docuseries was also where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would have opened up about their kids: who they believe their children take after and whatnot. Archie was first, and Prince Harry took just a second to consider which parent he thought his son resembled more. At the moment, I see so much of my wife in Archie. Public views have agreed on that too.
Looking at pictures of Meghan Markle and looking at pictures of Prince Archie, it’s clear to see that they are mother and son. They look so alike and are so clearly related. But what about Lilibet?
Very Spencer-Like
Small Lilibet, however, is a different kettle of fish. Rather than just resembling her mother, or like him, Prince Harry insists that Lilibet really resembles her grandmother. There’s a lot about my mom in Lili, Harry said. She’s very Spencer-like. Similar blue eyes… Golden-reddish hair. Upon this comment coming to light, many Meghan and Harry fans have also noticed a likeness between Lili and Diana.
But Harry also used the docuseries to explain something else about his children’s appearance, which had become a talking point after their shocking Oprah interview. “My son, my daughter, my children are mixed race, and I’m really proud of that.” But that wasn’t all.
Keeping the Door Ajar
Having now quit the royal family for a calmer life, it is most definitely safe to say that Meghan and Harry are no longer at the beck and call of the public. But they have kept the door open (or was it dawning with the information of their choosing). After all, they know they are in the public eye, and they know that being “famous” has its demands in terms of information disclosure.
Because of this, the couple has shared little snippets here and there. And in 2021, Meghan herself opened up about her children on The Ellen DeGeneres Show for the very first time.
A Big Adjustment
Meghan spoke very candidly (albeit in broad terms) about life after but further discussed mother experience in this interview. Nonetheless it was easy to see how much she loved her children, her face practically glowing with pride as she spoke of them. Archie is finding it great being a big brother. Harry and I once heard someone say that one kid is a hobby, two kids are parenting.
She continued, “And suddenly we were like, ‘Oh, right!’ Everyone talks about what it’s like for the second child, but no one talks about the adjustment for the first child when the second one comes along.”
Big Talking Point
So while fans enjoyed hearing Meghan talk about her kids, even referring to the challenges of child-raising, we’re sorry, we just know their outing was a hot topic flame too! Fortunately, it was also on the up side, which was a refreshing breath of relief, considering they suggested those within the royal family had fears of how dark his skin would be. In this case, they talked about the color of their hair.
Although Archie gets redder and redder as he ages, we cannot deny that Lilibet proves to take after her father with her red hair. Which is quite a difference to Meghan’s dark tresses.
Tough Childhood Memories
Although Harry and Meghan adore the shade of their kids’ hair, however this has certainly been a thorn in the royal family’s side for many years. Harry’s red hair made him stand out among the royals when he was young, and that did nothing to dent the column inches dedicated to the idea that King Charles III wasn’t his dad. Harry even elaborated on THIS in his book.
Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images
Even his own dad would poke fun at him for his scarlet locks and the whispers that he was the love child of dying Diana and soldier Major James Hewitt.
Couldn’t Get Enough
Harry himself addressed this in his own recently published memoir. Part of it had to do with Major Hewitt’s fiery red hair, but part of it had to do with sadism. The concept that Prince Charles’ youngest was so not Prince Charles’ child delighted tabloid readers. For some unknown reason, they could not get enough of this ‘joke.’ Perhaps then a young prince’s life became more laughable to them, to make themselves feel that much better about their life.
Now of course we all know these rumors trailed the young prince into his adult life, but I don’t think many of us could truly comprehend just the extent to which those rumors impacted him. Perhaps that is why he takes so much pride in his kids?
Less of an Outsider
Harry must be absolutely chuffed to bits that both children have inherited his hair. For the first time in his life, others in his family that look like him, and, he is aware that no one is going to ask who their father is and they are not going to have to endure what he did. It’s not like he doesn’t have that experience to pull from after all; nobody knew he felt like an outsider in his youth, right?
John Stillwell – WPA Pool/Getty images
That’s especially true of his brother. He was always in his brother’s shadow. There are lots of reasons why he never speaks about him, but this is one of them. But he finally broke his silence in 2023.
An Irritating Younger Brother
In an interview with Hello! When Harry talked about his kids, it was in 2023 for the first issue of his magazine, and all he said was that I appreciate who I was as a kid as I see my kids grow up. Which got him to comment that the gap between him and his son and daughter is so similar to the gap between him and his eldest brother. It’s just amazing to see Lili us chasing Archie like ‘No, no Lili, I need my space, (grabs his shirt collar) I need my space,'” he said. “
He continued, “Now I get it. I understand how annoying the younger sibling is to the older sibling. But he said at the time he had no sense that was even a thing.
Life as a Father
Having recently moved into parenthood himself, Harry has reflected on his own behaviour as a brother but also has more insight into his own father and some of the choices Charles made as a young man. Mostly, it seems he wants not to be the same as his own father — thus, he and Meghan. left working royals and built their called life.
If I had some kind of pain and suffering myself because of his pain and suffering that my father or parents went through, I am gonna break that cycle so that I don’t pass it on.”
One Big Happy Family
Above all, Meghan and Harry appear to want to create a safe space for their children’s upbringing. It was clear in their docuseries that they wanted to actually support each other. From their days painting in the backyard to watching the sunsets, cuddling on the couch or talking about all the family members they cherished, including the late Princess Diana, fans saw all that they enjoyed together.
While however, we’re not sure what relationship Archie and Lilibet have with their other grandparents, that’s not the relationships that seem to have folks scratching their heads. It’s a bond that they share with their great-grandmother.
Did Lili Meet the Queen?
When Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, this was news that resonated around the world. Her legacy will not be forgotten as the longest-reigning monarch – it is surely a story that will be passed down over the years through her family. That includes Lilibet, of course, though many have questioned whether the Queen met her 11th great-grandchild before her death. After all, that particular time was rather tense within the family.
Joe Giddens – by WPA Pool/Getty Images
Although Lilibet had already had her first birthday by the time the Queen passed away, the family were divided during this time – and Meghan and Harry had moved across the pond. So, did they meet?
A Life of Drama
Lilibet wattled into the world to a Royal Family where all that had just happened, literally days before her birth, it made impossible to meet her great-grandmother, Lilibet. The news of the death of Prince Philip was announced to the world in April 2021. Prince Harry was there to represent the UK, after the world was rocked and plunged into mourning over the passing of the Queen’s husband, and at the time Meghan was heavily pregnant with Lilibet, and her doctor had not cleared her to fly.
Dominic Lipinski – WPA Pool/Getty Images
Harry, whose grandfather died earlier this year, was subsequently harassed by the media and retreated from the public eye in America with his family. A little over a year later, Queen Elizabeth II died as well, just shortly after her husband’s passing.
Time to Reflect
Harry had a strained relationship with the rest of the royal family at the time of the Queen’s death, but he did have a close bond with his grandmother. For this reason, her death, having reportedly affected him very deeply. Harry later made a statement on the Archewell Foundation website to honour the life of the woman who his daughter was named after He reminisced about the woman who had such a powerful influence in his life.
The statement read, “We are all reminded of the guiding compass she was to so many in her commitment to service and duty. She was globally admired and respected. Her unwavering grace and dignity remained true throughout her life and now her everlasting legacy.”
A Fond Farewell
The statement, posted to the Archewell Foundation’s website, seemed to be a lesson in restraint for anyone who had a difficult time appeasing Prince Harry’s architectiq choices over the years prior to hearing his grandmother had passed. Now, he had lost so much already in life, a loss many describe as a second mother to the prince who has often felt lost too outside of all royal norms. Which makes sense given that no one really knew what was in there but people still wanted to know if the Queen ever got to meet Lilibet.
Well, the more they read, the more the public realized that the older Lilibet had indeed met the younger Lilibet. This was confirmed in Prince Harry’s open letter to his late grandmother.
Full-Circle Moment
Even if Harry had of course, opted to be removed from the whole of his family as well as the entire Royal Family himself, it appears he wished for the two Lilibets to meet more than anything. After all, we have all seen professional photographs of the Queen enjoying time with Archie. However that hadn’t been the case with Lilibet – and it led many to speculate whether the rift between Harry and his relatives had also been passed on to the kids.
But Harry admitted that both of his children had spent a considerable amount of time with her great-grandchildren and that they had all adored each other and loved enjoying time together.
A Final Parting
In his statement, Harry wrote, “Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings – from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren.” And it was the confirmation that struck a chord with those who were reading the statement at home.
That was a testament to how far he has come (literally and figuratively) since leaving the royal foldHarry’s comments were candid and direct, which was further validation of his thoughts. There used to be a time when no one was allowed to have feelings, and if there were feelings, you certainly weren’t allowed to show any sign of being vulnerable.
Sorely Missed
What fans loved about Harry’s statement was the fact that it felt very personal. Royal statements are often a little terse, subdued and short on genuine feeling. But Harry’s also statement was about his feelings, his memories of his grandmother, and sadness regarding her demise. In fact, he said that she will be “sorely missed” to her family and to the world.
And while fans loved to learn that the Queen had met Lilibet before she passed away, they wanted to know more about when that had happened, and how it went.
The First Meeting
While not officially confirmed, most speculate that Lilibet was introduced to the Queen for the very first time in 2022 during the time of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Now, this was a big deal for not only the Royal Family but for the entire world in general and we witnessed everyone unite for the celebrations. The big events that happened were such a big deal Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and their two kids even showed up.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation
However, other reports also state that the first time the Queen met Lilibet was actually not in person at all. It had been assumed by many that the two Lilibets first met through FaceTime, just after Lilibet’s birth.
A Fantastic Visit
When it comes to meeting in the flesh, the Platinum Jubilee is thought to be the most likely location for the Lilibets’ first meeting. Well, it was also when now-King Charles met his granddaughter for the first time too, after all. Charles was also said to have been delighted with this visit as he got to see just how much Archie had grown — and for the first time meet Lilibet.
A royal insider even told the tabloids, “It was a fantastic visit” and that everyone got on like a house on fire for the sake of the children, and they left their personal differences aside.
An Emotional Ordeal
Charles also really enjoyed being able to have some one-on-one time with his grandchildren, something he has found difficult since their estrangement, the royal source also told the tabloids. After all, people speculate about the emotional experience Harry must be going through to be at odds with his own father—but very few think the same of Charles. It must be tough to watch your children fighting and your youngest son draw away from his family.
So, Charles being able to see and meet Lilibet could have seemed like the start of a new journey for the family. And this journey focused on the children, rather than the drama surrounding the adults.
Living in Regret
Harry and his father reportedly still have a rocky relationship, but we can only imagine he is pleased that he to put the past behind them for the case of the Platinum Jubilee festivities. In that way, the entire family would get to meet Lilibet and see how much Archie had grown, and he would have a chance to present his daughter to the woman she was named after before she died. So he would never have to live with regret.
You could say that the trip to London took place at that perfect time, as the Queen sadly died just a few months later. Then, the controversy circle around them escalated even more.
All Eyes on Them
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were already facing scrutiny by the time Queen Elizabeth II passed away and lying-in-state rolled around. They also have lawsuits against the British media, and fans are still recovering from Harry’s book and all his commentary about his family. That led to a lot of speculation around whether the couple would attend this event at all, and plenty of surprise when they did end up showing face.
Phil Noble – WPA Pool/Getty Images
When they walked in, everyone looked their way. The appearance was one of their first since they announced they were stepping down from royal duties, and people were curious to see how they would respond to the royal family.
Dubbed as Inappropriate
Harry and Meghan were likely hoping to pay their respects to the late queen and then return home, but — alas! Onlookers scrutinized their every move, their every word, their every facial expression. As if this weren’t bad enough, cameras seemed to be in constant close-ups on them. This just further proves they couldn’t get even a morsel of anonymity, and that had to be frightening for the pair.
Phil Noble – WPA Pool/Getty Images
Unfortunately, the public’s perception of the couple was not a positive one. Some critics even went as far as to dub their behavior as ‘inappropriate’ for such a sombre event.
A Lose-Lose Situation
That also was not the ideal timing when it came to heading to the Queen’s funeral. The couple were slammed for holding hands during the lying-in-state so the pair made sure to keep separate at the funeral They thought this would placate those attempting to destroy them, but it appeared to have the opposite effect. Really, not even two weeks before that, and they were attacked for not loving one another enough.
Frank Augstein – WPA Pool/Getty Images
When Meghan wore a simple black dress for the funeral, she was also dragged — further demonstrating that the couple faced a no-win situation in how they chose to represent themselves.
Making His Blood Boil
Admittedly, a lot of people also commended Prince Harry for attending his grandmother’s service, even when it had to be an extremely uncomfortable experience for him. And as he has made abundantly clear in the past, he finds the media scrutiny and attention all very annoying to the max anyhow. He reiterated it in one of the biggest celebrity sit-downs in memory with Oprah when he said that the paparazzi and the cameras “make my blood boil” and “it makes me mad.”
When Jimmy asked about what he’s been through lately, how it feels — having cameras pushed into your face — he explained to the talk show host that it reminds him of what happened to his mom and he doesn’t want that to happen to anyone else in his life.
Meghan Isn’t Welcome
And when thinking about how the media has treated Meghan Markle, you can see why Prince Harry would have felt that attending a high-profile event would be uncomfortable with the other royals. If you needed proof, even the announcement that the late Queen was near death was met with headlines about Meghan that were best described as unflattering. It was confirmed at the time that Princes William and Harry both went to farewell their grandmother.
Ben Birchall – WPA Pool / Getty Images
However, even though both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle stayed behind with their kids, media attention seemed to mostly ignore Kate’s absence in favour of Meghan’s. And the first time it happened, either?
Feeling Safe
Hearing this one can hardly blame Prince Harry for wanting to be right next to his wife when they went to the late Queen’s lying-in-state and the funeral. He understood that his wife would be uncomfortable around a room full of people who bloody crucified her, and a media that was great at tearing down women, so he had to be there to comfort and protect his wife.
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
Another mourner described how he gave her hand a “firm squeeze” when they both parted ways after the ceremony, telling People magazine: “After the ceremony when they went their separate directions, he gave her a firm squeeze of the hand. It struck me that he wanted to make sure she was at ease.
Heading Back Home
In summary, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been in London for two weeks, shortly before and just after the death of the late Queen Elizabeth. After two weeks away from their home in the U.S. and their children, they were more than ready to get back home. Even so, there was backlash against the couple for acting so soon after the death of the monarch.
Danny Lawson – WPA Pool/Getty Images
Hurt royalists have struggled to come to terms with the fact that Prince Harry has left his home country for the States, and they can’t help but wonder whether he’ll eventually go back.
Always His Home
In fact, a friend of Harry’s implied back in 2022 that he was only temporarily across the pond. Harry reportedly thought leaving the royal family and his home country was the right thing for his family at that moment in time, but that he does not intend to put his permanent residence in the UK on hold for the rest of his life. He is reportedly looking to return at some stage.
Kirsty O’Connor – WPA Pool/Getty Images
One of his lawyer even told the media that Harry will always consider the U.K. his home and he will always have friends and family back in his home country.
All About Safety
However, you may be asking yourself — what is stopping Harry from relocating back to the U.K now? But I guess his safety and the safety of his family comes first. When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle chose to step back as senior members of the royal family, they lost their royal-funded security team too. This would expose the couple and their kids to every imaginable risk every time they stepped out of the house.
Right now, Harry feels that the U.S. is safer for himself and his family, and he believes that staying across the pond is the best way to try and avoid the British media.
A Free Life
As well as having a beautiful home and warm weather in the USA, Harry also feels as though he has more freedom to live a normal life. When talking about his life in California, Harry has candidly opened up and remarked, “You can walk around feeling a little bit more free. I get to take Archie on the back of my bicycle. I never had the chance to do that.”
Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023
It’s this lack of security that forced the couple to leave their children behind when they traveled to the UK after the Queen’s death. They just didn’t want to take the risk.
Seeing Their Legacy
Naturally, the majority of the public understands the safety worries Prince Harry had with his young kids during this time. But some wonder what this could mean for Archie and Lilibet. Does that mean, that they will never return to the country they left? Will they consider the U.S. their home? Some feel this isn’t fair to the young kids, who might like this experience as part of being in the British Royal Family.
Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
More than anything, it would be a shame for Lilibet to live away from the legacy of her namesake. But who knows, maybe the young princess will return home at some point.
