Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sent legal threats after reports the couple did not seek Queen Elizabeth II’s permission to use Her Late Majesty’s childhood nickname for their daughter Princess Lilibet’s first name, it has been reported. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly nstructed the law firm Schillings to write to publishers and broadcasters, including the BBC, saying claims Elizabeth II was not asked were false, defamatory and shouldn’t be repeated.
It emerged on Sunday (January 14) that the late Queen was reportedly angry at the use of “Lilibet”, a name used by her parents, George VI, Queen Elizabeth, the Late Queen Mother, her sister Princess Margaret and late husband, Prince Philip.
Daily Mail writer Robert Hardman cites a member of the late Queen’s household in his new book Charles III: New King, New Court. The Inside Story, where he writes: “One privately recalled that Elizabeth II had been ‘as angry as I’d ever seen her’ in 2021 after the Sussexes announced that she had given them her blessing to call their baby daughter ‘Lilibet’, the Queen’s childhood nickname.”
The author writes that Meghan and Harry “fired off” warnings of legal action against anyone who dared to suggest they didn’t have the late Queen’s permission. Mr Hardman says the Sussexes were rebuffed when they tried to get Buckingham Palace to prop up their side of the story.
He adds: “Those noisy threats of legal action duly evaporated and the libel actions against the BBC never materialised.”
A spokesperson for the Sussexes at the time had insisted the couple would not have used the name if the Queen had not been “supportive”.
They said at the time: “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 honour. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.”
Legal letters were then sent to broadcasters and publishers.
Harry and Meghan’s decision to use Elizabeth II’s childhood nickname for their daughter raised eyebrows in 2021. The BBC reported at the time that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had not sought the late Queen’s permission to use the name.
Other news outlets reported that Elizabeth II had felt as if she had been placed in a position where she couldn’t say no. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been approached for comment via the Archewell Foundation.
