Why 'Lilibet' Was Such A Meaningful Nickname For The Queen

Taylor Sakellis
Queen Elizabeth II arrives to greet the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani to her Windsor residence
Getty Images | Dan Kitwood

There is no denying that the world is feeling the loss of Queen Elizabeth II. When it was announced that her Majesty had passed away on Thursday, September 8th, millions of fans across the globe stopped to reflect on how different their world would look now.

Now, let's take a nostalgic tour down memory lane and look back on the Queen's nickname, and why it was so meaningful to her.

There's no denying that Queen Elizabeth II had many, many names and titles throughout her life.

the queen waving and holding flowers
Giphy | euronews

Born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, the young royal was titled Princess Elizabeth of York before becoming The Queen of the United Kingdom.

For most of her life, she was referred to as Her Majesty or simply the Queen in the press.

However, there was one name that only those close to Elizabeth would use.

As fans of the Royal family know, that nickname was Lilibet.

This not-so-secret nickname was so beloved in the family that it was chosen as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter's name — Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

However, many people may not realize is how that nickname came to be and how special it was for the Queen.

queen elizabeth in pink
Giphy

“This is a very, very personal nickname,” NBC News royals commentator and journalist Daisy McAndrew revealed during a visit to The Today Show.

"'Lilibet' became the queen's nickname when the queen was a toddler herself and couldn't pronounce Elizabeth. ... In a way, it’s not a real name at all, and it is totally synonymous with the queen."

NBC News British historian Andrew Roberts also dished on the nickname.

"Throughout her life, she was called Lilibet by her parents and grandparents, and of course by her late husband," Andrew explained.

prince philip and the queen
Giphy | BBC

As Royal fans may recall, HM signed the card on her late husband's coffin with the sentimental nickname.

For one more sentimental touch, here's a throwback post from The Royal Family Twitter account.

Back in 2016, fans got a glimpse at a young Elizabeth's handwriting and work ethic from a letter she wrote to her grandmother, Queen Mary, which she signed “Lilibet.”

Rest in peace, Lilibet.