Queen Elizabeth, Prince William and Kate Middleton Say They Are ‘Delighted’ After Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Welcome Baby Lilibet

Jun 06, 2021 by apost team

Following the birth of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's daughter Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana Mountbatten-Windsor on June 4, 2021, the royal family is sending in their congratulations to the happy couple. The baby girl's name is a special tribute to the queen herself and has a beautiful meaning behind it. 

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 7 interview special “Oprah with Meghan and Harry.”

While the royal family is unlikely to immediately assign the newborn a title, 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. 

In this case, Meghan and Harry’s first-born child, 2-year-old Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, would also become a prince. With Queen Elizabeth II still at the helm, Archie remains seventh in line to the throne while Harry and Meghan’s baby girl is just behind her big brother. 

The couple’s big announcement on Sunday, June 8, 2021, is the first bit of good news the royal family has had in a while, given the saddening events of the past few months, 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 had advised against traveling to the U.K. while pregnant.

The Sun reported that a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said, "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."

Naturally, the royal family must be thrilled to have a new baby to love! Lilibet is the queen's 12th great-grandchild. 

PEOPLE reported that a statement from Harry and Meghan which was 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 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"

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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."

“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.”

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 Elizabeth and the late Prince Philip by picking a meaningful name for their daughter according to Express UK. 

The story behind the name is truly sweet. 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."

Congratulations, Meghan and Harry! What do you think of the new baby's beautiful name? Let us know what you think — and be sure to pass this great news on to friends and family members.