Behind palace gates with Juliet Rieden
Behind Palace gates with Juliet Rieden
The official announcement came two days after the birth, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcoming daughter Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana Mountbatten-Windsor to the world. “Lili was born on Friday, June 4 at 11.40am in the trusted care of the doctors and staff at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA. She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz. Both mother and child are healthy and well, and settling in at home,” announced the couple’s press secretary. “Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honour her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales. This is the second child for the couple, who also have a two-year-old son named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor,” the statement continued.
Shortly afterwards the couple announced their joy directly to followers on their Archewell website. “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,” they said.
True to form, Harry and Meghan broke with royal tradition by not releasing a photo of the eighth in line to the throne and taking their time to savour their new addition privately before they announced the news.
I am advised that the Duke did speak with his family, including his grandmother, in advance of the announcement and a statement from Buckingham Palace said, “The Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge … are delighted with the news.”
The beautiful choice of names speaks to Harry’s deep affection for the royal matriarchs in his life. Lilibet was a nickname given to the Queen – then Princess Elizabeth – and used often by her father King George VI, who was quoted saying, “Lilibet is my pride.” So the name carries with it that deep bond between a father and daughter. Diana, of course, keeps Harry’s mother with his family.