Doria Ragland has been honored by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in Lilibet Diana's name with a sweet throwback to the Duchess of Sussex's childhood.
- Doria Ragland, Meghan Markle's mother, has been honored in Lilibet Diana's name in creative way.
- Meghan and Harry gave birth to their second child, Lilibet 'Lili' Diana Mountbatten-Windsor on Friday, June 4.
- In other royal news, meet the Queen's 11 great-grandchildren, from Prince Harry’s daughter to Princess Eugenie’s baby boy.
The Queen and the late Princess of Wales aren't the only ones who have been honored in Lilibet Diana's name—it looks like Meghan's mother Doria Ragland has also been given a nod.
The Duchess of Sussex's decision to call her baby 'Lili' was likely inspired by her American mom, who affectionately addressed her daughter as 'Flower' when she was a child. In an unearthed post from Meghan's archived lifestyle website, The Tig, the former Suits star shared the litany of nicknames she's collected over the years: "Meg, MM, M&M, and Flower (which my mom has called me since I was little)."
Doria Ragland with Meghan Markle at her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018
It seems Meghan is keeping this floral tradition budding in naming her own daughter 'Lili', which is a shortened version of 'Lilibet.' Her Majesty went by 'Lilibet' as a child, and continued to be called the sweet moniker by her grandparents and husband in later years.
Prince Philip's adorable nickname for the Queen will no longer be used now that both he and his wife's elders have died, but its legacy will hopefully live on with the birth of Lilibet Diana. If you're still struggling to grasp the slightly unfamiliar name, here's an easy guide on how to pronounce Lilibet correctly.
Lilibet was the Queen's nickname growing up
Meghan and Harry's daughter's name is also an obvious tribute to Princess Diana, who died tragically in a car crash in 1997. The touching homage has been praised by many fans of the late royal, with some even pointing out the conjugation of 'Lilibet' and 'Diana' can cleverly be abbreviated to 'Lil Diana.'
While Lili sadly will never get the chance to meet the beloved Princess of Wales, the newborn will still have plenty of familial love around her. Doria is rumored to have already moved into Harry and Meghan's $14 million Santa Barbara mansion to help with her granddaughter's transition home from the hospital. The former makeup artist, who was reportedly not present at the birth on June 4, is said to be 'overjoyed' by the safe arrival of the Duke and Duchess's second child.
Doria Ragland with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry at Kensington Palace, London, in 2018
Meghan and Harry are confirmed to now be on parental leave, which will last 'several months.' Their decision to withdraw from their professions and stay at home with their baby is in line with the policies of their Archwell Foundation, which gives its staff 20 weeks of paid leave after the birth of a child.
"Harry and Meghan are leading by example," explained royal correspondent Omid Scobie on Good Morning America. "We’re so used to seeing royal men heading back to work the next day, sometimes the same day, we’ve seen senior royals on engagements almost the same time as the birth."
While Omid didn't out any names, it's no secret that Prince William skipped his paternity leave following the birth of Prince Louis. He was caught dozing off next to Meghan Markle during a church service at Westminster in 2018, just days after he and Kate Middleton welcomed their third child. Harry and Meghan seem to have learned from the Duke of Cambridge's mistake, erasing their calendar of all work events for the next five months to focus fully on their parenting responsibilities.
