Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry had their daughter Lilibet Diana baptized a few days ago. But which of her celebrity friends acted as godmother for the little princess?
Prince Harry, 38, and Duchess Meghan, 41, recently surprised with the news that their daughter Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, 1, has already been christened. “I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened by Archbishop of Los Angeles Rev. John Taylor on Friday March 3,” a spokesman for the couple told People.
According to insiders, only a handful of guests were present at the very private celebration. King Charles, 74, Queen Camilla, 75, Prince William, 40, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, 41, were not there despite being invited, it is said. More details are not yet known. This also raises the question of who acted as Lilibet’s godmother. After all, there are a few people who qualify. One, however, falls out of the race in advance: Oprah Winfrey, 69. She made that clear in 2021.
Tyler Perry was Princess Lilibet’s godfather
It was previously known that billionaire Tyler Perry, 53, is Lilibet’s godfather. The Sussexes and he revealed that in the Netflix documentary “Harry & Meghan”, which has been available on the streaming platform since December last year. The actor and director supported the dropout royals after they moved to the United States and even gave them six weeks of shelter in his luxury villa in Los Angeles.
As “People” now reported, the actor and director traveled from his home in Atlanta, Georgia, to California for the christening. He is said to have arrived with a ten-piece gospel choir, which caused goosebumps with “Oh Happy Day” and “This Little Light of Mine” – a song that was also played at the Sussexes’ wedding. In addition, a godmother was also on site, but her identity was not disclosed.
Oprah Winfrey turned down sponsorship: ‘You probably need someone younger’
Oprah Winfrey is eliminated as a possible godmother. She did the sensational interview with the Sussexes in March 2021 and the connection between the talk show legend and the royal couple goes back many years. Oprah was a guest at Harry and Meghan’s wedding. In addition, Harry and Meghan revealed in their documentary that the presenter was one of the few people who visited them at Nottingham Cottage at the time. However, Winfrey has said in the past that he is “too old” for the role. “I think you probably need someone younger as a godmother,” she told Entertainment Tonight in 2021. However, the following celebs could be the godmother of the one-year-old, who now officially has a princess title.
You could be Lilibet Diana’s godmother
Serena Williams
Tennis ace Serena Williams, 41, is a longtime friend of Meghan’s and is also very close to Harry. Over the years, the Duchess of Sussex has often been spotted in the stands at her friend’s big games. Serena helped organize her baby shower when Meghan was pregnant with Archie, 3. In addition, the Sussexes are said to have convinced Serena to retire from tennis.
The former professional athlete also appeared in the couple’s Netflix documentary and gushed about the 2018 royal wedding. According to “Mirror”, it is also suspected that Serena’s daughter Olympia, 5, is a playmate of Archie and Lilibet, so the grand Slam winner would make an ideal godmother.
Sarah Ferguson
Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan have an extremely strained relationship with most members of the Royal Family. However, there are few exceptions: this includes Sarah Ferguson, 63. After her failed marriage to Prince Andrew, 63, she also became a marginal figure in the British royal family. With the invitation to their wedding, the Sussexes brought Fergie back into the fold of the royal family.
Recently, the mother of two has also lost loving words about her nephew. “I’ve been judged my whole life and I have no judgment for the Sussexes,” she told People. In an interview with “Telegraph” she added a little later that she could understand Harry’s escape. So Sarah Ferguson is well disposed towards her nephew and his wife. She was also in the US at the time of the christening to promote her new book, A Most Intriguing Lady, so she may have made a detour to Montecito.
Her daughter Princess Eugenie, 32, is also close to the Sussexes. How cordial the relationship between Harry and his cousin is is no secret. She is said to have been the first member of the royal family to visit him in California. However, on March 5, 2023, she was with her husband Jack Brooksbank, 36, at the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Bahrain. From a purely logistical point of view, it seems unlikely that she could be the mysterious godmother.
Amal Clooney
George, 61, and Amal Clooney, 45, were guests at Harry and Meghan’s wedding in May 2018. The following summer, the Sussexes spent a relaxing few days at the Hollywood star’s Italian estate on Lake Como. “The Clooneys personally invited Meghan and Harry to their home earlier this summer,” a source told US Weekly, adding, “George and Amal were so happy to host Meghan and Harry. Harry and George have a special one connection and friendship.”
In addition, the human rights lawyer and the former actress have many common interests, Amal also helped Meghan to arrive in London. The 45-year-old also helped organize Meghan’s baby shower in 2019. Now she may have appeared as Lilibet’s godmother.
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres, 65, and the Sussexes share a long friendship. Not only was Meghan a guest on her show, Ellen and her wife Portia de Rossi, 50, even visited the royal couple shortly after Archie’s birth in London. Harry and Meghan, on the other hand, attended Ellen and Portia’s second wedding a few weeks ago. It seems like Ellen DeGeneres and the Sussexes are always there for each other in the important moments. So it’s quite possible that the presenter will be there to help and advise little Lilibet Diana on her life’s journey.
Sources used: people.com, “Harry & Meghan”, retrieved from netflix.com, etonline.com, telegraph.co.uk, mirror.co.uk, usmagazine.com