They became a family of four with the arrival of Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor earlier this month – but Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s choice of name for their newborn has ignited yet more controversy.
After announcing their daughter’s name was a tribute to Harry’s grandmother the Queen – who was nicknamed Lilibet as a child by her family, and later by her late husband, Prince Philip – there was both an outpouring of praise and a fierce backlash.
While many fans were delighted at the tribute, others expressed their disbelief and anger at the couple’s decision to adopt the private nickname, given their recent scathing comments about members of the royal family and Palace life, plus their decision to step down from “The Firm” last year.
One commentator gushed, “It’s a lovely name and a wonderful tribute to two very special women, good on them!” But others were outraged with the decision.
Referring to Harry, 36, and Meghan’s damning interviews over the last few months – where they have made claims that a royal had been racist towards their unborn child and insisted Meghan was refused support when she was suicidal – one wrote, “It’s totally hypocritical of these two to give their daughter this name after all the criticism of the Queen and other members of the RF.”
Last week, there were conflicting reports over whether the Queen had even been informed of the baby’s name before it was announced. While a Palace source told the BBC the Queen hadn’t been told, Harry and Meghan immediately responded, saying that was not correct. And friend of the couple, Omid Scobie, insisted Harry and Meghan, 39, did seek the Monarch’s approval first, saying, “Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.”
A furious Harry threated to sue the BBC if it continued to repeat the allegation that the Queen had not been told.
But former royal butler Paul Burrell tells Closer he would not have expected the Queen to have approved, given what the pet name means to her.
Paul, 63 – who at one point worked as a footman for Her Majesty – says, “I was absolutely gobsmacked when I heard the baby’s name. Having worked alongside the Queen for over a decade, I know just how deeply personal, private and precious that name is to her. No one would dare refer to her as that – it was only for those closest to her. I know Harry has said the Queen did approve – but that totally surprises me. I don’t doubt Harry and Meghan both believe it’s a tremendous tribute to her. But I know it’s such an intimate name and not one that she’d ever want to be used generally. I think it’s very inappropriate.”
Throughout her romance with Harry and the subsequent controversies that have shrouded her time in the royals, Meghan has only had one family member by her side – her beloved mother Doria – with her father Thomas Markle and half-sibling Samantha now totally cut out of her life. Doria has been a constant in Meghan’s life and was the only family member to attend her wedding in 2018, reportedly staying with the couple in the weeks and months after the birth of son Archie to help out, as well as now to help take care of Lilibet.
And Paul is equally shocked at the omission of a tribute to Doria in their daughter’s name. He says, “Where’s Doria? Poor Doria! I feel sorry for her – she seems to have been elbowed out of the picture, despite her being Meghan’s main ally and her rock. I honestly don’t think Doria was commercial enough for them – Lilibet and Diana have immediate association, but Doria doesn’t. I thought it was very odd they didn’t pay tribute to her. They have spent time criticising Harry’s family – yet name their daughter after the head of it.”
Check out: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's relationship from the start
Prince Harry and Meghan relationship timeline (slider) - Grazia
1 of 19July 2016: Meghan And Harry Meet
So when did the future Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet? Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were introduced by a mutual friend in July 2016, originally thought to be Markus Anderson (also the director of Soho house) but who was later confirmed to be Violet von Westenholz. Meghan said in an interview that before she met the Harry she didn't know much about him 'the only thing that I had asked [our mutual friend] was, 'Well is he nice?'. According to Harry he knew Meghan was The One from 'the very first time we met.' after only two dates Harry asked Meghan to accompany him on a trip to Botswana.
2 of 19October - November 2016: Kensington Palace's Statement
In October 2016 that the Express became the first newspaper to publish news that Prince Harry had a new girlfriend. However just a month later, Kensington Palace released a statement condemning the 'wave of abuse and harassment' faced by Meghan. The unprecedented statement, which referred to Meghan as Harry's girlfriend for the first time, emphasized that Prince Harry was 'worried about Ms. Markle's safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her.' It continued 'It is not right that a few months into a relationship with him that Ms. Markle should be subjected to such a storm.' The palace were also forced to address speculation that Prince William was unhappy with Harry for confirming the relationship too soon, stating 'The Duke of Cambridge absolutely understands the situation concerning privacy and supports the need for Prince Harry to support those closest to him.'
3 of 19December - February 2017: Things Get More Serious
Early in December 2017 Meghan was confirmed as the most Googled actress of 2016. In the same month, the couple were photographed together for the first time in London, shopping for a Christmas tree at the Pines and Needles store and attending a performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. By January 2017 a source told US weekly that Harry had introduced Meghan to Kate and Prince Charlotte and that the 'meeting went well'. Meanwhile a source told The Sun that Meghan had 'virtually moved in' with Prince Harry to his cottage on the Kensington Palace estate.
4 of 19March - May 2017: Meghan Attends Weddings With Harry
By March things were openly getting pretty serious between the two: Meghan accompanied Harry to Jamaica for a wedding for the first time (his friend's Tom 'Skippy' Inskip to Lara Hughes-Young). On April the 7th Meghan announced that she was closing down her lifestyle blog The Tig writing 'What began as a passion project (my little engine that could) evolved into an amazing community of inspiration, support, fun and frivolity. You've made my days brighter and filled this experience with so much joy.' In May, Meghan and Harry attended their first public event together at the Polo in Coworth Park (where they also engaged in some PDA). Later in May Prince Harry was seen driving Meghan to the reception of Pippa Middleton and James Matthew's wedding.
5 of 19September 2017: The First Official Public Appearance
Welcome to Meghan the style Icon: at the opening of Prince Harry's Invictus Games in September Meghan wore a maroon midi dress with a pleated chiffon skirt by one of her favourite Canadian brands, Aritzia with a burgundy biker jacket by Mackage. The next day the couple were photographed sitting together at the wheelchair tennis and 'broke with royal protocol' by holding hands and kissing at the closing ceremony. On the 5th of September In an interview with Vanity Fair, Meghan stated: '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.'
6 of 19September-November 2017: Meghan Leaves Behind Rachel Zane
Late 2017 we saw the end of everyone's favourite legal powerhouse Rachel Zane (sob). In November 2017, shortly after Meghan met the Queen, the actress was reported to be leaving her role in Suits after seven seasons.
7 of 19November 2017: The Engagement
After months of speculation, Prince Charles announced the engagement of his younger son Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after 15 months of dating On November 27th 2017 . The engagement ring, said to be designed by Harry, is made of two stones that belonged to Princess Diana. The couple later appeared at a photocall, with Markle wearing a white dress coat by Canadian brand Line The Label (whose website subsequently crashed). When asked by waiting photographers if the proposal was romantic, Harry joked 'of course!' Speaking about his late mother, Princess Diana, Harry said 'I think they'd be thick as thieves. She would be over the moon, jumping up and down, so excited for me... It's days like today when I really miss having her around and miss being able to share the happy news. With the ring, I'm sure she's with us, jumping up and down somewhere else.' it was announced that the wedding would take place on May the 19th, 2018.
8 of 19December 2017: The Fab Four
In December 2017 Meghan, Harry, Kate and William were photographed together attending the Christmas service at Sandringham. Pictures of the two couples earned them the title 'The Fab Four'. Meanwhile in the following months Meghan earned a reputation for breaking royal protocol on official visits by hugging fans of the couple and kissing them on the cheek.
9 of 19February 2018: Kate And Meghan Appear In Public Together
In February 2018, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle had their first royal engagement together for the Royal Foundation Forum with Prince Harry and Prince William. Harry stated of the two couples 'We have different opinions and they work really well [together]. Working as family does have its challenges; of course it does. The fact that everybody is laughing shows they know exactly what's it like… But we are stuck together for the rest of our lives.'
10 of 19May 2018: The Lead Up To The Wedding
In the lead-up to the wedding it was confirmed 2,640 people would be invited to the grounds of Windsor Palace to watch the royal wedding. Photos of Meghan and Harry's wedding invitations were released, bearing Harry's legal name 'Henry'. Meghan and Harry made a number of public appearances together including to the Invictus game tryouts in April and attend the Queen's birthday at the Royal Albert Hall. Meghan's final episode of Suits is also aired, marking the official end of her acting career.
11 of 19May 2018: Meghan's Family Drama Begins
On May the 14th, three days before the wedding Meghan's father, Thomas Markle sr. who was confirmed to walk Meghan down the aisle pulled out, following an embarrassing incident in which he staged paid paparazzi photos. Thomas Markle later suffered a heart attack, and his son Thomas Markle Jr. penned an unflattering open letter to Harry criticizing Meghan and encouraging him to pull out of the wedding. The day before the wedding, Kensington Palace announced Prince Charles would walk Meghan down the aisle, stating 'The Prince of Wales is pleased to be able to welcome Ms. Markle to The Royal Family in this way.'
12 of 19May 2018: The Royal Wedding
Meghan and Harry wed on the 19th of May for a combined audience of 11.5 million people who tuned in to watch the ceremony. Meghan's gown was made by Clare Waight Keller, artistic director of the fashion house Givenchy which she later changed for a silk crepe dress by Stella McCartney. Her mother Doria Ragland attended the ceremony along with a host of celebrities including Meghan's former Suits cast and her close friends, George and Amal Clooney.
13 of 19May - October 2018: Married Life
Throughout May of 2018 Harry and Meghan made their first official appearances as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. For her inaugural attendance to the Trooping of the Colour Meghan wore an off-the-shoulder dress, reportedly breaking royal protocal. In the following months the newlyweds made a number of public appearances including to Ireland to meet the country's officials. They also took a rumoured trip to visit George and Amal Clooney in Lake Como.
14 of 19October 2018: The Royal Baby Announcement
Speculation began during Princess Eugenie's wedding that Meghan was pregnant owing to her loose coat. The rumours were confirmed when Kensington Palace announced on the 15th of October 2018 that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were expecting a child. The announcement also coincided with the first day of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's official tour.
15 of 19October 2018: Meghan And Harry's First Royal Tour
In October Meghan and Harry departed for their 16-day Autumn royal tour visiting Australia, Tonga, Fiji and New Zealand (obviously featuring some serious style moments from the newly-appointed Duchess of Sussex/Style). By November, sources were telling news outlets that the couple were preparing to move to Frogmore cottage in Windsor in 2019. The couple spent the anniversary of their engagement, November the 27th apart, due to Harry being in Zambia.
16 of 19November 2018 - Present: Feud Rumours
As Meghan and Harry embarked on life as newlyweds there was less plainsailing, as controversy continued to follow closely on their heels. Meghan's family have continued to be the subject of unflattering media headlines and Thomas Markle gave interviews to the media about his distanced relationship with his daughter. Meanwhile Samantha Markle (Meghan's half sister, who also claims to be penning a book about the Duchess) was put on a fixated persons list after showing up at Kensington palace in January. Rumours of a froideur between Meghan and Kate were sparked shortly after Meghan and Harry's nuptials by reports that Meghan reduced Kate 'to tears' during challenging dress fittings with Princess Charlotte. In February, Thomas Markle leaks a handwritten letter from Meghan to the media in response to friends of the Duchess defending her in an interview and following numerous staff changes, rumours arise that Meghan and Harry's staff refer to Meghan by the nickname 'The difficult Duchess'.
17 of 19March 2019: The Royal Household's Split
In March 2019 it was confirmed that the Sussex and Cambridge's 'royal households' will split, meaning the couples will no longer share staff. Royal spokespersons confirm that Kate and William's staff team will stay in Kensington Palace while Meghan and Harry's staff will be based in Buckingham Palace, reflecting the location of their new residence of Frogmore cottage in Windsor. Representatives are quick to confirm this is a planned move, and not due to rumors of growing tensions between the couples.
18 of 19May 2019: The Baby Is Here!
Meghan Markle gave birth to baby Sussex on May 6th, 2019, he weighed 7lbs. 3oz. On May 8th the new parents did a photocall at Windsor Castle, showing their newborn off to the world.
19 of 19October 2019: The Duke and Duchess take legal action against the Mail on Sunday.
Prince Harry released a powerful statement condemning the treatment of his wife and explaining why she is taking legal action against The Mail on Sunday. It reads: 'As a couple, we believe in media freedom and objective, truthful reporting. We regard it as a cornerstone of democracy and in the current state of the world – on every level – we have never needed responsible media more.'Find out more here.
Since moving overseas in March 2020, Harry has returned to the UK to see his family just once – in April for his late grandfather Prince Philip’s funeral – and fans breathed a sigh of relief as they watched him interact with his brother Prince William and his wife Kate.
Speaking on his mental health docuseries The Me You Can’t See – which he produced with Oprah Winfrey – Harry revealed that returning to the UK was a “trigger” for his mental health. He explained he always felt “worried, concerned, a little bit tense and uptight” whenever he flew back to the UK and, more specifically, London.
But he’s due to return to the UK in July this year for the unveiling of his late mother Princess Diana’s statue at Kensington Palace, to mark what would have been her 60th birthday.
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Last week, it emerged that Harry still intends to be there – but Paul doesn’t believe that Meghan and the children will also be in tow.
He says, “Harry has to be there for the unveiling – he just has to and I don’t think he’d miss it. But Meghan won’t – I think she’ll say that it’s too soon after she’s given birth. And Harry wouldn’t bring Archie on his own.
“It’s a heartbreaking situation with so much sadness, but I really doubt the Queen will ever meet little Lilibet. In fact, I doubt there’ll be any relationship between the Queen and Harry’s children. There are video calls, but it’s not the same. The Queen only met Archie a handful of times and I don’t think there’ll be many – if any – more sadly. It will sadden her, as she prides herself on her role as a grandmother and great grandmother.”
As controversy continues to shroud the couple, last week Prince Edward – youngest son of the Queen – refused to comment on them during an interview, saying, “I stay way out of it. It’s much the safest place to be.”
And Paul says that he believes much of the royal family want the feud to end, adding, “I think the royals are all thinking, ‘Whatever will it be next?’ They are bracing themselves for the next bombshell to come. Harry and Meghan seem to be like a volcano – what will be next to erupt? I don’t know when it’ll stop, but I really hope he comes to his senses soon.”
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