Royals at war: inside Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s clash with the BBC over new daughter Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana’s name, and why Buckingham Palace is keeping silent

Jun 12 , 2021

Have Meghan and Harry annoyed the Queen with their new baby name? Photos: PA/AFP

The pair chose Queen Elizabeth’s nickname, Lilibet, for their newborn daughter, but the BBC contends that they didn’t consult the British monarch first

The BBC fell foul of the royals most famously in 1995 with Martin Bashir’s controversial Princess Diana interview

In their ongoing war with the British press, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have now also clashed with the BBC over the version of events that led to the naming of their daughter.

Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, younger sister of the Sussexes’ two-year-old son Archie, was born at 11.40am (10.40am GMT) on Friday, June 4, at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California, weighing 3.5kg.

The Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital where Meghan Markle gave birth to her and Prince Harry’s second child, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. Photo: Reuters

Her name, they said, was a tribute to Harry’s grandmother, the queen, whose family nickname was Lilibet, while it also honoured his late mother, Princess Diana.

The Sussexes vs the BBC

Was the BBC right to say the Sussexes hadn’t consulted the queen before naming their baby? Either way Buckingham Palace isn’t getting involved. Photo: AFP

It has been widely reported that Harry and Meghan consulted the queen before the naming of their baby, but an article on the BBC’s website claimed palace sources had said the queen was not asked by the duke and duchess about naming their daughter Lilibet.

A spokeswoman for Harry and Meghan said their daughter’s name was mentioned in a conversation with the queen, and the couple’s lawyers have since written to the corporation.