Prince Harry 'told Queen he'd name child after her' says expert

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Prince Harry, 36, and Meghan Markle’s decision to name their daughter Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was without doubt intended to be a touching nod to Queen Elizabeth II, 95. However, the move has sparked confusion amid contrasting reports around whether or not they told the Queen they planned to use her childhood name for their baby girl before announcing it to the world.

Sources close to the Sussexes maintain they did seek the Queen’s approval ahead of revealing their royal baby’s name.

On Wednesday, friend of the couple Omid Scobie leapt to their defence on Twitter, writing: “A Sussex source says that the Queen was the first family Harry called after Lilibet’s birth and during that conversation, he shared the couple’s hope of naming their daughter in her honour.

“Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.”

Mr Scobie’s tweet was in response to a BBC report that claimed the Sussexes did not discuss their daughter’s name with the Queen.

A Buckingham Palace source told the BBC, there was no discussion about the name before it was announced.

Tensions between the Royal Family and the Sussexes have been running high ever since their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey aired in March.

During the explosive sitdown, Harry and Meghan made a series of damning allegations against the Firm, some of which were later shown to be untrue or inaccurate by royal experts.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Express.co.uk: “It is sad that the happy news of the arrival of Harry and Meghan’s new daughter Lili, has been followed by an open disagreement about whether the Queen knew that the name Lilibet, an intimate one for her since childhood, was being bestowed on her great-grandchild.”

“This was intended as a tribute.

“A Palace source has told the BBC that the Queen didn’t know and this would undoubtedly have been done with the monarch’s approval.

“Through a spokesperson, the Sussexes have claimed that she did know.”

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The controversy around the name is unfortunate and should have been avoided, Mr Fitzwilliams claimed.

The commentator added: “This confusion could and should have been avoided.

“The interview on Oprah was an example of the Sussexes telling their own version of the truth and it has subsequently, been heavily criticised for many inaccuracies.”

The baby name debate may cast doubt on Harry and Meghan as reliable sources, Mr Fitzwilliams claimed.

While the Sussexes have not been back to the UK as a family unit since 2019, Harry is due to return to Britain next month.

Harry will join his brother Prince William, 39, for a poignant event at Kensington Palace as they unveil a new statue of their mother Princess Diana on July 1.

There are hopes baby Lili may get to meet her royal relatives next year if Harry and Meghan decide to travel to the UK to take part in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

They expected to raise their daughter Lili in California with her brother Archie Harrison, two.

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