Queen Elizabeth was furious over Harry and Meghan's claim that she gave her blessing to naming their daughter Lilibet, a new book reveals.
One of her aides said the monarch was “the most angry I've ever seen her” after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex publicly said they wouldn't have used her private family nickname if she didn't “support” them. would have.
The couple even instructed their aggressive law firm Schillings to write to news channels and publishers – most notably the BBC – claiming that it had not been asked for permission, was false and defamatory and should not be repeated.
But when the Sussexes tried to “co-opt” Buckingham Palace into “supporting” their version of events, they were “rebuffed”.
The eye-opening revelation comes in the latest installment of a fascinating new biography – Charles III: New King, New Court. The Inside Story by Mail author Robert Hardman is currently published exclusively in the Chron.
An aide said the late monarch was “the most angry I've ever seen her” after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex publicly said they wouldn't have used her private family nickname for their daughter if they didn't have her would have “supported”.
In 2021, Harry and Meghan's decision to name their new daughter Lilibet, who was born in California and only briefly visited the UK once, caused a stir
The existence of a remarkable memo about the late Queen's final moments, now in the royal archives, has already been revealed, in which her private secretary notes that she “snuck away” peacefully – but not before completing her final paperwork and Inside were two sealed letters, one to her son and heir.
In today's episode, Hardman examines the fallout from the Sussexes' decision to acrimoniously abandon their royal duties and the ongoing issues surrounding Prince Andrew, including:
- Prince William felt his brother's attacks on his wife Kate – particularly the suggestion that male members of the royal family should simply marry women who “fit the norm” – were “the lowest of the low”.
- The prince was also “mortified” by Harry's “casual betrayal” of so many brotherly secrets in his memoir Spare.
- Neither King Charles nor William have read Spare and never will. But the employees informed her about “the most important points”.
- Charles was deeply hurt by Harry's actions, but has learned to “compartmentalize” domestic trauma.
- He is now “angry” about the situation. “He’s done what he could, and now that he’s king there’s a lot more to think about,” says a friend.
- However, he insists that the door is always open for his youngest son. “You always want your child back,” says a senior official.
A spokesman for the Sussexes insisted they would not have used the name if the Queen had not “supported” it.
Speaking to members of the royal family, friends and palace staff past and present, Hardman's insight into Harry's relationships with family members is fascinating.
In 2021, his and Meghan's decision to name their new daughter Lilibet, who was born in California and only briefly visited the UK once, caused a stir.
Lilibet was the late queen's affectionate childhood nickname, said to have come about because Princess Elizabeth could never pronounce her name correctly as a child.
It was only used by her parents, King George VI, the Queen Mother, and her sister, Princess Margaret, as well as her husband, Prince Philip, and a handful of close friends.
At the time, the BBC reported that a palace source said the Queen had not been asked by the Duke and Duchess if they could use it.
Other sources told media outlets, including the Mail, that although the queen was called by her grandson and his wife, she felt she was unable to say no.
However, the Sussexes' spokesman insisted the couple would not have used the name if the Queen had not “supported” it.
They said at the time: “The Duke spoke to his family before the announcement – in fact his grandmother was the first family member he called.”
Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, in a picture released in June 2022
“During this conversation he shared her hope to name her daughter Lilibet in her honor. If she hadn’t supported them, they wouldn’t have used the name.”
Strongly worded legal letters were then sent.
Hardman writes that some members of the late monarch's household were particularly “interested” in the fact that Harry had mysteriously “omitted” the entire incident from his memoirs amid a wealth of private family information and criticism of staff.
The author says: “One privately recalled that in 2021, Elizabeth II was 'as angry as I had ever seen her' after the Sussexes announced she had given them their blessing, their baby daughter 'Lilibet', the Queen's childhood nickname.” .
“The couple subsequently warned of legal action against anyone who dared claim otherwise, as the BBC had done.” However, when the Sussexes tried to get the palace to back their version of events, they were rebuffed .
“Once again, it was a case of 'memories may vary' – the late Queen's reaction to the interview with Oprah Winfrey – as far as Her Majesty was concerned.
“These loud threats of legal action duly dissipated and the libel claims against the BBC never materialized.”
On Harry's relationship with his father, Hardman quotes a friend: “Of course the king is extremely sad about Harry and Meghan, but there is a sense of despair that he has done what he could and now he is king, there is still a lot “more.” think about something.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Harry together at the Chelsea Flower Show on May 18, 2015
“He tried to listen. Now he just says, “I don't want to know what the problem is.” “I'll just get on with my life.” For now, though, Harry has decided he wants to do things differently, and he's determined to give him the space to do so give.
As for Prince William, aides hope people understand and respect the fact that he has maintained his counsel despite his brother's repeated attacks, particularly regarding his wife.
But the suggestion, interpreted by Harry, that men from Windsor, including his older brother, were “tempted” to marry someone “who fits the mold – as opposed to someone you might be meant to be with”, was, however came up bad.
“On top of all the other breaches of trust, Harry blatantly attacked Catherine.” “For William, that was the lowest point of the low,” he quotes a family friend.
Elsewhere, Hardman praises Harry for his respect at the end of the coronation. He notes that when the congregation bowed to the king after the ceremony, the Duke of Sussex bowed his head “longer than most.”