With Prince Harry and Meghan back in England – and the royal family rift still unresolved – Princess Kate’s heartbreaking admission about her niece, Princess Lilibet, reveals the personal toll of years of estrangement.
After spending six years in California, Harry, 42, and Meghan, 45, moved back to England in August with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, bringing the children closer to relatives they have had little opportunity to know.
Although Archie was born in London, his younger sister has spent her entire childhood in the United States, far from the royal family whose history is reflected in her name.
A family divided
Born on June 4, 2021, at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was named after Queen Elizabeth II, whose childhood nickname was Lilibet, and Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana.
By the time she arrived, however, her parents’ relationship with the monarchy had deteriorated following a televised interview that brought years of private disagreements into public view.
In March 2021, while Meghan was pregnant with their daughter, she and Harry spoke with Oprah Winfrey about their experiences as working royals, including allegations that an unnamed family member had expressed concerns about how dark Archie’s skin might be before his birth.
When William was subsequently questioned about the allegations of racism, he offered a brief but emphatic response.
“We are very much not a racist family,” the future king said, according to Newsweek.
‘Both women were crying their eyes out!’
The interview also drew attention to Meghan’s relationship with Kate, particularly a disagreement over flower girl dresses before Harry and Meghan’s 2018 wedding.
Offering an account of the incident, People reports that a former staff member said “both sides were really upset,” during the emotional exchange.
“The truth is that during the discussions about the bridesmaid’s dress, Meghan said a few things she regretted and Kate said a few things she later regretted, but it was all in the heat of the moment,” the staff member said in the book, “Yes, Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants.” “Both women were crying their eyes out!”
Despite the tensions, William and Kate publicly congratulated the Sussexes when Lilibet was born three months later.
“We are all delighted by the happy news of the arrival of baby Lili,” they wrote. “Congratulations to Harry, Meghan and Archie.”
With the Sussexes now living in Britain again, the possibility of a family reunion brings renewed attention to something Kate said shortly after Lilibet’s birth.
‘I can’t wait to meet her’
During a school visit in Cornwall with then-First Lady Jill Biden on June 11, 2021, Kate was asked by a reporter whether she had any wishes for her newborn niece.
“Oh, I wish her all the very best,” she replied, before acknowledging that she had yet to meet the little girl.
“I can’t wait to meet her because we haven’t yet – met her yet. So, hopefully, that’ll be soon.”
When the reporter followed up by asking whether she had FaceTimed with Lilibet, Kate admitted that she hadn’t even spoken to her over video.
“No, I haven’t. No,” she said.
The exchange, reported by Newsweek, drew sympathy from royal watchers who felt the princess had been caught off guard.
“She wasn’t ready to answer that question, but she handled perfectly,” one person commented, while another wrote, “I felt sorry for Catherine that they even asked her that. Perfectly handled by Catherine though.”
Missed opportunity
Kate’s hopes of meeting her niece appeared closer to becoming reality the following summer, when Harry and Meghan brought their children to Britain for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The June 2022 visit coincided with Lilibet’s first birthday, which was reportedly celebrated with a small gathering at Frogmore Cottage. However, William and Kate were carrying out royal engagements in Wales and did not attend.
But they acknowledged the occasion with a birthday message, writing, “Wishing a very happy birthday to Lilibet, turning one today!”
Four years later, there is still no public confirmation that Kate has met her niece, although the Sussexes’ return to Britain could finally change that.
Harry has settled with his family in the Cotswolds, an area he knows well from time spent there with his father and brother, and with William and Kate living nearby, the opportunity for the two families to reconnect is now closer than ever.
Do you think Harry and Meghan’s return to England could help repair the royal family rift? Please let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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