There was no bad blood between Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Queen Elizabeth II — despite the recent “smear campaign,” insist inside sources.
If you’ve been following royal reports lately, the latest word on the street is that the late monarch was “angry” the Sussexes claimed she approved of them naming their daughter Lilibet — after her childhood nickname. In reality, per the latest claims, she wasn’t given a chance to give them permission or not. But is that even true?!?
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On Tuesday, an insider took a strong stance against this new theory in favor of Harry and Meghan, telling Us Weekly:
“Meghan and Harry 100 percent got permission from the queen to use the name Lilibet.”
Specifically hitting back at the excerpts of Robert Hardman‘s soon-to-be-released book, Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story, which contained these new claims, the insider continued:
“The report is not true. [Harry and Meghan] don’t know where this is coming from. They’re shocked that this is coming now; it seems out of nowhere and out of left field. They just feel like it’s more of the same smear campaign that continues against them.”
The confidant went on to insist “multiple people are aware” that the Archewell founders (who also share son Prince Archie) got Elizabeth’s blessing before settling on the name, adding:
“They feel it’s convenient [that] this is surfacing now when the queen is not here to defend herself and can’t say what is true or false.”
It is unfortunate timing for something like this to come out — but considering The Firm’s history of ignoring controversy, we doubt Her Majesty would’ve publicly addressed these claims anyway. Not even the Invictus Games founder or Suits alum have discussed the drama yet, but their friend, journalist Omid Scobie, hit back at the backlash on Tuesday, writing on X (Twitter):
“None of these Lilibet ‘revelations’ are doing the late Queen Elizabeth II any favours. Not only do they contradict details shared by the Palace with a cooperatively written biography in 2022 (see pic), they also depict the monarch in a way the public haven’t known her to be.”
None of these Lilibet “revelations”are doing the late Queen Elizabeth II any favours. Not only do they contradict details shared by the Palace with a cooperatively written biography in 2022 (see pic), they also depict the monarch in a way the public haven’t known her to be. pic.twitter.com/si5D4EtV9X
— Omid Scobie (@scobie) January 16, 2024
He specifically pointed out a former Daily Mail report that included a quote from Gyles Brandreth’s 2022 book, Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, that claimed the 96-year-old thought her great-granddaughter’s name was “the compliment it was intended to be.”
By the way, a source back in June 2021 similarly told Us that the couple would never have landed on Lilibet if the matriarch wasn’t on board, saying:
“It was important for them that the queen signed off though, and that didn’t happen until right before the birth. They both agreed it would only be right if Her Majesty gave her approval, especially with something so personal.”
See?? Kinda feels like the reports now are fake?! What do YOU think, Perezcious readers? Let us know (below)!