Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor: did the Queen give Meghan and Harry permission to use the name?
We'll fill you in on the Lili debate


Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor arrived on June 4 and was named in honor of her great-grandmother, the Queen, and her late grandmother, Princess Diana, according to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's joint statement. What intended to be a touching tribute to the head of the British monarch has turned into a contentious debate. Sources alleged that her Majesty was not made aware of the couple's decision, which ultimately resulted in a legal warning from Meghan and Harry.
• After allegedly speaking to a palace spokesperson, the BBC claimed that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry hadn't asked the Queen for permission to name their second child Lilibet in her honor. However, representatives for the Duke and Duchess insisted the head of the British monarch was the first person the couple approached.
• Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have issued a legal warning in response to claims from the BBC that the Queen was not consulted.
• In other royal news, a portrait of the Queen at Oxford University has been removed for this reason.
Baby name selections can become a heated topic. Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor might honor the women who came before her, but Meghan and Harry's daughter—who is not even a week old—has already been the topic of debate.
Lilibet is the Queen's family nickname, and Harry's grandmother has a strong place in his heart. With Lilibet junior's arrival, the BBC dug into her Majesty's involvement in the couple's name selection and suggested that her grandson had not asked for approval.
However, once the piece was published, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex insisted that the Queen was aware and the couple would not have named their child Lilibet if her Majesty had objected. The couple issued a legal warning to media outlets.
The Queen met Lilibet during a video call and is thrilled at the arrival of her 11th great-grandchild. But, if you ask Meghan's former best friend, the child's name has nothing to do with family: Lizzie Cundy claims Lilibet was named after her, not the Queen.
Previously, Lizzie Cundy has also claimed that she and Meghan have not spoken since 2017.
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Danielle is a writer for woman&home and My Imperfect Life, where she particularly enjoys covering lifestyle and entertainment news. She was previously the editor of Time Out New York Kids and a news editor at Elite Daily. When she's not working, you can find her reading a good book and enjoying a cup of coffee. Follow her @dvwrites.
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