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Harry, Meghan deny report alleging they didn't consult Queen about naming daughter Lilibet

Prince Harry, Meghan
Posted at 8:16 AM, Jun 10, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-10 08:16:53-04

Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, are pushing back on a report from the BBC that alleged the couple did not consult Queen Elizabeth before naming their baby girl Lilibet.

Meghan gave birth to Lilibet Diana, the couples' second child, on Friday. They chose to name her Lilibet after the Queen's father's nickname for her when she was a child.

On Wednesday, the BBC reported that an unnamed palace source said that Harry and Meghan had not spoken to the Queen before choosing to name their daughter after her.

A spokesperson for the Sussexes pushed back on the BBC's reporting on Wednesday.

"The Duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement. In fact, his grandmother was the first family member he called," the spokesperson told CNN and USA Today. "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."

In addition, a law firm acting for Prince Harry and Meghan issued a letter to several news outlets claiming that the BBC's reporting was "false and defamatory."

Harry and Meghan have had a strained relationship with the rest of the Royal Family since they decided to step back as "working members of the family" in 2020.

In March, Harry and Meghan sat down for an explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey. During that interview, Meghan described not feeling supported by other family members and said the toxic environment drove her to consider suicide.

Wednesday's report is the latest controversy between the BBC and the Royal Family. Just weeks ago, an investigation found that a longtime journalist with the network falsified bank statements and used other dishonest tactics to persuade Princess Diana — Harry's mother — to agree to an interview in 1995.