Fans Believe Royal Baby’s Name Has Subtle Tribute To Meghan Markle’s Mom Doria Ragland

Jun 09, 2021

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcomed their daughter, Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, on June 4, 2021. The announcement of the birth came two days later, on June 6, and the newborn and her name have captured the attention of people across the world. 

For months before the announcement of the birth, people across the world wondered if Harry would choose to pay tribute to his mother with the birth of his daughter. Since the baby was due in the summer but a due date was not released, many royal fans were hoping that the baby would be born around the same time as what would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday on July 1, 2021. 

Harry is also known to be close to his grandmother, and Express UK. reported that "Lily" was also in the running as a first name. However, Harry went one step further and chose the name "Lilibet" for his daughter, which has been the nickname for Queen Elizabeth since she was young. 

Royal watchers had previously predicted that Harry and Meghan would choose to honor both Elizabeth and the late Prince Philip by picking a meaningful name for their daughter, and they were right about it! However, it looks like the new baby's name also has ties to Meghan's family. 

The couple's big announcement is the first bit of good news the royal family has had in a while, given the saddening events of the past few years, which have been filled with strife and mourning. Prince Philip, who would have been the child's great grandfather, passed away on April 9 at 99 years old. At the time, Meghan could not make it to Philip's April 17 funeral because doctors advised against traveling to the U.K. while pregnant.

The story behind Lili's first name is truly sweet. As many royal fans might know, the queen's close family called her "Lilibet" after the very young princess was unable to pronounce her own name. The queen's parents and grandparents adopted the adorable nickname, and it has remained her nickname ever since.

Her late father, George VI, was once quoted as saying:

"Lilibet is my pride. Margaret is my joy."

However, no other royal family members apart from Philip and the queen's parents have reportedly called her "Lilibet," which means that her sweet nickname may now no longer be used after Philip's death. While it had only a prediction and not an assumption earlier that the queen's 12th great-grandchild may be called "Lily," Harry and Meghan went one step further and gave their daughter a remarkable name. 

Lili's middle name was chosen after her late grandmother, Princess Diana. Lili's cousin, Princess Charlotte, also has the same middle name as her full name reads, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. Diana's tragic death in 1997 deeply affected Harry, who was only 13 years old at the time of her death. 

Diana's sons, Prince William and Harry, have worked hard to preserve their mother's legacy both symbolically but also throughout their own charity work as parts of the royal family. Both brothers have taken carried on Diana's legacy in terms of being outspoken about mental health.

Following Lili's birth, The Sun reported that Buckingham Palace released the statement, "The Queen, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, and The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been informed and are delighted with the news of the birth of a daughter for The Duke and Duchess of Sussex."  

However, Lili also has a name history that relates to Meghan Markle's side of the family.

The name Lili has its own connection to Markle's mom, Doria Ragland. According to Meghan Markle's old blog, The Tig, Meghan had a similar nickname given to her by her mother as she was a child. About all of her childhood nicknames, Meghan wrote:

"Meg, MM, M&M, and Flower (which my mom has called me since I was little)."

Since Harry and Meghan have moved back to California, Meghan has been able to spend more time with her mother-in-law, as Doria lives close to Montecito and is, therefore, able to often visit her grandson, Archie. 

Doria appears to still use this name once in a while. Markle's uncle, Joseph Johnson, spoke to The Sun in 2019 and recalled a conversation the family had with Doria when they first found out Markle was dating Harry.

"All of us were just really stunned. Shocked," Johnson told the news outlet. "Doria was so excited. She was just saying, 'My ­little Flower! My Flower's going to be a princess! Wooh-wooh!'"

Another connection to Lili's name is that Meghan included the lily of the valley flower in her bridal bouquet when she and Prince Harry wed back in 2018. The flower was a nod to Princess Diana, who also had lily of the valley in her bouquet on her wedding day. 

PEOPLE reported that the statement from the couple released on Sunday read:

"It is with great joy that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcome their daughter, Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world." 

The news of the royal baby's arrival has taken the world by storm and total fans can't wait to see her first public appearance! 

What do you think of the name Lili? Did you know about the beautiful significances behind the name? Let us know your thoughts, and be sure to pass this on to other royal fans you know!