Birth of Lilibet Diana, Meghan and Harry's daughter: the name of reconciliation?
By choosing to honor Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana when naming their second child, the Duchess and Duke of Sussex appear to be stepping forward towards the Windsors, with whom the breakup was somewhat brutal last year.
Nothing better than good news to ease tensions. The birth of little Lilibet Diana, who will be called the daily Lili, reunited the British royal family despite the ocean that separates them. Meghan and Prince Harry’s daughter was born in a hospital in Santa Barbara, nearly 9,000 km from London, where her eldest Archie was born on Friday (June 4th).
A happy event announced two days later by his famous parents. "She is more than one could ever imagine," they write in a statement. Elizabeth II, 95, said she was "delighted" with the birth of her 11th great-grandchild.
The queen's nickname since childhood
On the social networks of Clarence House, Prince Charles and Camilla wished the new family "much happiness". Prince William and Kate, who also had a thought for the Queen and Princess of Wales by naming their daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, hailed "the happy news" on their Instagram account. What if this arrival served as a new start for the Windsors after a year of quarrels and settling of scores on television?
The Duchess and Duke of Sussex said their daughter had a first name in tribute to Elizabeth II, whose nickname has been Lilibet since childhood. "Lilibet is my pride, Margaret is my joy," King George VI once said of his daughters. It is rumored that Prince Philip was the only one still calling Queen Lilibet. This is how the sovereign signed a handwritten note placed on her husband's coffin on the day of his funeral on April 17.
So passing that name on to the next generation of Windsor is not necessarily trivial. It's hard not to see an outstretched hand, a way to remember that despite their differences, Harry and Meghan are more than ever part of the British royal family. Archie and Lili, who could inherit the titles of prince and princess as soon as Charles is king - if the monarchy does not reform by then - are now 7th and 8th in order of succession to the throne.
Meghan and Harry have repeatedly insisted that they have not been supported by the royal family in their fight against the press. Oprah Winfrey took in confessions from the uninhibited couple, discussing the racism suffered by the ex-actress, her suicidal thoughts and the Windsorsors' lack of empathy. First in an exclusive interview, then in a documentary series for AppleTV + The Me You Can’t See in which Prince Charles takes for his rank.
A program broadcast after a reunion already tense at the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh. "When I was younger, my father used to say to William and me: it was like that for me, so it will be the same for you," Harry tells about the aggressiveness of the British tabloids. "It doesn't make sense. Just because you've suffered doesn't mean your children have to suffer too. It should even be the opposite. (...) Do whatever you can to turn it into something positive. the bad experiences you have had, ”he adds.
This is undoubtedly why Prince Harry is so protective of his offspring. The few times the public has seen Archie can be counted on the fingers of one hand and so should Lili. No photos of the infant should be shared with the press. But we imagine that the Windsors have already received several, Harry and Meghan having taken the habit in recent months to exchange regularly with the queen on Zoom. To live happy, live hidden.
But certainly not cut off from those close to him. Harry is thus expected in London from July 1 to unveil with his brother William a statue of their late mother, who would have celebrated her 60th birthday that day. The perfect opportunity to observe the impact of Lili's arrival on the relations of the clan.
