Queen Elizabeth was “supportive” of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry naming their newborn daughter Lilibet, the queen’s family nickname, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said, contradicting a BBC report that the monarch “was not asked” for her permission.
“The Duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement, in fact his grandmother was the first family member he called,” the couple’s spokesperson told HuffPost on Wednesday. “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 followed a BBC report, citing an anonymous palace source, that the queen wasn’t asked about Lili’s name. Buckingham Palace told HuffPost it would not be commenting on the matter.
Harry and Meghan announced on Sunday that they’d welcomed their second child, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, last week.
“She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz. Both mother and child are healthy and well, and settling in at home,” a spokesperson said in a statement at the time. “Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales.’”
Prince William and Kate Middleton also paid tribute to both the queen and the late Princess Diana when naming their only daughter, Princess Charlotte, whose full name is Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.
Lilibet is the queen’s 11th great-grandchild.
A few hours after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their daughter’s birth, members of the royal family publicly congratulated the couple on social media.
Prince Charles spoke of the “happy news” of becoming a grandfather for the fifth time on Tuesday during a BMW factory visit, according to ITV.
Earlier this year, Harry opened up about his tumultuous relationship with members of the royal family ― including his brother and Charles ― in candid interviews with Oprah Winfrey and Dax Shepard.
Harry and Meghan also revealed during their interview with Winfrey that a member of the royal family expressed racist “concerns” about the color of their first child Archie’s skin before he was born and refused to help Meghan when she was experiencing suicidal thoughts.
If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741-741 for free, 24-hour support from the Crisis Text Line. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention for a database of resources.
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