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Queen Elizabeth 'a little taken aback' by Prince Harry & Meghan Markle wanting to name their daughter Lilibet?
Royal expert Katie Nicholl shed light on how Prince Harry and Meghan Markle naming their daughter Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor after Queen Elizabeth "suggests that the couple also are extending an olive branch."
Royal expert Katie Nicholl, in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, is sharing her thoughts on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to name their daughter Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor after Queen Elizabeth's beloved nickname Lilibet and the late Princess Diana. "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," Katie said before adding that The Duke and Duchess of Sussex "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." According to Katie, Harry spoke with Queen Elizabeth and even notified his family ahead of Lilibet's arrival that he "did have the conversation... with his grandmother to make sure that he had her blessing in the naming of his and Meghan's daughter."
Nicholl noted that some may feel that The Sussexes have "over stepped the mark in giving their daughter the Queen's favourite and most personal of all nicknames." When it comes to Queen Elizabeth's reaction, she herself 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."
Elaborating on the "family division" which has been going "on for a long time now, well over a year," Nicholl stated 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."
Given that Harry and Meghan just recently welcomed Lilibet, it's unlikely that the toddler, along with Meghan and Archie, will be accompanying Harry to the UK for Princess Diana's statue unveiling at the Sunken Garden, Kensington Palace on what would have been The Princess of Wales' 60th birthday, i.e. July 1. However, it's likely that eventually "they will come over," according to Nicholl. "There is clearly a desire on both sides to repair this rift, to move on," Katie concluded.
Do you think Lilibet Diana could be the peacemaker between her parents and the royal family? Share your honest thoughts with Pinkvilla in the comments section below.
