Princess Lilibet will be expected to follow a key royal rule if she accompanies her father to the UK this summer, a royal expert has revealed. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter, who turned five this month, is now old enough to adhere to a specific piece of royal protocol.
Royal Protocol at Age Five
From the age of five, young members of the Royal Family are required to bow or curtsy to the reigning monarch, according to commentator Marlene Eilers Koenig. Both Lilibet and her brother Prince Archie, who turned seven last month, will observe this custom if they travel to the UK with Prince Harry to promote the Invictus Games.
Ms Koenig told Hello! Magazine: "Certainly [they will follow that rule] by age five. The only person they will curtsy or bow to is the sovereign. A royal highness does not curtsy to another royal highness." She added: "Curtsying and bowing is etiquette, nothing to do with precedence. You bow or curtsy the first time you see the sovereign and then again when you leave."
Potential Family Reunion
Prince Harry is reportedly hoping to see King Charles during the upcoming visit, although it remains uncertain whether the estranged father and son will meet face-to-face for the first time in almost a year. The Sussexes have not confirmed whether Meghan or their children will travel alongside Harry to the UK, which would mark their first family trip since the late Queen's jubilee celebrations in 2022.
Lilibet's Birthday Celebration
Meghan shared a sweet family photograph of her youngest child on June 4 to mark her fifth birthday. The image showed the princess barefoot, with her long red hair down and covering her face, being held in Harry's arms as he looks at her lovingly. Meghan is standing next to Harry in the shot with her arm on his shoulder, also smiling at her daughter. She shared it on social media alongside the caption: "Our dream girl. Happy 5th birthday, Lili" followed by a white heart emoji.
Title Entitlement
Lilibet, who was born in the US in 2021, only became entitled to be a princess when Charles acceded to the throne because of rules set out by King George V in 1917. Harry and Meghan started using the prince and princess titles for their children after Lilibet's christening in 2023, following correspondence with Charles on the matter.
