What’s in a name? An awful lot, it turns out, if you’re a newborn royal, who’s been born into the thick of a massive family row. Last week, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced the arrival of their second child, a daughter they have named Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. In a statement, they revealed, “Lili’s nicknamed after her great- grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honour her beloved late grandmother, the Princess of Wales.”
Unsurprisingly, Lili’s name provoked immediate debate and fierce reaction on every side. Supporters of the couple said it was a fitting choice, considering Harry’s historical closeness with the Queen, and also argued that it was a timely olive branch, given the recent tensions that have been brewing between the Sussexes and the royals.
Meanwhile, others viewed it as a ploy to curry favour with the Queen as rumours grow that Harry and Meghan could lose their royal titles, which would risk damaging their brand. It was also pointed out that Lilibet was a deeply personal nickname, used only by a handful of the Queen’s close family members, including her beloved husband Philip, who would have turned 100 last week.
But what made matters even more dramatic last week was the much-disputed claim that the couple had asked Her Majesty for permission to use the name, which Harry and Meghan insist they did. They even issued a legal warning, after the BBC quoted a senior Palace source who claimed that Queen Elizabeth had “never been asked” or informed ahead of time. According to insiders, Harry and Meghan are outraged by the cynicism surrounding their daughter’s name.
CHECK OUT Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's relationship from the start
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's relationship timeline
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met in London in July 2016.
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They were introduced by mutual friend Markus Anderson, who is the director of Soho House.
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In October 2016, the Express became the first newspaper to publish news that Prince Harry had a new girlfriend.
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On November 8th 2016, Kensington Palace released an unprecedented statement which referring to Markle as Harry's girlfriend for the first time.
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In the statement, Prince Harry condemned the 'wave of abuse and harrassment' faced by Markle, saying that he was 'worried about Ms. Markle's safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her.'
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'It is not right that a few months into a relationship with him that Ms. Markle should be subjected to such a storm,' the statement continued.
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The couple were papped together for the first time in December 2016, shopping for a Christmas tree in London at the Pines and Needles store.
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Later that week, they were seen on London's West End, catching a performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
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In February, Prince Harry wore a his 'n' hers bracelet on the cover of Town & Country magazine, just weeks after Markle was pictured wearing the same one on Instagram.
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In March 2017, Meghan joined Prince Harry in the Caribbean for the wedding of his friend's Tom 'Skippy' Inskip and Lara Hughes-Young.
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It was the first time that Markle accompanied Harry to a wedding, marking another milestone occasion for the couple.
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The first public event attended by the couple was the polo at Coworth Park in May 2017.
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Later in May, Markle attended the party portion of Pippa Middleton's wedding to James Middelton.
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Prince Harry was seen driving her to the event after the church ceremony.
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The couple were photographed together the following day at the wheelchair tennis.
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The couple 'broke with royal protocol' by holding hands and appearing affectionate while at the Invictus Games.
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In an interview with Vanity Fair, Meghan referred to Harry as her boyfriend numerous times, saying: 'We're a couple. We're in love. I'm sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people understand is that this is our time.'
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In early November 2017, it was reported that Meghan Markle was leaving Suits after seven series.
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Much was made of Markle's choice of outfit: ripped jeans and a white blouse called 'The Husband'.
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Although Prince Harry was sat next to First Lady Melania Trump at the event, rather than his girlfriend, she was only seated a few rows behind him.
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The couple made their first official public appearance in September, when Markle attended the opening of Prince Harry's Invictus Games.
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In mid-November 2017, bookies suspending betting on an impending royal engagement, as speculation grew that an announcement was about to be made.
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On November 27th 2017, Prince Charles announced the engagement of his younger son Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after 15 months of dating.
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The couple later appeared at a photocall, with Markle wearing a white dress coat by Canadian brand Line The Label. The website has subsequently crashed.
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The engagement ring, by Cleave and Company, was reportedly designed by Prince Harry himself, using two stones that belonged to Princess Diana.
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When asked by waiting photographers if the proposal was romantic, Harry joked 'of course!'
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The couple indulged in some PDA at the closing ceremony.
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Meghan wore a maroon midi dress with a pleated chiffon skirt by one of her favourite Canadian brands Aritzia.
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She teamed it with a matching burgundy biker jacket by Mackage.
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Prince Harry reportedly spent time with Meghan's mother Doria while at the Games too.
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Prince Harry was photographed kissing Meghan.
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In late September 2017, it was reported that Meghan had met the Queen, prompting speculation that the relationship was getting serious.
“They insist these names were decided a long time ago, but that’s not stopped a lot of eye-rolling,” says an insider close to the Sussexes, who have made increasingly shocking allegations against the royal family in recent months, starting with their Oprah interview in March, in which they claimed that an unnamed member of the family had questioned how “dark” their first child’s skin would be, and said that Meghan’s pleas for help with her mental health had been ignored.
Harry also accused his family of “neglect”, and said he’d been raised in a “cycle” of suffering in his recent documentary series – prompting royal followers to demand that the couple lose their titles. “For Harry and Meghan, being stripped of that honour would be an open declaration of war from the palace, and they’re really hoping it doesn’t come to that,” says our source. “Despite Harry’s strained relations with his father and brother right now, he is still extremely attached to his grandmother.”
Look! More news!
This is the text Meghan Markle sent to a friend after meeting Prince Harry
Have Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie fallen out over the Sussexes?
As heat has told you, Meghan’s been making efforts to dial down their vocal criticism of the royals – she’s even secretly reached out to her sister-in-law Kate Middleton to help mediate. And judging by the royals’ reaction to the baby news – the Cambridges, Prince Charles and Camilla, and the Queen all welcomed Lilibet and congratulated the couple on social media – her efforts could be paying off. According to our insider, Harry and Meghan, who are also parents to two-year-old Archie, feel they have said enough – for the moment. Now, it’s all about building bridges and taking those to task who question their motives.
We’re told, “The best they can do is keep their side of the street clean and hope they’re allowed to keep their titles.”
Read more in the latest issue of heat magazine – OUT NOW.