Queen Elizabeth II is said to no longer view Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as friends or family following their decision to name their daughter Lilibet, according to reports.
The Queen was reportedly furious about the couple’s choice to use her intimate family nickname for their newborn.
Lilibet was a term that stuck with Queen Elizabeth from her childhood, as she struggled to pronounce her own name.
It was affectionately used by her father and later by Prince Philip.
In Robert Hardman’s new book, “Charles III, New King.
New Court.
The inside story,” an insider reveals that the late monarch was deeply upset by the Sussexes’ decision.
The Queen expressed her feelings to her aides, stating, “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.”
Mr. Hardman further discloses that one member of the late queen’s staff described her anger as unparalleled.
Kelvin Mackenzie, former editor of The Sun, offered his interpretation of the Queen’s comments.
He believes that after the naming dispute, Queen Elizabeth no longer considered the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as part of her family or inner circle.
Mackenzie quoted the Queen’s words, “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.”
Leading journalist Rebecca English, writing for the Daily Mail, confirms that this quote came directly from Queen Elizabeth during a conversation with her aides.
The Queen was informed about Harry and Meghan’s decision to use Lilibet as their daughter’s name, which is a highly personal term reserved for her closest family and friends.
It is evident that the late queen’s perception of the Sussexes changed significantly after this incident.
Previously, it was reported that Harry had sought his grandmother’s permission to use the nickname.
The couple also claimed that they would not have used it if she had not been supportive.
However, according to a palace source cited by the BBC’s royal correspondent Johnny Diamond, the Queen was never asked by Harry or Meghan for her blessing to use the nickname.
This contradicts earlier reports suggesting that the couple had sought her approval.
Princess Lilibet was born on June 4, 2021, in California, a year after Harry and Meghan stepped down from their royal duties.
Unlike her older brother Archie, Lilibet has only visited the UK once.
She traveled to Britain in June 2022 and celebrated her first birthday during the late queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan denounced the report, emphasizing that the late queen was the first family member Harry contacted after Lilibet’s birth.
During their conversation, Harry expressed his desire to name their daughter in honor of the Queen.
The spokesperson added that if the Queen had not been supportive, they would not have chosen the name.
According to an article in the Daily Mail, the late monarch was taken aback when she learned that her great-granddaughter had been named Lilibet in her honor.
However, given the circumstances, she did not feel she could refuse.
The late Queen’s nickname had only been used by her grandfather, parents, Prince Philip, and a select few close family members.
It is worth noting that Lilibet has spent very little time in the UK, having visited only once, during the late queen’s Platinum Jubilee, where she celebrated her first birthday.