Prince Charles couldn’t be happier after officially becoming a grandpa to five! Just days after his son Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle welcomed their second child together, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, the Prince of Wales broke his silence on the latest addition to the British royal family.
Charles addressed the birth of his granddaughter during a Tuesday, June 8 tour of the BMW Mini factory in Oxford, UK, briefly taking a moment to gush over what he called “such happy news.” The heir to the throne made the comments while delivering a speech about the development of battery-powered vehicles, technology that environmentalists said “is vital for maintaining the health of our world for future generations,” Page Six reported. Charles said looking out for future generations is something that he is “only too aware of today, having recently become a grandfather for the fifth time,” and added, “such happy news really does remind one of the necessity of continued innovation in this area – especially around sustainable battery technology – in view of the legacy we bequeath to our grandchildren.”
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While the remarks marked his first public comments on the birth, they followed a congratulatory message to the proud new parents of two just after it was announced that Harry and Markle had welcomed their daughter on Friday, June 4. Charles his wife, Duchess Camilla, extended their congratulations to the couple in a message shared to their official Instagram account, which read, “Congratulations to Harry, Meghan and Archie on the arrival of baby Lilibet Diana.” Shared alongside a photo of the couple with their 2-year-old son Archie, the message concluded, “Wishing them all well at this time.”
Charles’ proud remarks came amid continued speculation regarding his relationship with his youngest son. In March, Harry gave insight into the relationships and rifts with his family when sitting down for a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. During the interview, the royal admitted that his father had “stopped taking my calls” amid his and his wife’s decision to step back as working royals and said that “there’s a lot to work through” in their relationship. Harry reunited with his father in person for the first time in April following his grandfather Prince Philip’s death.
As members of the royal family continue to send congratulatory messages regarding Lili’s birth, her arrival marks a change for the family, as it affects the line of succession. The newborn is now eighth in line to the throne behind her father and older brother, Archie, uncle Prince William and his three children with Kate Middleton, and her grandfather.
