From 'weird' to 'nice' London residents react to name Lilibet Diana - Prince Harry and Meghan's new baby
Record ID:
1620130
From 'weird' to 'nice' London residents react to name Lilibet Diana - Prince Harry and Meghan's new baby
- Title: From 'weird' to 'nice' London residents react to name Lilibet Diana - Prince Harry and Meghan's new baby
- Date: 7th June 2021
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 7, 2021) (REUTERS) PEOPLE WALKING PAST HIGH STREET KENSINGTON TUBE STATION EXTERIOR OF STATION (SOUNDBITE) (English) LONDON RESIDENT, RICHARD BODEN, SAYING: ''It's not a surprise, it has been on it's way and then to call it Lilibet was a nice tribute to the Queen, but there is probably a long way to getting back into good books, I would think, not just calling Lilibet won't do it all in one.'' PEDESTRIANS ON STREET (SOUNDBITE) (English) LONDON RESIDENT, VICTORIA PORTUGAL, SAYING: ''Yeah, well, I am happy for them, that's a new-born, always happy for new-borns, the only thing is like yeah it's name, because I was think they would just want to you know, after everything that happened recently I was like they are just going to cut completely with them, their family, but their family is from another country, not choosing such a meaningful name, like everybody knows what Lili means, or Lilibet or whatever, everybody knows you know what I mean it's just it was weird.'' PEDESTRIANS ON STREET (SOUNDBITE) (English) LONDON RESIDENT, ALEV BAREE, SAYING: ''Lilibet? It's kind of old fashioned right, it's not very modern, but, it's nice, it's very cute, but yeah I wish them all the best, but I don't feel they have made a big deal out of it, it was very quick when I heard it on the news today it was very quick it was oh they've had a baby and that was they end of that.'' TRAFFIC (SOUNDBITE) (English) LONDON RESIDENT, VALENTINA ARMANI, SAYING: ''I think the media has been really harsh on them, I just don't agree how they have treated them at all, so I am really happy that they have moved away from all the bitterness and I think people, the British people have mainly been quite horrible, so I wish them all the best, and I think it's a really nice move, yeah and I really like Diana, so the name is really fantastic.'' (SOUNDBITE) (English) LONDON RESIDENT, JOHN GAU, SAYING: ''Well I'm not interested, and that's the point, I don't know why lots of people might be, but I am not interested, I mean it's a privileged couple who have gone off to America, as lots of people have and good luck to them.'' POSTER FOR MEGHAN MARKLE'S NEW BOOK 'THE BENCH' IN WINDOW OF WATERSTONES BOOKSTORE BOOK ABOUT PRINCE PHILIP IN WINDOW OF WATERSTONES EXTERIOR OF WATERSTONES
- Embargoed: 21st June 2021 11:51
- Keywords: Archie Diana Lilibut Lilibut Diana Meghan Markle Prince Harry Princess Diana royal family
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Europe,Royals
- Reuters ID: LVA001EGEKLL3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: London residents on Monday (June 7) reacted to the news of the arrival of Prince Harry and Meghan's second child, with one saying her name is a ''nice tribute to the Queen'' while another thinks it's ''weird''.
Meghan, Britain's Duchess of Sussex and husband Harry have named their daughter after Queen Elizabeth and his late mother, Princess Diana.
Lilibet 'Lili' Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born on Friday (June 4) at the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California, with Harry in attendance. The couple's first child, Archie, was born in 2019.
''Lilibet…a nice tribute to the Queen, but there is probably a long way to getting back into good books, I would think, not just calling Lilibet won't do it all in one,'' London resident Richard Boden told Reuters.
The choice of name pays tribute to the queen after a difficult year for the couple and the wider royal family. Lilibet is a family nickname for the 95-year-old British monarch.
London resident Victoria Portugal told Reuters she is happy for the couple but was surprised by the name, as after ''everything that happened recently'' she thought they would cut ties with the royal family.
''Choosing such a meaningful name, like everybody knows what…Lilibet (means)…it was weird,'' she said.
Buckingham Palace said the queen, Harry's father Prince Charles and his brother and wife, Prince William and Kate, were delighted with the news. Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined them in sending his congratulations.
Meghan and Harry announced the birth with a statement.
"On June 4, we were blessed with the arrival of our daughter, Lili. 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.
Harry and Meghan said Lilibet's middle name was chosen to honour her grandmother, Princess Diana, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997.
Londoner Valentina Armani called the name ''fantastic'', saying she really liked Princess Diana.
Not everyone was excited though, Londoner John Gau, wished the couple well but said he wasn't interested in news of the new arrival.
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