Platinum Jubilee marks the Queen's 70th year on the throne, her 96th birthday, and the first time she's met her great-granddaughter, Lilibet Diana. Despite this, Her Majesty reportedly didn't spend a lot of time with the one-year-old baby.
2022 is a special year for Her Majesty, as the Queen celebrated her Platinum Jubilee, making her the only British monarch ever to reach 70 years on the throne, and the second longest-serving monarch that the world has ever seen. The Platinum Jubilee celebration earlier this month also marked Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's return to the UK, bringing their son, Archie, and daughter, Lilibet, to the Buckingham Palace. For Her Majesty, that was the first time she had ever met Lilibet Diana since the little baby was born.
Who is Lilibet Diana?
Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born on June 4, 2021, to the Royal couple of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. According to People, the little baby's name was a sweet tribute to Harry's late mother, Princess Diana, and The Queen.
As a child, Her Majesty used to be called 'Lilibet' by her beloved grandfather, and when she already reigned the country, her late husband Prince Phillip also used the nickname when talking with her.
The little baby was born in California in the USA, making her the first of the Queen's great-grandchildren to be born outside the UK. This results from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to exit royal duties in 2021, rendering their relocation to the US.
Prince Harry is highly protective of Lilibet
Aware of the onslaught of media scrutiny on famous Royal Family members, Prince Harry keeps Lilibet under the radar to minimize the press interference in their family's private affairs. This makes sense as Princess Diana, Harry's mother, was a victim of incessant press attacks, which took a serious toll on her mental health. She died in a car crash in Paris, in which the driver was reported to over-speed to get rid of the following journalists.
Given the fact that Prince Harry is highly protective of his daughter's privacy and health, it's common sense that Lilibet Diana hasn't been introduced to most of Prince Harry's royal relatives, who take up residence in the UK.
However, as the Queen held her Platinum Jubilee celebrations earlier this June, Prince Harry and his family flew back to the UK.
The move back marked the first time Lilibet Diana and The Queen had ever met in real life, after almost one year from the baby's 1st birthday. While information and visuals of the ceremony were scarce, royal media has leaked that Her Majesty only spent just minutes with the family and Lilibet Diana, which stunned royal watchers who expected a deeper connection between the two Lilibet.
Regarding the issue, royal expert Jonathan Sacerdoti, told the US Weekly:
She was working very hard to maintain her strength. I think it’s totally understandable that she was saving her energy as best she could for all the events that she wanted to be at if she possibly could.
Another reason, according to Cosmopolitan, is the tremendous age gap between Her Majesty and Lilibet. While the Queen is already 96 years old, Lilibet just celebrated her first birthday!
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