Prince Harry and Meghan Markle became parents for the second time when the latter gave birth to their daughter Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor on Sunday. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex honoured Prince Harry’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II and his mother late Princess Diana by naming their daughter after them. The little girl has been named after Queen Elizabeth's beloved nickname Lilibet and the late Princess Diana. Now, royal expert Katie Nicholl, in an interview with an online portal shared her thoughts about the name and said that it was a genuine mark of respect and perhaps an extension of an olive branch towards the royal family.
Katie said, “While this may have proved controversial, if we are to take it as a genuine mark of respect to the queen and the ultimate tribute to Harry's grandmother, then I think that suggests that the couple also are extending an olive branch.” She also said that the Sussexes ‘want to make the peace’.
Besides The Queen's father, The King, her mother, The Queen, and her sister, it was only the late Prince Philip, who called her Lilibet. Given the "deeply personal and intimate family name," Nicholl confessed that "it's quite surprising and very touching" for Meghan and Harry to have chosen Lilibet "as their daughter's first name." However, the couple has said that they are going to call their daughter ‘Lili’ which will also be a nod to Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland.
Katie also revealed that Harry spoke to Queen Elizabeth and even notified the family ahead of his daughter’s birth. She said, “Prince Harry did have the conversation... with his grandmother to make sure that he had her blessing in the naming of his and Meghan's daughter." However, she also noted that some may feel that the couple have “over stepped the mark in giving their daughter the Queen's favourite and most personal of all nicknames.” Apparently, Queen Elizabeth was reportedly "quite surprised and a little taken aback" by Harry and Meghan wanting to give that name to their daughter. Nonetheless, Katie relayed that "it's everyone's hope is that this little baby is going to be rift healer."
The royal expert also addressed the problems and the “family division” which has been going "on for a long time now, well over a year.” She stated how how it's "been many, many months since Charles and the Queen and the Cambridges have seen Archie in the flesh." There's also the "really quite deep problems between Harry and William, difficulties between Harry and his father." Katie thinks "that it is everyone's hope that this little baby will be a peace offering in many ways and that she will hope to bring this divided family back together." She concluded by saying, “There is clearly a desire on both sides to repair this rift, to move on.”
(Source: AP/ Entertainment Tonight)
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