On June 4, 2021, Harry and Meghan welcomed their sweet baby Lilibet Diana into the world. She paid tribute to her great-grandmother and grandmother with her name. But the parents, who thought they made the correct decision in naming their daughter Lilibet, came under fire from several royal experts.
According to a source cited by Page Six, the Sussexes stated prior to the baby’s birth that they thought it would be extremely unlikely for their daughter to be named after the late princess Diana, as they felt the name would not only come with responsibility but also “increase the public interest in the child’s life.” The insider also mentioned that Diana may be Harry and Meghan’s second child’s middle name, which turned out to be accurate.
The Queen’s childhood nickname is Lilibet.
Her grandfather, King George V, called her that throughout his life, and it seems that she used to pronounce her name that way when she was very little. Prince Philip also called his queen by this moniker.
“Lilibet is the only ‘thing’ in the world which is absolutely real to me,” the Duke of Edinburgh reportedly said in a letter to his mother soon after his marriage to Queen Elizabeth, according to The Guardian.
Netflix
Richard Kay, a royal pundit, was among many who chastised the couple over their choice of name. He said that Harry and Meghan went too far by calling the daughter Lilibet in a Daily Mail editorial.
There is a danger in naming the child Lilibet, the Queen’s personal nickname, even if they plan to use the diminutive “Lili” for their daughter. Kay wrote, which Express cited.
“Is it going to be viewed as an arrogant decision for an eighth-line royal baby to grow up on the other side of the globe and speak with an American accent?”
And what could Prince Charles think of his fifth grandson having such a personal family nickname that he has never used? he asked. It is easy to speculate as to whether Harry would have felt more confident in his decision had his grandpa, Prince Philip, who was the only member of his immediate family allowed to refer to the Queen as “Lilibet,” still been alive.
Netflix
On the premises of Frogmore Cottage, Lilibet celebrated her first birthday and got to know her British side of the family.
There were perhaps twenty to thirty people present when she was baptized at the Sussexes’ Montesito, California, home.
According to a statement from the Sussexes, “I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3 by the Archbishop of Los Angeles, the Rev John Taylor.”
Lilibet’s christening occurred precisely six months after her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away, as royal aficionados swiftly remarked.
But this wasn’t the first time Harry and Meghan decided to make an announcement on a momentous day. On Valentine’s Day of 2021, they made public Meghan’s pregnancy with Lilibet, which just so happened to coincide with Princess Diana’s announcement that she was expecting Harry. Later, the pair said that it was only after Meghan’s pregnancy announcement that they became aware of this relationship.
Netflix
Tyler Perry, a filmmaker, is the godfather of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s baby Lilibet, they recently disclosed. In 2018, prior to the royal wedding, Perry wrote Meghan a letter of support during the heated circumstances with her father, Thomas Markle. This was how the couple first got to know each other.
Thomas Markle was not at the wedding because of a scandal that arose at that time after contrived pictures of him getting ready for the wedding were released. This caused a rift between him and Meghan. Perry’s assistance to Meghan during this trying time strengthened their relationship.
The child is now known as Princess Lilibet Diana, and her parents feel that she is entitled to the title of princess from birth.
Ever since their grandpa became a monarch, the children have been entitled to their titles by birth. A representative for the couple stated that the issue has been resolved for some time in accordance with Buckingham Palace.
John Lamparski/Getty Images
Archie and Lilibet’s title of Prince and Princess has left many perplexed, but there’s a pretty straightforward explanation behind it.
George V established the regulations that are in force today in 1917. The offspring of a sovereign’s son “shall have and at all times hold and enjoy the style title or attribute of Royal Highness with their titular dignity of Prince or Princess prefixed to their respective Christian names or with their other titles of honor,” he ultimately declared. Thus, Archie and Lilibet were entitled to their own royal titles upon the death of Queen Elizabeth and the coronation of King Charles.
Since Harry and Meghan left the family to live as working royals in the United States, it was unclear if they would use them or not, TalkTV Royal Editor Sarah Hewson said to Sky. “We are aware that following the Queen’s burial, conversations occurred, and it was decided that Harry and Meghan would go by the title “prince and princess” in official correspondence, even if they won’t use it in daily situations.
