Prince Harry just broke his silence to set the record straight about the name he and Meghan Markle chose for their new daughter, Lilibet (or “Lili”).
Today, a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex released a rare statement addressing recent rumors, which claim he didn’t ask for Queen Elizabeth’s permission to name Lilibet after her. After debunking the gossip, Prince Harry revealed that he would have picked another moniker if the monarch hadn’t approved.
“The Duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement, in fact his grandmother was the first family member he called,” a spokesperson said, according to People. “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 name.”
The statement came just a few hours after the BBC reported that Harry didn’t consult with his grandmother prior to naming Lili. The report would have been a huge blow, especially since “Lilibet” holds a special meaning to the monarch. Not only was it the queen’s childhood nickname (because she couldn’t pronounce “Elizabeth” as a toddler), but it was also the moniker that Prince Philip used for his wife in private.
We first learned about Lilibet’s arrival earlier this week when the Archewell website confirmed that Lili was born on June 4 at 11:40 am at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California. In addition to their new daughter, Prince Harry and Markle are also parents to a 2-year-old son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
Phew! That was close.