"She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love...," wrote the couple.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced the arrival of their daughter Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor on June 6, 2021.
The proud parents of "Lili" took to the website of their non-profit Archewell Foundation to share the happy news. They wrote, "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," according to People.
In the official statement, the couple also revealed the thought that went into naming their baby girl. Unsurprisingly, they honored the two most important women from the royal family through their daughter's name, Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana.
"Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales," said the statement.
According to Hello Magazine, the name Lilibet was given to Queen by her parents. Queen Elizabeth's father, King George VI, used to say, "Lilibet is my pride. Margaret is my joy," alluding to his two daughters.
She was lovingly called Lilibet by family members, including her late husband of 73 years, Prince Philip. When the prince passed away in April 2021, the Queen left a note on top of his coffin and signed it with her moniker "Lilibet." In fact, Prince Philip was the last individual in the Queen's life to call her by her childhood name.
While the baby girl's first name was not a popular prediction among fans, many had expected Harry to pay tributes to his mother through his daughter's name. Being extremely close to his mother, Prince Harry has always made it a point to keep the memory of his mother alive through thoughtful gestures.
Moreover, the name Lily also signifies the love for flowers in the family, especially Princess Diana's love for flowers.
The late Princess's favorite flowers were forget-me-nots, which could be found in blue and pink. As per Cheat Sheet, the flower became her most favored one after her brother got them for her when she was just a little girl. But she was fond of lilies, too.
“Earl Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother, gave some forget-me-nots to her when they were younger. They stayed with her as one of her favorite flowers, said Sean Harkin, head gardener at Kensington Palace. Also, the Palace planted white lilies and other white flowers to honor the Princess." Speaking of the choice of flowers, Harkin stated, "We have hundreds of white lilies because people recall she left a lot of those cut flowers around her apartment here at Kensington." He added, "I think lots of people would refer to Princess Diana as the classic English rose. It felt like it was a must to include them.”
He also added that the late Princess loved certain colors in her garden. "She never confessed to being a fantastic gardener, but there were certain colors she liked in the garden – soft pinks, whites, yellows, pastel shades. She used to turn her nose up if I ever put red or deep purple flowers," he said.
Moreover, the moniker Lilibet is also a nod to Meghan Markle's mother Doria Ragland, who affectionately called Meghan "her flower" from a very young age, according to US Magazine. Meghan revealed this secret in her blog, The Tig, on August 4, 2016, according to Marie Claire.
Additionally, during her wedding, Meghan opted for a plant called the Lily of the Valley for her bridesmaids' flower crowns, according to Harpers Bazaar. She also used other flowers such as her mother-in-law's favorite forget-me-nots, peonies, astilbe, jasmine, astrantia, and other flowers hand-picked by Harry from the couple's private garden at Kensington Palace.
When Harry and Meghan were blessed with their firstborn, they named him Archie. They explained the meaning behind his name, only after they began their charitable organization Archewell. "Before SussexRoyal came the idea of 'arche' — the Greek word meaning 'source of action.' We connected to this concept for the charitable organization we hoped to build one day, and it became the inspiration for our son's name. To do something of meaning, to do something that matters. Archewell is a name that combines an ancient word for strength and action, and another that evokes the deep resources we each must draw upon," said the royal couple at the time.
Here's to Archie becoming a big brother, the proud parents, and little Lili!
References:
https://people.com/royals/meghan-markle-prince-harry-welcome-baby-girl-named-lilibet/
https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/20210606110498/meghan-markle-prince-harry-announce-royal-baby-girl-name/
https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/what-was-princess-dianas-favorite-flower-find-out-how-the-palaces-garden-honors-her.html/
https://www.usmagazine.com/stylish/news/fans-think-meghan-markles-dress-hints-at-daughters-name/
https://www.marieclaire.com/celebrity/a26124533/meghan-markle-nickname-flower/
https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a20721214/meghan-markle-royal-wedding-bouquet/
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photos by (L) Tim P. Whitby And (R) Yui Mok
