Friday – 17 Shaaban 1444 AH – 10 March 2023 AD Issue Number [16173]
London: «Asharq Al-Awsat»
The first public use of its kind, on Friday, of the adjective “Princess” in reference to the baptism of Lilibet, the daughter of Prince Harry and his wife Megan, was an indication of turning the page on the conflict between the youngest son of King Charles III and his wife, and the rest of the British royal family.
A spokesman for the couple said: “I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was baptized on Friday, March 3, by the Archbishop of Los Angeles,” according to “AFP.”
This is the first time that the adjective “Princess” is used in reference to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s child, who was born in June 2021.
Like her older brother Archie, Lilibet theoretically acquired the status of “princess” when Charles became king on September 8. Under the rule dating back to 1917 and to King George V, the titles of prince and princess are given to the king’s grandchildren, not great-grandchildren.
But the issue of the titles of the son and daughter of Harry and Megan has become one of the many issues of tension between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and the royal family, since they moved away from her in 2020. And Megan considered, during an interview in March 2021 with the American media, Oprah Winfrey, that Buckingham Palace “did not want to become Archie is a prince.”
On the Buckingham Palace website, the adjectives “Miss” and “Master” are still used for Archie and Lilibet.
The palace confirmed, on Wednesday, that the site’s content will be updated to take into account the princess status used by the parents.