Prince William’s only daughter may have been named Charlotte Elizabeth Diana following her springtime arrival over a decade ago, on 2 May 2015, but her moniker had been decided years before she was born.
The 43-year-old son of King Charles discussed his plans to incorporate his late mother, Princess Diana, into the naming of his child in a new tell-all royal book by Russell Myers.
In excerpts of his latest release, William and Catherine, The Monarchy’s New Era: The Inside Story, seen by HELLO!, the royal biographer said: “Catherine had her heart set on Alexander for a boy or Alexandra (also Queen Elizabeth’s middle name) for a girl. William had privately voiced his preference for having a girl, and was keen to incorporate a tribute to his late mother, most likely in the form of a middle name.”
Years later, his now-estranged brother Prince Harry copied William’s sentimental tribute to their mother and late grandmother when naming his daughter, whom he welcomed with his American wife, Meghan Markle in 2021.
Harry and Meghan revealed they named their second child Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor after the prince’s late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth and his mother, Princess Diana.
In the pages of his latest release, William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, the Royal Editor of the Daily Mirror and ITV’s Lorraine said: “Catherine had her heart set on Alexander for a boy or Alexandra (also Queen Elizabeth’s middle name) for a girl. William had privately voiced his preference for having a girl, and was keen to incorporate a tribute to his late mother, most likely in the form of a middle name.”
Prince William and Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, tragically died on 31 August 1997 from injuries sustained in a car crash in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris.
Welcome, baby Lilibet Diana
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed they had decided to name their first daughter after the prince’s grandmother and the late British queen via a statement on their official website.
She was born on Friday 4 June, 2021 at 11:40 am at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California. At the time, the statement said: “Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales.”
© InstagramAlongside the release of the official news, there was a note from Harry and Meghan themselves that expressed their delight at welcoming their little girl. “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,” they said.
Signing off the note, the new parents added: “Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family.”
The famous couple, who now live in Montecito, California, also welcomed a son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, two years earlier, in 2019.
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