Princess Lilibet of Sussex

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Princess Lilibet of Sussex, June 2022; Credit – Misan Harriman

Princess Lilibet Diana of Sussex, nicknamed Lili, is the second of the two children and the only daughter of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and his wife The Duchess of Sussex, the former Meghan Markle. Born on June 4, 2021, at 11:40 AM local time at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California, Lilibet weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces. Lilibet is named after her paternal great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and her paternal grandmother Diana, Princess of Wales. Lilibet was Queen Elizabeth II’s family nickname, originating from Queen Elizabeth II’s pronunciation of her name when she was young. Lilibet has dual citizenship from the United States and the United Kingdom.

Lilibet has one elder sibling:

  • Prince Archie of Sussex, born May 6, 2019 at Portland Hospital for Women and Children, a private hospital on Great Portland Street in London, England

Lilibet was seventh in the line of succession to the British throne after her paternal uncle Prince William, The Prince of Wales and his three children, her father Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and her brother Prince Archie. As the daughter of a Duke, Lilibet was entitled to use the courtesy title “Lady” before her given name. However, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided that their children would not use any styles or titles in accordance with their wish that they live their lives as private citizens.

Lilibet being held by her mother with her father and brother, from the 2021 Christmas card of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex; Credit – Alexi Lubomirski/The Duke and Duchess of Sussex

However, at birth, Lilibet was not entitled to the style and title Her Royal Highness Princess. In 1917, King George V issued Letters Patent changing the rights to the style Royal Highness and the title Prince/Princess. The children of the Sovereign, the children of the sons of the Sovereign, and the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales would be entitled to the style Royal Highness and the title Prince/Princess. Exceptions to the rule can be made by the Sovereign. For instance, in 2012, Queen Elizabeth II issued a Letters Patent declaring that all the children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales should have the title Prince or Princess and the style Royal Highness. This meant that all the children of Prince William would be HRH Prince/Princess. Under the 1917 Letters Patent, Lilibet would be entitled to the style and title Her Royal Highness Princess, when her paternal grandfather succeeds to the throne. Lilibet would then be a male-line grandchild of the Sovereign.

With the accession of Lilibet’s grandfather as King Charles III on September 8, 2022, Lilibet is a male-line grandchild of the monarch and is entitled to be styled Her Royal Highness Princess Lilibet of Sussex under the 1917 Letters Patent.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had announced on January 8, 2020, that they would step back as senior royals and divide time between the United Kingdom and North America. However, since that time the Duke and Duchess have made a home in Montecito, California in the United States.

On March 8, 2023, it was announced that Lilibet has been christened in a private ceremony at the family home in Montecito, California. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said: “I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3 by the Archbishop of Los Angeles, the Rev John Taylor.” The Right Reverand John Taylor is the Archbishop of Los Angeles for the Episcopal Church, a member church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Although Lilibet has technically been a princess since the accession of her grandfather King Charles III, the christening announcement is the first time she has been publicly called a princess.

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