The Princess of Wales shared a poignant reaction when questioned about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s daughter, Princess Lilibet, revealing the strained dynamics within the royal family.
Princess Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born on June 4, 2021, at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California. Her arrival came a year after Prince Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior members of the royal family and relocated to the United States.
Tensions Following Royal Exit
Following their move, Harry and Meghan took part in a high-profile interview with Oprah Winfrey, during which they made numerous claims about the treatment they faced from the royal institution and the media, particularly Meghan. Among the revelations was Meghan’s statement that Kate had made her cry in the days leading up to the royal wedding due to disagreements over bridesmaids’ dresses.
“A few days before the wedding [Kate] was upset about the flower girl dresses and it made me cry,” Meghan stated, noting that Kate later apologized.
Meghan also opened up about her mental health struggles during that period, saying: “When I joined that family, that was the last time until we came here that I saw my passport, my driver’s licence, my keys, all that gets turned over.” She went on to say her mental health had become so fragile she “didn’t want to be alive any more.”
According to Meghan, when she sought professional help, she was told that doing so would not be good for the institution: “I said I needed to go somewhere to get help… and I was told that I couldn’t.”
Kate’s Heartfelt Response to Question About Lilibet
Amid rising tensions, shortly after Lilibet’s birth, a reporter asked Kate if she had any wishes for her new niece. The Princess of Wales responded warmly: “Oh, I wish her all the very best.”
She continued, expressing a desire to meet Lilibet: “I can’t wait to meet her because we haven’t yet — met her yet. So, hopefully, that’ll be soon.”
When asked if she had FaceTimed her niece, Kate replied: “No, I haven’t. No.”
Public Reaction
Kate was widely praised for the grace with which she answered the unexpected question. One person commented, “She wasn’t ready to answer that question but she handled it perfectly.” Another added: “I felt sorry for Catherine that they even asked her that. Perfectly handled by Catherine though.”
It remains unclear whether Prince William and Kate have ever met Lilibet. However, it is believed that King Charles first met his granddaughter during Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022.
