Lilibet Name Meaning As Queen Elizabeth's Nickname Honored by Meghan and Harry

Jun 07, 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 "Lilly" 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! 

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 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."  

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 statement continued, "Lili was born on Friday, June 4 at 11:40 a.m. in the trusted care of the doctors and staff at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA. She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz. Both mother and child are healthy and well, and settling in at home."

The baby girl's name is truly meaningful as well, as all royal fans would know, and this was also addressed in the statement. "Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales."

Harry and Meghan's spokesperson concluded their statement, "This is the second child for the couple, who also have a two-year-old son named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. The Duke and Duchess thank you for your warm wishes and prayers as they enjoy this special time as a family"

The happy couple also posted a statement about their child on their website, Archewell, which read, "On June 4th, we were blessed with the arrival of our daughter, Lili. She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we've felt from across the globe. Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family."

What do you think of the beautiful name Harry and Meghan chose for their daughter? Tell us about your thoughts, and be sure to ask your friends about this story as well.