Lilibet Lily Diana Mountbatten-Windsor: A Tribute or a Late Olive Branch?

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have named their newborn daughter Lilibet Lily Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, in honor of both the Queen and the late Princess of Wales.

The decision to pay tribute to Her Majesty, after the couple's continued criticism of the royal family, has been met with mixed reactions from royal commentators.

Journalist and commentator Petronella Wyatt has written a damning opinion piece on Meghan and Harry's choice of name.

She believes that while the choice of Diana as a middle name was a natural choice, opting to use the Queen's initiate family nickname as the first name is more bizarre.

Wyatt questions why Meghan and Harry didn't simply choose the name Elizabeth, rather than taking the nickname fondly used by the late Prince Philip.

Writing in The Sun, Wyatt said, “No doubt, however, there will be many who will see in Harry and Meghan's choice of names for their newborn a tribute to a beloved grandmother, even a touching tentative attempt at reconciliation.

To which one would counter, isn't it a little late?

I mean, that poor olive branch must be a dried up, barren twig by now.”

Ms. Wyatt further questions whether the choice of name was meant to mock the Queen, after the couple's recent public criticism of the royal family.

She said, “Moreover, it should be duly remarked by historians that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have spent much of the last years traducing and hectoring the royal family, including the Queen, who was accused of bad parenting.

Is Lilibet then some sort of subtle insult or mean little jibe?

It may not be intended as one, but in the present circumstances, it is a little clumsy.”

However, not everyone opposes the name, with Linda Robson from Loose Women saying, “I think it's lovely, so good luck to her.”

Lily Lilibet was born on 4 June 2021 at 11.40 am, weighing 7lbs 11oz.

She is the second baby of the pair and will be the younger sister to older brother Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.