Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Left the Late Queen 'Furious' by Stealing Something Deeply Personal

A royal biography by Robert Hardman reignited debate over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s relationship with the late Queen Elizabeth II. According to Charles III: New King, New Court, The Inside Story by Robert Hardman, the Queen felt Harry and Markle took something deeply personal— her cherished nickname Lilibet— which allegedly left her 'angry,' as per a palace aide.

'Lilibet' was coined by the late Queen herself as a young child as she struggled to pronounce Elizabeth. Her grandfather, King George V, affectionately adopted the nickname. Only her husband, Prince Philip, continued to use the name in private correspondence. In letters shortly after their wedding, he wrote, “Lilibet is the only thing in this world which is absolutely real to me.” When Prince Philip passed in 2021, the Queen poignantly signed her farewell note on his coffin with Lilibet.

In June 2021, just two months after Philip’s death, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced the birth of their daughter. They shared, “Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet.” Soon after, the couple’s spokesperson told The Telegraph, “The Duke spoke with his family before the announcement; in fact, his grandmother was the first family member he called. During that conversation, he expressed their hope to name their daughter Lilibet in her honor. Had she not been supportive, they would not have chosen the name.”

However, the Queen’s reaction behind the scenes was far from approving. Reports suggested that the Queen was asked but she felt unable to refuse. Meanwhile, BBC reported, citing a palace source, that the Queen was not asked by the Duke and the Duchess. In response, Markle and Harry accused the BBC of libel, directing their lawyers to inform media outlets that this claim was “false and defamatory.” When approached by The Telegraph, the Palace refrained from dismissing reports that the Queen was 'never asked.' Instead, a source indicated that the Queen was 'informed' of the name following the baby’s birth.

Royal biographer Angela Levin also criticized the Sussexes’ actions, revealing that Markle had allegedly copyrighted the name before her daughter’s birth which made the Queen 'furious'. Speaking to GB News, Levin said, “That’s an incredibly sad comment...because it was discovered that Meghan, even before Lilibet was born, had taken out the names officially so that she could use them to buy things and to identify them.” When asked if this meant the name had been copyrighted, Levin confirmed, “Yes,” deeming the move 'very disrespectful' and accusing Markle of using it as a way to 'get her own back' on the royal family.

The rift between the Sussexes and the Royal Family has deepened over the years. Royal biographer Omid Scobie recently claimed in his work Endgame that Harry and Markle were 'still hurt' by the delayed royal titles for their children, believing that the six-month gap post-King Charles III’s ascension showed a difference in treatment compared to their cousins Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.