Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are shooting down a report that they never asked the queen about naming their daughter in her honor — and they're reportedly issuing a legal threat over the claim.
A BBC report on Wednesday cited a Buckingham Palace source as saying that Queen Elizabeth II "was not asked by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex about naming their daughter Lilibet," the queen's nickname since she was a kid. Harry and Meghan announced the birth of their second child, Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, on Sunday.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"The Duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement," the spokesperson told CNN. "In fact, his grandmother was the first family member he called. During that conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honor. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the names."
The BBC report cited a source close to the Sussexes as saying that Harry spoke to the queen before his daughter's birth and "would have mentioned the name," but the report added that a Palace source disputes this.
Now, The Daily Beast reports that "lawyers acting on behalf of the former royals issued a legal threat," citing a British newspaper source as saying that "a rare legal warning had gone out to the papers advising them not to repeat the allegation."
-
Democrats’ strategy to woo voters for 2026: religionThe Explainer Politicians like Rob Sand and James Talarico have made a name for themselves pushing their faith
-
Pregnancy in AmericaFeature Why is it getting riskier to give birth in the U.S.?
-
The potential warning sign of an auto lender’s bankruptcyIn the Spotlight Tricolor collapse an ‘extreme example’ of economy’s challenges
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Can Soho House get its edge back?Talking Point The private members' club has lost its exclusive appeal – but a £2 billion buy-out could offer a fresh start
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
'Making memories': the scourge of modern parenting?In The Spotlight Meghan Markle sends her children emails of each day's 'moments' but is constant 'memory-making' just another burden for parents to bear?
