Late Queen ‘angered’ by Prince Harry, Meghan Markle calling daughter ‘Lilibet’: source

New claims have surfaced about the late Queen’s “angry” reaction to Harry and Meghan’s bold act in the wake of their daughter’s birth.

The late Queen was “angered” by Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s decision to name their daughter Lilibet, according to a new report.

In the new biography Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story, by veteran royal journalist Robert Hardman, a senior palace source described the late monarch as being “as angry as I’d ever seen her” when the couple said in a statement she’d approved the use of her childhood nickname for their daughter, born in June 2021.

The affectionate moniker had stuck during the Queen’s childhood after she’d struggled to pronounce her own name, “Elizabeth.” It was used only by her late parents, her sister Princess Margaret, husband Prince Philip, and closest inner circle.

Shortly after Lilibet’s birth, rumours began circulating the Queen had not given prior permission for her name to be used, but a law firm representing Harry and Meghan quickly fired off a statement to news organisations, including the BBC, suggesting the claim was false and defamatory.

“The duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement – in fact his grandmother was the first family member he called,” the message read.

“During that conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honour. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.”

The late Queen was privately frustrated over Harry and Meghan’s decision, according to a new report. Picture: Jonathan Brady – WPA Pool/Getty Images

A picture released of Lilibet on her first birthday. Picture: Duke and Duchess of Sussex/Misan Harriman

In his latest biography, Hardman shed new light on the Queen’s private reaction to the drama, claiming that the Sussexes’ media rebuttal appeared to fall flat after their attempt to collaborate on a response with the palace was “rebuffed”.

“When the Sussexes tried to co-opt the Palace into propping up their version of events, they were rebuffed,” one palace insider is quoted as saying.

“Once again, it was a case of ‘recollections may vary’ – the late Queen’s reaction to the Oprah Winfrey interview – as far as Her Majesty was concerned. Those noisy threats of legal action duly evaporated and the libel actions against the BBC never materialised.”

Harry and Meghan’s version of events has been disputed by palace sources a new biography. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

In the wake of the new claims, the Daily Mail’s royal editor Rebecca English added that aides told her at the time that the Queen had felt her name had been “taken”.

“‘I don’t own the palaces, I don’t own the paintings, the only thing I own is my name. And now they’ve taken that’,” they reportedly told her.

English added that she’d been told the Queen was “taken aback” when Harry informed her of his intention with the name, but “didn’t feel, given the circumstances, she could say no”, describing it as “being pushed into an impossible corner.”

Shortly after Lilibet’s birth, Buckingham Palace released a statement saying that the Queen and other senior royals were “delighted with the news.”

Princess Lilibet, who is the Queen’s 11th great-grandchild, is the younger sister to Prince Archie, 4.

Her middle name, Diana, is a nod to Harry’s late mother.

Originally published as Late Queen ‘angered’ by Prince Harry, Meghan Markle calling daughter ‘Lilibet’: source