According to recent reports, Prince Harry received special permission from the Queen herself to use her nickname Lilibet for his newborn daughter.
As theGrio reported on Sunday, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle officially welcomed their newborn daughter on Friday, June 4th. Born Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, the daughter was born at 7 lbs, 11 oz. The name is a direct reference to her great grandmother, Her Majesty the Queen’s nickname, and her grandmother, the late Princess Diana.
Now, according to a report from Page Six, Prince Harry officially reached out to the Queen for special permission to use the nickname.
Per the official Page Six report, Prince Harry called the Queen for “permission to name his daughter Lilibet.” Harry reportedly still remains close to his grandmother despite his highly publicized exit from official royal duties, as he confirmed in the bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, including detailing Zoom calls they conducted with her over the holidays.
Some sectors of the British press are already seemingly trying to insinuate the naming is “disrespectful” to the Queen, despite the reports that the Duke and Duchess were given permission.
Angelia Levin of the popular British talk show, Good Morning Britain, referred to the naming as “quite rude” on the show. Speaking to how she thinks the Queen “is not happy” about the name, she shared, “Not after what’s happened, I think she’s desperately unhappy because they were desperately rude about her. I don’t think it’s a good idea. I think it’s quite rude to Her Majesty the Queen.”
Journalist Afua Adom hit back at those claims, however, defending the Duke and Duchess’ decision. Adom shared, “To say the Queen would be unhappy is frankly ridiculous. It’s a bit of a nod to Meghan’s mother, Doria, as well. Her nickname for Meghan is flower. It’s also a bit of a stretch to say that the Queen is fuming that her great-grandchild is named after her. I think it’s a nod of affection.”
The royal couple shared an official statement in regards to their newborn daughter. They shared, “She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we’ve felt from across the globe. Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family.”
A spokesperson from Buckingham Palace also released a statement on Sunday regarding the arrival of their new family member. It reads, “The Queen, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, and The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been informed and are delighted with the news of the birth of a daughter for The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!