Will Harry and Meghan name their daughter after Queen? Sussexes' second baby will be named Lily, predict fans
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex may call their second child Lily in an attempt to mend their bond with the Queen, according to royal watchers. After the couple revealed during their interview with Oprah that they are expecting a child, fans of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had originally assumed they would choose Diana to pay tribute to the Duke of Sussex's late mother.
However, attention has now turned to the name Lily, which has moved from bookies odds of 66/1 to 25/1 after strong support over the weekend, according to BoyleSports. So will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle name their daughter Lily in tribute to the Queen? Here's what you need to know.
RELATED ARTICLES
Prince Charles has a rather odd but sweet nickname for Meghan Markle inspired by her personality
Will Harry and Meghan name their daughter Lily?
Fans assume the couple would use the name to honor the Queen, whose nickname as a young princess was 'Lilibet.' Her Majesty's nickname was bestowed upon her as a child, and it has been adopted by her closest family members, including the late Duke of Edinburgh, throughout their 73-year marriage. The endearing sobriquet was originally given to her by her father, King George VI, after she was unable to pronounce her own name as a child. The King is known to have said, "Lilibet is my pride. Margaret is my joy.".
"Diana is the clear favorite in our market but that hasn't put punters off predicting some other potential names," Sarah Kinsella, Spokesperson for BoyleSports, Ireland's largest independent bookmaker who also run betting shops in the UK, commented. "Lily is the biggest mover of the week into 25/1 from 66/1 while Grace tumbled into 16/1 from 50/1 last week as royal watchers continue to speculate with some well-based theories," she added, according to a report by the Daily Mail.
But it is not just BoyleSports that's tracking the name. According to Cosmopolitan, royal fans on Twitter and Reddit also expect that Harry and Meghan will name their baby girl Lily. Said a fan, "I'm not sure how relationships are between the family, but Lily would be a cute way to honour the Queen (Lilibet)."
"I read a prediction somewhere that they could use Lily for the Queen because of her childhood nickname Lilibet," said another, adding: "And because of Meghan's wedding bouquet being Lily of the valley. I think that's really sweet." The lily of the valley is a common flower among royal brides. The delicate bloom was used in the wedding bouquets of both Diana, Princess of Wales, and Kate Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge.
The Duke of Sussex could postpone his return to Los Angeles to stay and celebrate Her Majesty's birthday tomorrow, prompting speculation about Harry's reconciliation with the Queen. After meeting with their father, Prince Charles following Prince Philip's funeral on Saturday, April 17, Harry is said to have held two hours of peace talks with his older brother Prince William at the Windsor Quadrangle.
Her Majesty left a handwritten note for Prince Philip at his funeral, nestled alongside a wreath of white flowers, like lilies, that she signed off as 'Lilibet,' according to some sources. In 2002, she signed off on the flowers at her mother's funeral under the name Lilibet.