The Meeting Place > Hot Topics > The story behind new royal baby Lilibet's name

The story behind new royal baby Lilibet's name

avatar
LeonYLC
2 yrs ago

butler's hand with a bottle of milk

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have announced the birth of their daughter Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

Lili was born on Friday 4 June. The Sussexes shared the news on Sunday.

"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. 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," the couple shared in an announcement.

"She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz. Both mother and child are healthy and well and settling in at home."

While the inspiration behind Lili's middle name is no mystery, her first name pays tribute to Harry's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

"Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet," the announcement explained.

"Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honour her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales."

According to the BBC, the Queen's family nickname was coined when then-Princess Elizabeth was just a toddler and couldn't pronounce her name properly.

Her grandfather, King George V, would affectionately call her Lilibet, imitating her own attempts to say her name. It soon stuck and she became Lilibet to her family from then on.

The Queen's late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, also called her by the nickname, and wrote to his mother-in-law after their wedding: "Lilibet is the only 'thing' in the world which is absolutely real to me."

The happy parents also left a message of thanks on their website archewell.com.

"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 name?

6 comments
avatar
Bushbaby
2 yrs ago

I think its a charming name. I already knew that Lilibet was Queen Elizabeth's nickname and realised immediately the significance of both Lilibet and Diana. Congratulations to the family and I sincerely hope their future will be happy and less controversial than the recent past. We need some happy news and this is it or me :)

avatar
KSS
2 yrs ago

Here they go again, after loudly and publicly trashing the royal family including the Queen (Lilibet) in their recent outbursts, once again they are trading off the same royal family for their own gain! And really to pick the Queen's nickname???? Did they not like "Cabbage"?

Yes the name is cute but is also clearly an attempt to shore up future deals using their royal connections. But privately of course! And they have copied William and Kate with their choice of Elizabeth Diana which are Charlotte's middle names!

And what must Doria think? Meghan has totally ignored her own family (including her own mother Doria Ragland, grandmothers - Jeanette Ragland or Doris May Rita Sanders) in favour of a far more money-spinning name. They did the right thing with Archie Harrison choosing completely independent names. This time round, not so much.

avatar
HOLA
2 yrs ago

I don't think they should have called the newborn Lilibet, that is a nickname exclusive to the Queen.  I'm sure Meghan's  Mother would have hoped for the newborn to share a name from the Markel's side of the family. 

avatar
RnR
2 yrs ago

Tend to agree Hola.

avatar
Mak
2 yrs ago

Too much clap-trap already about Harry and Meghan, and the name Lilibet is not a general name it is a pet name used by Prince Phillip exclusively for his beloved wife.
This further proves the arrogance and ignorance of the pair of hypocrites who wanted to rid themselves of everything relating to the Royal Family.
I agree that a name from one of Meghan's family female, Diana has already been use by William and Kate, so Harry & Meghan could have used Frances, Diana's middle name.

avatar
Leonie
2 yrs ago

I already knew about the Lilibet nickname for the Queen too.  I actually think it is a rather pretty name, it might take off now and we might see it used more often.   

Apart from that, I wish those two would just get on with their lives in 'private' like they claimed they wanted.  Ain't gonna happen though.

 

avatar
Mak
2 yrs ago

Nothing special, about the name spelled Lilybet, it is a Hebrew name and when HM Queen Elizabeth II was a little girl she pronounced her own name as Lillbet.

Growing up, the Queen's parents and grandparents called her Lilibet and her father, King George VI famously said of her and her younger sister, Princess Margaret, "Lilibet is my pride. Margaret is my joy."

The nickname was one that the Queen embraced and Elizabeth was known to sign notes to loved ones "Lilibet."

6 comments



To make a comment, please register or login

Preview your comment