Harry, Meghan won’t pick William, Kate as Lilibet’s godparents: Experts
Lilibet 'Lili' Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, the second child of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was born on Friday, June 4, at 11:40 am Pacific Time. Lili, per the Sussexes, was born in the trusted care of the doctors and staff at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. The newborn weighed in at seven pounds, 11 ounces and as per an official statement, "both mother and child are healthy and well, and settling in at home."
While this happy news has been the first in the royal family for some time now, it also brings a question of a contentious nature: Who will be little Lili’s godparents? The Sussexes have, as a rule, been very private about their lives. While they disclosed a ton during their controversial interview earlier this year, they mostly keep regular updates in their lives under the wraps.
READ MORE
Meghan Markle's father Thomas 'very pleased' as he breaks silence after Lilibet's birth
Harry and Meghan Markle called 'dreadful people' for 'stealing' Queen's family nickname Lilibet
This was also true after the birth of Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, their first child. More than six months after the baptism, it was reported that the couple named Prince Harry's childhood nanny Tiggy Pettifer (formerly Legge-Bourke) as Archie's godmother, and Harry's close friend and mentor Mark Dyer as godfather -- Harry was selected as the godfather to Dyer's son Jasper and Pettifer's son Tom before that.
It is highly unlikely that Meghan and Harry will reveal to the world who Lili’s godparents will be, according to the Daily Telegraph. But whoever they end up choosing, it is more than likely that it will be neither Prince William nor Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
Royal commentator and journalist Daisy McAndrew said, “Lots of rumors about who the godparents are going to be, and I can tell you it won't be William. Now that's because the royals don't do siblings as godparents.” McAndrew added, “I think when you look back at who they chose for Archie, these were the old nanny, the old father figure, very British people. And I suspect this time around they'll be full of Americans, and I think that'll be yet another departure from their old life to their new life.”
Royal expert Marlene Koenig said that royal babies can have between five and eight godparents. She also said that she wouldn't be surprised if some of the couple's American friends are on the list. "You're more likely to have a relationship with your godparent if they're close friends with the family," she explained. "I think they'll choose people who will have roles in their lives as mentors, as adopted uncles, as friends."
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, despite their differences with the Sussexes, were among the first members of the royal family to congratulate them on the birth of their daughter. “We are all delighted by the happy news of the arrival of baby Lili. Congratulations to Harry, Meghan, and Archie,” the couple said. And while it would seem that making either or both their child’s godparents would help ease the familial tensions a bit, it is worth noting that the Cambridges have not done the same either. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge too selected members of their inner social circle and cousins for all three of their children's godparents.