Birth of Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor: June 4, 2021

[Alison H]

I honestly don't see what the big deal is. If your family nickname is Cutie Face or Snugglebum or Big Ears, then you're not likely to want everyone to know about it, but being called Lili rather than Lilibet, or Susie rather than Susan, or Johnny rather than Jonathan, really isn't something that anyone would see as being a private thing.

 

[Prinsara]

The reason I asked for UK and US posters is it normal there is this - it's their culture, not mine and not yours. That's how it should be judged. We don't have the phenomenon of a string of first names here either. I'm Moran, not Moran + a string of first names. But I don't find the string strange because from hundreds of books, movies and textbooks I know it's a normal thing in certain countries. I've just never heard of a name different from a legal one being included in an official announcement in the UK when the child isn't going to grow up in the public eye.

Being from North America, I think in this specific instance her parents are doing it because of the problems the name already causes. If they just announced it as "Lilibet", there would be even more outraged gasps about how and why they are doing this.

"Lili" is either a safety valve to reassure people "it's okay; we're not going around calling and introducing her by the Queen's name" OR it's a very deliberate underlining "yes, we aren't going to use it and could have just called her Lili/Lily, which we possibly prefer, but she's still named after the Queen".

Who even knows with those two.

 

[Denville]

I honestly don't see what the big deal is. If your family nickname is Cutie Face or Snugglebum or Big Ears, then you're not likely to want everyone to know about it, but being called Lili rather than Lilibet, or Susie rather than Susan, or Johnny rather than Jonathan, really isn't something that anyone would see as being a private thing.

No, its not that big a deal.. but its part of the whole dancing in and out of "private life" that they've done for the last couple of years. They claimed ot want to be private citizens, and even when they were working royals, the message they gave was that their son was "off limits" and a private person. Yet they've shown him off in videos etc. since they went to America, and now they are giving their child a name that will make a talking point.. and telling us what name she'll be called, as well.. though there is no real need to do so. But so much of what they say, seems to vary iwth the mood that they're in. Once, Harry was a real jolly chap who seemed to enjoy his royal duties and to like helping people. Now he's told us "No I hated doing that. I was miserable.. I was over worked and strained - I didn't wnat to be helping people." Or "we talk to the queen and the D of E all the time, jolly old chats on Zoom.. but then its "no, I can't talk to my father, the whole RF was cruel to us, they made racist remarks, they treated us teriribly...."

 

[Royalist.in.NC]

Being from North America, I think in this specific instance her parents are doing it because of the problems the name already causes. If they just announced it as "Lilibet", there would be even more outraged gasps about how and why they are doing this.

"Lili" is either a safety valve to reassure people "it's okay; we're not going around calling and introducing her by the Queen's name" OR it's a very deliberate underlining "yes, we aren't going to use it and could have just called her Lili/Lily, which we possibly prefer, but she's still named after the Queen".

Who even knows with those two.

it's a very deliberate underlining "yes, we aren't going to use it and could have just called her Lili/Lily, which we possibly prefer, but she's still named after the Queen".

Bingo! I think you’ve hit the nail on the head! I think it is obvious that they prefer Lili - or why on earth include that in a birth announcement?

 

[Denville]

it's a very deliberate underlining "yes, we aren't going to use it and could have just called her Lili/Lily, which we possibly prefer, but she's still named after the Queen".

Bingo! I think you’ve hit the nail on the head! I think it is obvious that they prefer Lili - or why on earth include that in a birth announcement?

I think its likley that Lili is the name they like and wanted to use.. but they hit on this way of bringing in their connextion with the queen.

 

[Princess_Eleanor]

[...]As I said, I don't mind variations for a first name, besides Elizabeth, Eliza, Lili, Isabella etc would have been perfectly fine in my opinion. And yes, also Lilibet, if they had not spent the past months publicly disrespecting the Queen & could be assumed to have asked her for permission.

 

[Sandy345]

There is also Lillian which is a variation. That could have been a first name. Bess, Bette or Betty are also nicknames for Elizabeth. Lauren Bacall's real first name was Betty (I don't think she was given the formal name Elizabeth).

 

[_Heather_]

Well, there's this...that last paragraph is a doozy. It's a pretty sickeningly sweet and fawning bit from a friend, though I don't recognize his name as one of those friends who has regularly been used as spokesperson. And per this article and an unnamed source, we now know that they apparently introduced HM to the baby via video chat.
https://people.com/royals/inside-meghan-markleprince-harry-complete-family-of-4-after-birth-lili/

 

[Royalist.in.NC]

[...]I think that Lili’s parents have proven themselves as not honoring the Queen in any way, shape, or form by their actions. Why attempt to “honor” HM in this way? It is great PR because LOOK at the the discussion and emotions it has engendered here -as only one place.

I am really beginning to think that we don’t really know where they stand on anything: just that they want to keep their names in the media.

Had they been respectful and not thrown the RF under the bus, I still would not have liked the “name” Lilibet . Lili/Lily Diana is absolutely fine.

I have spent many, many years in the public school system in the US and have seen how children suffer when their parents make up a name, use an unusual spelling for a name. I have had children come to me asking if we could “fix” their name so that it wouldn’t look or sound “weird.” So this is where I am coming from.

Yes, names are very personal and individual. But think of a child who has to spend his whole life spelling his name “Timathie” for others and pronounce it “Timothy.” This is real, I kid you not.

 

[Erin9]

Well, there's this...that last paragraph is a doozy. It's a pretty sickeningly sweet and fawning bit from a friend, though I don't recognize his name as one of those friends who has regularly been used as spokesperson. And per this article and an unnamed source, we now know that they apparently introduced HM to the baby via video chat.
https://people.com/royals/inside-meghan-markleprince-harry-complete-family-of-4-after-birth-lili/

What really stood out to me was:

Now they are parenting on “their terms.” Wow. Just can’t stop from twisting the knife again. Though- it sure seemed to me- that Archie was also on their terms.

That 20 weeks paid parental leave via Archewell is really nice. And not something that the rest of us Americans identify with at all. You do good to get 6 weeks paid or 12 weeks total (often not paid by the end). If it is paid period.

The article was careful to actually say- this name emphasizes their enduring ties to the royal family. Indeed. We all got that message- loyd and clear. I’m still laughing at the “step back” phrasing. In the end: they quit.

It’s over the top. Totally agree. Sickeningly sweet is a good word for it. Some of the word choices just made me roll my eyes.

And- while I don’t doubt they wanted to introduce their baby to her namesake- and she was delighted to see her....of course we “need” to know that. So- did anyone else rate a video chat? Or just the Queen.

 

[Sandy345]

I thought of Lily as in Lily Langtry. Or Lillian as in Lillian Russell. Beth is another nickname that could have been used.

 

[Denville]

What really stood out to me was:

N doubt they wanted to introduce their baby to her namesake- and she was delighted to see her....of course we “need” to know that. So- did anyone else rate a video chat? Or just the Queen.

well sounds like the queen is the only one in the RF that they are not attacking (except of course that she "badly parented" Charles )

I thought of Lily as in Lily Langtry. Or Lillian as in Lillian Russell. Beth is another nickname that could have been used.

Lillie was not Mrs Langrtry's name. She was called Emilie Charlotte..

 

[Sandy345]

Her stage name. Though Emilie is a really nice name, like Amelia.

 

[Denville]

Her stage name. Though Emilie is a really nice name, like Amelia.

but the baby is called Lilibet. That was their choice to "honour the queen".... (in case we didn't know without them telling us).

 

[_Heather_]

What really stood out to me was:

Now they are parenting on “their terms.” Wow. Just can’t stop from twisting the knife again. Though- it sure seemed to me- that Archie was also on their terms.

That 20 weeks paid parental leave via Archewell is really nice. And not something that the rest of us Americans identify with at all. You do good to get 6 weeks paid or 12 weeks total (often not paid by the end). If it is paid period.

The article was careful to actually say- this name emphasizes their enduring ties to the royal family. Indeed. We all got that message- loyd and clear. I’m still laughing at the “step back” phrasing. In the end: they quit.

It’s over the top. Totally agree. Sickeningly sweet is a good word for it. Some of the word choices just made me roll my eyes.

And- while I don’t doubt they wanted to introduce their baby to her namesake- and she was delighted to see her....of course we “need” to know that. So- did anyone else rate a video chat? Or just the Queen.

And they made sure to beat us over the head yet again with an emphasis on how close Harry is to HM and how even though everyone has talked about her King lessons with William, she has such an important bond with Harry and that remains...lest we forget.

 

[Sandy345]

but the baby is called Lilibet. That was their choice to "honour the queen".... (in case we didn't know without them telling us).

I am just saying there could have been different "nicknames" like Beth, Betty, or Bette. If they wanted Lily to be the name she went by then they could have chosen Lillian or Lily as the name.

My favorite names would have been Cynthia or Emma but they went in another direction.

 

[Alison H]

Yes, names are very personal and individual. But think of a child who has to spend his whole life spelling his name “Timathie” for others and pronounce it “Timothy.” This is real, I kid you not.

I used to know someone to whom everyone referred as "Michele with one l", because that was how she always introduced herself! Why her parents didn't just call her Michelle, I don't know. The Snowdons' daughter is Margarita, because Margaret, whilst a very popular name in the first half of the 20th century, was very old hat by the time that Margarita was born.

Liz, Lizzie, Liza, Eliza, Bet, Betty, Bess, Bessie, Bessy, Betsy and Beth are all used as shorts for Elizabeth: it's been such a popular name over the years that there are umpteen versions of it.

But Lilibet is a private family nickname.

Incidentally, the Queen Mother's childhood nickname was Buffy, long before anyone was into vampire slayers. I'm not sure why, but I suppose that a little kid might say Elizabuff, and that could easily become Buffy. At least they didn't use that!

 

[Erin9]

well sounds like the queen is the only one in the RF that they are not attacking (except of course that she "badly parented" Charles )

Directly anyway. IMO- there are a lot of attacks- just not by name.

Though- there is a bit of irony that the one area Harry attacked HM by name was in the parenting department. And....they named their child after her. It’s....interesting.

It wouldn’t surprise me if HM was the only one to rate a video call. I do tend to believe that it is accurate that at least she did though.

 

[Denville]

I am just saying there could have been different "nicknames" like Beth, Betty, or Bette. If they wanted Lily to be the name she went by then they could have chosen Lillian or Lily as the name.

My favorite names would have been Cynthia or Emma but they went in another direction.

yes of course they could have called her Lily but that wouldn't have given them a chance to mention how close they are to the queen.

 

[Sandy345]

Alison H, I remember a trendy name was LizBeth.

Buffy was the name of a character on TV show Family Affair before Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

 

[Denville]

Directly anyway. IMO- there are a lot of attacks- just not by name.

Though- there is a bit of irony that the one area Harry attacked HM by name was in the parenting department. And....they named their child after her. It’s....interesting.

It wouldn’t surprise me if HM was the only one to rate a video call. I do tend to believe that it is accurate that at least she did though.

hmm. I expect they did call. But I'm a bit skeptical of these chats they had with Philip when they went to the US. I get the feeling that Phil was leading a very quiet life, just doing the things that made hm happy in the last year.. and I cant' see him enjoying a chat with Harry all that much, knowing how much stress had been caused to the queen by his departure and general attitude.
I wonder why they are claiming closeness with Phil and the queen... and presumably the rest of the RF are terrible. Is is that they know it dont look good to attack a man who's just died - at least not TOO Severely? And the queen IS the top lady, so they want to keep up some kind of relationship with her and as H's granny, she may be trying to tolerate his behaivour...

 

[Sandy345]

I think the pandemic totally enhanced distress and perhaps changed the scenario. Maybe there would have been more regular trips by Harry and Meghan to the UK if it had not been for the pandemic. That also separated many families who could not be literally in the same room. Even Philip's funeral separated the family and they could not sit in close proximity to each other.

 

[Royalist.in.NC]

I used to know someone to whom everyone referred as "Michele with one l", because that was how she always introduced herself! Why her parents didn't just call her Michelle, I don't know. The Snowdons' daughter is Margarita, because Margaret, whilst a very popular name in the first half of the 20th century, was very old hat by the time that Margarita was born.

Liz, Lizzie, Liza, Eliza, Bet, Betty, Bess, Bessie, Bessy, Betsy and Beth are all used as shorts for Elizabeth: it's been such a popular name over the years that there are umpteen versions of it.

But Lilibet is a private family nickname.

Incidentally, the Queen Mother's childhood nickname was Buffy, long before anyone was into vampire slayers. I'm not sure why, but I suppose that a little kid might say Elizabuff, and that could easily become Buffy. At least they didn't use that!

Exactly my thoughts, Heather! Did not know that about the QM and Buffy

 

[ACO]

Prince Charles mentions baby Lili today.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1402274668854362115

Prince Charles says his first words about Harry & Meghan’s #babylilibet - his 5th grandchild: “such happy news” he calls it “having recently become a grandfather for the fifth time.”

 

[Denville]

I think the pandemic totally enhanced distress and perhaps changed the scenario. Maybe there would have been more regular trips by Harry and Meghan to the UK if it had not been for the pandemic. That also separated many families who could not be literally in the same room. Even Philip's funeral separated the family and they could not sit in close proximity to each other.

do you really think that Philip would have welcomed them had he known what they were doing in their off time... planning to launch attacks on the queen adn the rest of hte RF?

 

[Erin9]

And they made sure to beat us over the head yet again with an emphasis on how close Harry is to HM and how even though everyone has talked about her King lessons with William, she has such an important bond with Harry and that remains...lest we forget.

Indeed. I do feel beat over the head with it at this point.

I know we’ll never know- but I sure would like to know what HM really thinks of the events of the last couple of years.

 

[Archduchess Zelia]

And they made sure to beat us over the head yet again with an emphasis on how close Harry is to HM and how even though everyone has talked about her King lessons with William, she has such an important bond with Harry and that remains...lest we forget.

... She can't have an important bond with both grandsons?

 

[ladyjolene]

I have many friends who are teachers and, as others have pointed out here, that poor girl is going to be spelling out her name to everyone. It will get tiresome. She'll introduce herself as Lilibet. The response will be, "Elizabeth?" "No, it's Lilibet." When we named our daughter, we thought long and hard and didn't want to give her a name that would give her a headache. They also did Archie no favors with that name especially since they moved to the US--not a popular name here. A bit like Johnny Cash's "Boy Named Sue."

 

[ACO]

I think Lili and Archie will be just fine. Kids have different names all over but especially where they are growing up in California.

Kids get teased for anything and everything. They probably will be more mocked for their family connections more than their name if we being honest.

 

[Royalist.in.NC]

I used to know someone to whom everyone referred as "Michele with one l", because that was how she always introduced herself! Why her parents didn't just call her Michelle, I don't know. The Snowdons' daughter is Margarita, because Margaret, whilst a very popular name in the first half of the 20th century, was very old hat by the time that Margarita was born.

Liz, Lizzie, Liza, Eliza, Bet, Betty, Bess, Bessie, Bessy, Betsy and Beth are all used as shorts for Elizabeth: it's been such a popular name over the years that there are umpteen versions of it.

But Lilibet is a private family nickname.

Incidentally, the Queen Mother's childhood nickname was Buffy, long before anyone was into vampire slayers. I'm not sure why, but I suppose that a little kid might say Elizabuff, and that could easily become Buffy. At least they didn't use that!

Yes, Alison, and Lili will introduce herself as “Lili with an i “