Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are once again making headlines over their decision to name their daughter Lilibet Diana. The adorable moniker is inspired by Queen Elizabeth, whose nickname is Lilibet, as well as by the late Princess Diana.
Did Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Ask Queen Elizabeth’s Permission To Name Their Daughter Lilibet?
Last year, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle released a statement announcing the birth of their daughter. And this was also the first time that the entire world found out that she was named after Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana.
Immediately after, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were slammed for, reportedly, not asking the Queen beforehand if they could give her nickname to their daughter. But Prince Harry and Markle’s spokesperson denied the claims.
“The duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement. In fact, his grandmother was the first family member he called. During that conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honor. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name,” the statement read (via Tatler).
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Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Didn’t Have To Ask Queen Elizabeth’s Permission
According to Express, Prince Harry and Markle didn’t necessarily make a mistake if they opted not to consult with the queen firsthand regarding their second child’s name. After all, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex no longer work for the Queen and the British monarchy.
“While the Sussexes may have had to get the Queen's approval when it came to naming their first child Archie in 2019, they would have been under no pressure to do so with their daughter,” the publication stated.
Unlike Prince Harry, Prince William and Kate Middleton were required to inform the Queen first about the names they wanted to give their children. Since Prince William is the future king of Britain, he is required to follow royal tradition.
While speaking with CNN, royal commentator Kate Williams said that the discussions about royal baby names usually take place informally. But if the Queen says that she doesn’t want a particular name to be used, then the other members of the royal family would have to listen.
“But in the case of names, it is more of an informal conversation. Per royal protocol, members of the Royal Family typically share the name they have chosen for their child with the Queen before announcing it. Of course [the royal family] have such respect for the Queen that if she says 'I really don’t like that name,' they’d definitely take that into account,” Williams said.
Prince Harry Accused Of Leaving Out An Important Information During His Phone Call With Queen Elizabeth
Now, interior designer Nicky Haslam is claiming that there seems to have been confusion between Prince Harry and the Queen when they talked about Lilibet’s name.
“I heard Harry rung her and said, ‘We want to call our daughter after you, Granny.’ She said, ‘How charming of you, thank you,’ thinking that it would be Elizabeth. So they got the permission, but they didn’t say the name,” Haslam said (via Cheat Sheet).
The interior designer also, sarcastically, questioned by Prince Harry and Markle didn’t name their daughter after the latter’s mom, Doria Ragland. After all, her name is also a pretty one.
Last year, contradicting reports surfaced regarding Prince Harry asking the queen permission to name his daughter Lilibet. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said that it was unfortunate because the reports countered the Sussexes’ claim that Her Majesty knew their plans beforehand.
“It contrasts with the Sussexes’ claim that the Queen did know. This could have been and should have been avoided. The Sussexes have a habit of inventing their own truths as we saw on Oprah,” Fitzwilliams said.
Royal correspondent Richard Palmer echoed Fitzwilliams' sentiments by saying that it’s interesting why the Queen and Prince Harry couldn’t agree on the conversation that they had.
“On the one hand, few ask their granny if it’s OK to name their child after her but, on the other, it’s interesting that the Queen and the Sussexes can’t even agree on whether there was a conversation about the name beforehand. 'Recollections may vary,’” he said.
Check back for more stories and updates about Queen Elizabeth, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle here at EpicStream!
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