Prince Harry and his wife Meghan announce the birth of their new baby girl, naming her Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. The Queen is “delighted” at the news.
Lilibet is the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s second child, after two year old son Archie. She is the Queen’s 11th great-grandchild, and eighth in line to the throne.
The baby was born at 11:40am local time on Friday at a hospital in Santa Barbara, California, weighing in at 7 lbs 11oz.
The name Lilibet is in honour of Harry’s grandmother, as it was the Queen’s nickname when she was a child.
Congratulatory messages have poured in for the couple, including from Harry’s father, The Prince of Wales, and his brother, the Duke of Cambridge. Meanwhile, the Duchess of Cornwall wishes “them all well at this special time”. Prime Minister Boris Johnson also sent “many congratulations”, and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer says it is “wonderful news”.
Special meaning of her name
Lilibet is a family nickname of the Queen’s, deriving from when Elizabeth could not pronounce her own name properly as a toddler. She became known as Lilibet to her family, as her grandfather, King George V, affectionately called her it in attempts to mimic her. It is expected that the monarch would have been asked or told beforehand about the choice of the “very special and intimate” name Lilibet.
Some people view the chosen name as a peace offering from the couple, who have had their share of fractures from the Royal Family.
The baby’s middle name, Diana, is in honour of her “beloved late grandmother”, the Princess of Wales.
Harry and Meghan say they are “blessed with the arrival” of their daughter Lili, and are grateful for all the love and prayers from everyone across the world. In a statement on their website, they thank everyone for their “continued kindness and support during this very special time”.
The couple are yet to release any photos of their daughter.
No royal title
Prince Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, married in 2018, after meeting on a blind date. Their wedding veered from the traditional royal ceremony, and they have always been followed by controversy. The couple moved to America, and in March 2020 they quit their roles as senior working royals. Harry has recently criticised his own upbringing in the public eye, and wanted his children to have something different.
Lilibet is not eligible for a royal title herself, much like her older brother and most of the Queen’s great-grandchildren. The rules laid out over 100 years ago state she would only gain one if Prince Charles became King.
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