Royal Fans Continue Debating About Which Family Member Lilibet Looks Like

Jun 09, 2022

June 4 was a special day for the Sussex family as it was the first birthday of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s daughter Lilibet. Queen Elizabeth's 12th great-grandchild was born on June 4, 2021, in Santa Monica, California. In the past, the Queen was yet to meet her youngest great-grandchild, and has actually only seen Lilibet through virtual means of communication. However, that fact might have already changed at the Platinum Jubilee as Harry and Meghan were in attendance to celebrate Elizabeth's incredible milestone recently. 

Harry and Meghan had traveled to the UK for the first time since moving to the US in 2020 to celebrate the Queen's jubilee, which was a four-day holiday weekend to mark Elizabeth's incredible reign 70-year-reign. The couple's first public appearance at a royal event in more than two years happened on Friday, June 03, when they attended a thanksgiving service the Queen which took place at the prestigious St Paul's Cathedral.

However, the Sussexes were not invited to join the Queen and the rest of the royal family on the Buckingham Palace balcony for her iconic Trooping the Colour parade. However, Washington Post reported that photographers caught a glimpse of Meghan playing with some of Elizabeth's great-grandchildren in a window of Buckingham Palace while the parade took place. 

While Harry and Meghan have faced a lot of criticism for their decision to leave their duties as royals to opt for a quieter life in the US, their attendance at the Queen's jubilee was appreciated, and more importantly, gave Lilibet and her brother Archie a beautiful celebration of their great-grandmother. As the daughter of the royal couple just turned one, the world is celebrating her growing up in right before our eyes. 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex first announced that they were expecting their second child on Valentine's Day in 2021, only to reveal the baby's sex during the March 2021 interview special "Oprah with Meghan and Harry."

For months before the announcement of the birth, people across the world wondered if Harry would choose to pay tribute to his mother and grandmother with the birth of his daughter. Royal watchers had previously predicted that Harry and Meghan would choose to honor both the Queen and the late Prince Philip by picking a meaningful name for their daughter according to Express UK. 

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"

“My husband and I are thrilled to soon be welcoming a daughter,” Meghan said of her second-born child in May, ahead of her birth. “It’s a feeling of joy we share with millions of other families around the world. When we think of her, we think of all the other families around the globe who must be given the ability and support to lead us forward. Their future leadership depends on the decisions we make and the actions we take now to set them up and to set all of us up for a successful, equitable and compassionate tomorrow.”

The couple’s big announcement was 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.

Meghan and Harry's daughter will become a princess if Prince Charles becomes king, as grandchildren of the king are automatically granted prince and princess status, according to Elle.

Naturally, the royal family was extremely thrilled to have a new baby to love, especially considering the fact that Lilibet is the Queen’s 12th great-grandchild.

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. 

Meghan and Harry had been extremely private about sharing pictures of their children, but fans will be thrilled to know that the couple has finally released a photograph of Lilibet! Posted by photographer Misan Harriman, the beautiful portrait has caught the attention of royal enthusiasts around the world. The picture has captured the hearts of people all over the world.

The post was captioned, "It was such a privilege to celebrate the 1st birthday of Lilibet with my family and hers! Joy and face painting all around ❤️🎂🎉" 

Internet users were beyond happy to see an up-close and personal picture of the young princess. The picture on Instagram had over 75,000 likes and many comments. 

One kind Instagram user said, "Wow what a beautiful girl Lili is.Thank you for sharing. Absolutely gorgeous. ❤️❤️❤️." Another person commented on the picture and said, "Special memories and I always adore your photos of this family 🎂🎉✨."

The photo featured a beaming Lilibet wearing a baby blue dress with a white bow in her hair. The photo quickly became an internet sensation and has been spread through many news outlets. 

Like her brother Archie, Lilibet has inherited her father's signature red hair! VT.co reported that fans continue to debate about who Lilibet takes after, but there hasn't been a unanimous answer yet! 

What sort of relationship do you think Lilibet will have with the royal family? Let us know what you think — and be sure to pass the great news of Lili's birthday on to friends and family members.