Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced that their daughter, Lilibet Diana, had been christened in an intimate ceremony in California.
During the christening of their daughter, they publicly referred to her as a princess and disclosed for the first time that they would use royal titles for their children.
This move elevates both children's titles to align with the 1917 Letters Patent, a written order by King George V.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will use royal titles for children
According to NBC, there was speculation regarding whether Prince Harry and Meghan would bestow royal titles upon their children after they stepped down as senior royal family members.
This decision meant they would no longer use their royal titles and would cease receiving public funds.
However, the recent christening of their daughter, Princess Lilibet Diana, confirmed that they had decided to use royal titles for their children.
The christening took place on Friday and was officiated by Rev. John Taylor, Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.
A spokesperson for the couple confirmed the news on Wednesday. The royal family's website is expected to update the children's titles soon.
This announcement marked the first time the children's titles were publicly used. Princess Lilibet Diana will turn two in June, while her older brother Prince Archie will be four this May.
It is not believed that members of the royal family attended the christening, which took place in California.
According to Good Morning America, Lilibet's birth in 2021 was historic, as she was the first senior royal baby born in the United States and the first great-grandchild born outside of the United Kingdom.
She is also the first senior royal baby to be christened in the U.S., while her brother and three cousins were all christened in the U.K.
Approximately 20 to 30 guests attended the christening, including Tyler Perry as Lili's godfather and Doria Ragland, Meghan's mother, as her grandmother.
The royal titles of Lilibet and Archie
In a March 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan discussed how there was a debate within the family regarding whether their son Archie would be given the title of prince.
According to NPR, that argument was a year after they left their public roles. She clarified that the royal institution made the decision and not her or her husband.
Meghan stated that they had no desire for Archie to be a prince or princess, as this would be contrary to protocol, and he would not receive security.
Those heated arguments were made in the final months of her pregnancy, which was a difficult time for her. She expressed her fears about giving up her baby, knowing he would not be protected.
Meghan suggested that this might have been due to Archie's status as the first member of color in the royal family.
It would also have marked the first time a royal grandchild was not given the same title as the other grandchildren.
The family's official title change will align with the 1917 Letters Patent, established by King George V. This decree states that the children of the sovereign's sons should be referred to as prince and princess.
