This is the pattern we’re going to be dealing with indefinitely: the British media will hype some date for which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex *must* return to the UK, and then the media will then hype all of the reasons why this visit will be a punishment, or make-or-break, or why Harry and Meghan need the Windsors and not the other way around. If that sounds psychotic, congrats, you are right. Another pattern we’ll probably need to get used to? If Harry and Meghan actually want to return for some reason, suddenly the Windsors and the British media will act like their upstarts begging for an audience with the Queen. Which is what the current story is about – following the big reunion of the fakakta statue unveiling on July 1st, the media determined that Harry and Meghan *should* come back in September for another event around this same Diana statue. But what if H&M do want to come back around that time… and they want to christen Lilibet Diana in the UK? What then?!?!

Harry and Meghan are planning for Lilibet to be christened at Windsor in front of the Queen, royal sources have told Richard Eden. They’ve accused the Queen of handing down ‘genetic pain and suffering’ and charged unnamed relations with racism, but the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are apparently eager to cling on to the perks of life in the Royal Family.

A royal source said Prince Harry and Meghan want a royal christening for their baby, Lilibet, held in the presence of the Queen. The California-based couple’s intentions are said to have been made clear during Harry’s visit to this country for the unveiling of Princess Diana’s statue earlier this month.

‘Harry told several people that they want to have Lili christened at Windsor, just like her brother,’ a royal source tells Eden Confidential. ‘They are happy to wait until circumstances allow.’

It would be Meghan’s first visit to Britain since the couple quit royal duties last year. Interestingly, six weeks after Lili’s birth, she has not yet been given the eighth place in the line of succession that she is due, according to the official royal website. It’s understood that the list will not be updated until after the christening. Lili would bump the Queen’s second son, Prince Andrew, into ninth place.

Lili will join the list as long as she is not baptised a Roman Catholic, as they are specifically excluded from succession to the throne. Although Meghan attended a Catholic high school, she was baptised and confirmed into the Church of England in a private ceremony at the Chapel Royal conducted by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. The intimate 45-minute service was conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the Chapel Royal in 2018 and was a closely-guarded secret with only a handful of royal aides involved. Meghan followed partly in the footsteps of the Duchess of Cambridge, who was baptised as an infant but had a private confirmation after her engagement to Prince William.

It’s not clear how enthusiastic the Royal Family will be.

[From The Daily Mail]

The Mail piece was a lot longer but it was just a rehash of two completely ridiculous dramas: one, the “we don’t know Archie’s godparents’ names” drama and two, the “Harry didn’t ask his grandmother’s permission for Lilibet’s name” drama. Enough. And for what it’s worth, Harry’s “genetic pain and suffering” was more about his father than his grandmother, although I’m not going to fight too hard about that, because I think Harry’s comments could easily be interpreted to include the whole bloody institution.

As for the idea that Harry wants to have Lili christened in the UK… it’s clear that he’s trying to set it up so that post-pandemic, he and Meghan will be able to pop into the UK as needed, for family events and visits with their charities and such. Like, he’s trying to normalize that kind of vibe of “we’re coming for 72 hours to see everyone and then we’re out.” In Harry’s mind, they’ll be able to maintain that kind of breeziness. Maybe they will. The commentators on Dusty Saltine Island always insist that there will be a shift when Charles becomes king. I still don’t know.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red, Backgrid.

Source: Read Full Article