When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcomed their second child in 2021, they chose the name Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor—a nod to Queen Elizabeth II’s longtime family nickname.

Lilibet was famously what her parents, sister, and Prince Philip called her at home. The nickname reportedly started when the Queen was a small child who couldn’t pronounce “Elizabeth” properly. And, like most childhood pet names, it just stuck.

After the announcement, public speculation erupted over whether the Queen truly approved of the couple using such an intimate family term for their daughter.

The Sussexes have always maintained the monarch gave her blessing. But not everyone in royal circles agreed with that narrative.

Claims of the Queen’s Anger

Royal author Robert Hardman resurfaced the issue in his book Charles III: New King, New Court, The Inside Story. One royal aide quoted in the book recalled that the Queen had been “as angry as I’d ever seen her” when news of the name went public.

Hardman wrote that Elizabeth was upset the couple publicly said she approved of the decision. According to him, she reportedly said:
“I don’t own the palaces or the paintings, only my name, and now they’ve taken that.”

The book also suggested the Queen felt cornered, believing she couldn’t say no when asked about using the name. Meanwhile, media outlets offered conflicting versions—some insisting Harry and Meghan never asked at all.

A BBC report at the time claimed they hadn’t even approached the monarch for permission, implying the decision was made without a conversation. Other reports echoed this, alleging the Queen felt the world would assume she supported anything connected to her nickname.

The Copyright Controversy

Royal commentator Angela Levin later stirred further backlash during an interview with GB News presenter Eamonn Holmes.

Levin called the couple’s behavior “appalling,” suggesting Meghan had taken a controversial step while still pregnant:
“Meghan, even before Lilibet was born, had taken out the names officially so that she could use them to buy things and to identify them.”

Holmes pressed the question:
“What do you mean? They’d copyrighted the name?”

Levin replied simply: “Yes.”

She went on to explain why this struck a nerve: “This name is just for her… it’s very intimate.”

She emphasized that the nickname was shared only within the Queen’s inner family circle, used “out of love” by those closest to her.

Levin warned that if the public didn’t know the deeply personal origin, they might assume the Queen had endorsed any products linked to the name.
“People… will think the Queen is supporting this, let’s buy it,” she said, adding again, “I think it’s appalling.”

The Sussexes’ Response

A spokesperson for the Sussexes immediately rejected claims that the Queen disapproved, saying Harry personally discussed the name with his grandmother before the public announcement.

“His grandmother was the first family member he called,” the statement read. The spokesperson explained that during the call, Harry shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honour.

They concluded firmly:
“Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.”