The meaning of Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, the name of the daughter of Prince Harry and Meghan

(CNN) – When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced the birth of their second child, a girl, on Sunday, the couple also revealed her name: Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

As with many British royal family names, Lilibet Diana honors those who came before and pays tribute to not one, but two women of particular importance to Prince Harry.

Lilibet

The name Lilibet may seem a bit unusual at first glance, but it is steeped in meaning. The nickname is a sweet tribute to the reigning monarch, as it is in fact the nickname of Queen Elizabeth within the family.

It comes from her childhood, when the then princess could not correctly pronounce her own name. His grandfather, King George V, affectionately imitated his attempts and the nickname remained.

According to reports, the queen’s husband, the late Prince Philip, also referred to his wife by her childhood nickname. When the queen’s mother died in 2002, on her coffin was a single crown of flowers of the monarch with a card signed “In loving memory, Lilibet.”

However, the daughter of the Sussexes, who is the eleventh great-granddaughter of the monarch and the eighth in the line of succession to the throne, will be known as Lili. It’s a lighthearted way to modernize the family name, but it’s also a variation on a flower’s name. Of Greek origin, the name Lily is often used as a nickname for those called Lilian or Elizabeth. The lily is a symbol of purity in Christianity, according to BabyCenter.com.

Diana

Lililibet’s middle name, Diana, was selected “to honor her beloved late grandmother, the Princess of Wales,” the couple revealed in the birth announcement.

Diana died in a car accident in 1997 in Paris when Harry was only 12 years old. This year he would have turned 60. Harry has spoken repeatedly about the impact his mother’s death had on his mental health.

Throughout their marriage, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have constantly invoked the memory of Diana.

During his spectacular wedding ceremony Three years ago, the couple went out of their way to make sure their presence was felt. The bride’s bouquet featured white forget-me-nots (Diana’s favorite flowers), while Diana’s sister, Jane Fellowes, delivered the first lay speech. His other siblings also attended the ceremony.

Most recently, in the couple’s interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan wore a diamond bracelet that was previously owned by her late mother-in-law. Harry told Winfrey that her mother would have been “very sad” by the couple’s decision to leave the royal family.

“I think she would be very angry about how this turned out, and very sad. But ultimately, all she would want is for us to be happy, “he said, adding that he” felt her presence throughout this process. “

The name Diana itself is Latin in origin and means divine, according to BabyCenter.com.

Lilibet Diana is not the first royal girl whose name honors both the 95-year-old monarch and the late Princess of Wales. Harry’s older brother, William, and his wife, Kate, paid tribute to both sides of the family when they named their only daughter, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.

Mountbatten-Windsor

The Mountbatten-Windsor surname carried by Lilibet Diana is the personal surname used by many members of the royal family. It’s a combination of the queen’s last name, Windsor, and the surname of Prince Felipe. He adopted the surname Mountbatten – an English translation of his mother’s maiden name – when he became a naturalized British citizen in 1947.

There was much talk in the British media about the symbolism behind the Lilibet Diana names. The Times From london reported that Harry had spoken to his grandmother prior to the announcement to let her know that his great-granddaughter would be named in her honor.

Some media speculate whether the choice of the Lilibet Diana names was a gesture by the couple amid the recent family turmoil. Harry and Meghan stepped aside as active royals last year and moved to America. Relations with the family suffered another severe blow recently when Prince Harry said that he had been involved in a cycle of “pain and suffering” as a result of his royal upbringing.

Roya Nikkah, Royal Issues Editor of The Sunday Times, told BBC Radio 4 Today that the decision to honor the queen was not “very surprising”, but that using her childhood nickname is going “one step further.”

“This is perhaps a diplomatic olive branch offered to the royal family after what has been a very difficult and conflictive year between Harry and Meghan and the rest of the family,” he said.

“There is something very special and intimate about Lilibet and despite the bombs that have fallen from across the pond in the last year, the Queen has constantly come out with statements from Buckingham Palace saying ‘whatever happens Harry, Meghan and Archie are very dear members of my family “and I think that by choosing this very personal name for His Majesty, Harry and Meghan are very willing to show that they have love and respect for him and that love is reciprocal,” he added.

Archie Harrison, another name that balances innovation and tradition

Lilibet Diana isn’t the only Sussex to get an unorthodox name that balances innovation and tradition. Hours after his birth in 2019, Harry and Meghan revealed their son’s name: Archie Harrison. There was no precedent in the actual family tree: CNN royal correspondent Max Foster revealed that they simply chose “a name they loved.”

“What they are doing to a large extent is mirroring their generation. They are not looking at history, they are looking at now, “he said at the time.

According to the rules laid down by George V in the 1917 patent letter, neither Lilibet Diana nor her brother are still eligible to use “Her Royal Highness” titles. However, this will change when his grandfather Carlos ascends the throne.