Prince Harry family members who went to Lilibet christening with King unable to

Princess Diana's sisters were both reportedly at the christening of their niece Princess Lilibet last week.

A small gathering of around 20 people attended the ceremony with Prince Harry's aunts Lady Jane Fellowes and Lady Sarah McCorquodale among those guests, according to fashion magazine Marie Claire.

Senior members of the royal family were not present, though, with King Charles and Prince William unable to attend the event in the Californian town of Montecito.

READ MORE: Meghan Markle 'puts own emotional needs before Harry's' in moment spotted by expert

Since Diana's death following a Paris car crash in 1997, both Harry and William have remained close to all of their late mother's remaining siblings, including her brother Earl Spencer.

Lady Jane gave an emotional reading from the Song of Solomon at Harry's wedding to Meghan in 2018.

The Duke of Sussex was last pictured alongside his aunts in 2021 when he unveiled a statue of his late mother alongside his brother, William.

The two brothers were seen greeting their aunts with a kiss during the ceremony at Kensington Palace.

While Lilibet's baptism was very different to her cousins Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte, it saw a 10-person gospel choir perform songs, including This Little Light of Mine – Harry and Meghan's wedding song at their 2018 ceremony.

The christening happened on Friday March 3 but was only confirmed five days later on International Women's Day.

A spokesperson for the Sussexes said: "I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3 by the Bishop of Los Angeles, the Rev John Taylor."

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Actor Tyler Perry, who flew in the choir, was named as Lilibet's godparent.

It is the first time Lili has been publicly referred to as Princess.

She became entitled to become a princess when her grandfather King Charles acceded to the throne.

The rules set out by King George V in 1917 mean Harry and Meghan's older son Archie and Lili, as the children of a son of a sovereign, are automatically a prince and a princess and also now have an HRH style if they choose to use it.

However, it is understood Lili's title of princess and Archie's title as a prince will be used in formal settings, but not in everyday conversational use by the couple.

This has yet to be updated on the royal family website, with the children still referred to as miss and master.

Harry and Meghan are understood to be keen to not deny their children their birth-right, but to allow them the chance to decide for themselves when older whether to drop or keep using the titles.

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