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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcomed their second child together over the weekend. Announcing the birth of their daughter Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, the couple released a joint statement that said “both mother and child are healthy and well”.
“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 am in the trusted care of the doctors and staff at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California,” the statement continued.
Named after two very special people in Prince Harry’s life, Lilibet is in honour of her great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II (whose family nickname is Lilibet), while Diana is a tribute to her late grandmother, Diana Princess of Wales.
While many were in favour of the sweet name, others have suggested that it is “rude” and “demeaning” to Her Majesty The Queen, considering all that has happened in the past few months. Though Harry remains close with his grandmother despite having stepped back from his royal obligations last year, recent comments he’s made towards the royal family have not gone down well and many feel that while the move may have been well-intentioned, it does not come off as being sincere.
Page Six reports that Harry had discussed the decision with his grandmother prior to the announcement even asking her permission to name his daughter after her, but it has since emerged that this is not the case. Responding to claims that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had sought the Queen’s approval, a palace spokesperson told the BBC that she was not asked directly about the name.
A source close to Harry and Meghan strongly disputes this, saying that the couple would never have used the Queen’s moniker had she not been supportive.“The Duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement. In fact, his grandmother was the first family member he called. During that conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honour. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.”
Several members of the royal family released statements congratulating the happy couple on their new arrival, including The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge who said they were “delighted” by the news. Prince Charles and Camilla echoed much the same sentiments, sharing a photo of Harry, Meghan and Archie and writing, “wishing them all well at this special time”.
Going on to thank people for the outpouring of love in the wake of baby Lili’s birth, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex Harry finished by saying, “On June 4, 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.”
Lili is eighth in line for the British throne, behind her brother Archie, her father Prince Harry, cousins Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, uncle Prince William and her grandfather Prince Charles. Like her brother, Lili is not permitted to hold an official title due to rules set down over 100 years ago by George V – though both will be entitled to be a prince/princess after the Queen’s death when Charles becomes king.
Feature image via @sussexroyal