No royal fans expected the bombshell over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s daughter and her moniker setting the tone for the New Year. Their youngest was welcomed into the world in 2021, in the summer, and now King Charles is on the throne, is officially a Princess.

At the time, Prince Harry and Meghan were thrilled to announce the birth of their second child. Prince Harry was smiling ear-to-ear when he told reporters of the news of Archie coming into the world two years earlier as well.

Meghan and Harry have always done things their own way

The royals have always wanted to do things differently, though. When it came to their firstborn, they ditched the practice of announcing to the world of their bundle of joy outside the hospital. Kate Middleton had done the hospital appearance with all three of her children. She followed in the footsteps of Princess Diana, who had set the precedent with her two boys, William and Harry himself.

However, when it came to Harry and Meghan Markle‘s turn, they wanted their own way of commemorating their expanding family. Instead, Harry met reporters off the edge of his royal estate after the birth to tell them the news. Then, days later, the trio organized a press photo opportunity where mother and baby were glowing.

This was the case with their children’s names too. Wills and Kate chose more traditional names in line of the royal throne, such as George, Charlotte and Louis – or after previous monarchs in English history.

Meg and Haz picked the adorable name of Archie for their little one. The moniker was 19th of the most popular name in 2019, the year he was born. Although, it surged into the Top 10 for the first time the following year because of their popularity and influence.

Then, when it came to their daughter, they decided to pay tribute to two important women in Harry’s life. She was named Lilibet Diana. Lilibet is in reference to the nickname only the closest and dearest of the late Queen’s inner cycle would call her. It stems from the young monarch as a child not being able to pronounce her own name – Elizabeth – and instead Lilibet would come out. It’s said her father King George V and her husband Prince Philip would refer her by this pet name.

What is all the fuss about with Harry and Meghan choosing Lilibet as her name?

At the time, the Sussexes said Queen Elizabeth II gave her blessing over their decision.

Sources later said the late Queen did keep them waiting, though. She only gave them her reaction before the big day, and it’s said the couple were waiting right up until the birth.

Now, a new book, by Daily Mail columnist Robert Hardman, states otherwise. The author, who penned Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story, claims an aide at the palace told him the former monarch was ‘angry’ as they had ever seen her over the choice.

They allege she wasn’t happy they chose to put her private and personal nickname out into the public. The insider also claimed Harry and Meghan had informed the Queen of their Lilibet name choice, not asking permission, per se.

Since the bombshell dropped earlier this week, a source close to the Sussexes has spoken out. They’ve said they are “shocked” the debate over Lilibet’s name is “coming out now”. They further claimed it was part of a ‘smear campaign’ against the royals, who left The Firm in 2020.

Hardman also claims, when stories of the internal struggle over Lilibet’s name first came out a while ago, written by the BBC and other outlets, it caused a stir for Harry and Meghan. He writes legal representatives of the couple approached the neutral news service, asking them to take it down. They didn’t.

GRV and Celebrity Tidbit has approached Harry and Meghan’s representatives for comment.

‘It’s not part of the Harry and Meghan narrative’

The reason this has kicked up a fuss, is that when it comes to priorities, Harry and Meghan want to control their own narrative. This bombshell screws up their plans.

The pair fled the UK for a new life in their Montecito mansion in California four years ago. A year into their new life, they sat down with celebrity friend Oprah Winfrey in their tell-all interview. It caused shockwaves around the world over the severe allegations they made about the royal family.

Some of the disastrous claims included senior royals allegedly being concerned over Archie’s skin color before he was born. Others revolved around Meghan not receiving help for her mental health struggles, and Harry shouting to the world he had been financially cut off from his father, King Charles.

Let’s not forget, the couple put a down payment on their $15m mansion – which has 9 bedrooms and 16 bathrooms – in the celebrity hotspot of Montecito.

At the time, the palace did not respond to the individual claims but did release a statement. It read they would deal with the matters “as a family”, and said Harry and Meghan would always be welcome. Prince William told reporters himself the royals were ‘very much’ not a racist family.

It continues.

They went on to sign a lucrative $100m deal with Netflix, and released a six-episode docuseries. It reflected on their lives before and after leaving The Firm and starting their new life. Then, Harry released his own memoir, Spare, as part of a huge four-book deal with Random House. This has led to experts believing more explosive biographies are coming.

The Sussexes like to put out information about themselves directly from the source – Harry and Meghan.

So when a thunderbolt like Lilibet’s name debate takes over Harry and Meghan’s life without them planning it, it doesn’t fit in with their narrative.

‘Toxic brand’ to Hollywood stars?

View Tweet

If we take a further dive, we see they’re trying to overhaul their perception in the public eye.

Airing the royal family’s dirty laundry with their Netflix, TV and book deals didn’t do them any favors. Their popularity in the polls has plummeted in recent years. But last year, Meghan signed with a top Hollywood agent. It was said to help her secure more work and to work on her image with fans. Prince Harry was seen on solo trips, with Meghan absent from former ventures they usually did together.

The couple were set to attend the WellChilds Awards together in September 2022. However, they canceled their plans after the Queen fell ill and sadly passed. The duo stayed in the country for her funeral. But when the awards show came back around the following year, Meghan didn’t attend. Harry went alone and actually referred to his wife’s absence for the first time. Before that, he had undergone trips alone, such as Singapore to play Polo, and opening the Invictus Games on his lonesome.

A PR expert warned the couple needed to start working on solo ventures to avoid their ‘toxic brand’. It could be the Sussexes are actually listening.

Therefore, topics like Lilibet’s name upsetting the Queen doesn’t help Harry and Meghan’s brand, does it?

If an insider says the pair are ‘shocked’ it’s all coming out now, it’s probably because they’ve taken one step forward and two steps back now.

But where does the path lead?

Related Topics

MORE CELEBRITY STORIES

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLHLnpmroaSuwaqwwaKrZ5ufonxzfJFtZmlpX2aFcLvPoqWip55ivbO1zZycZqCRp7%2B6ecCnm2allZy1orqMppiro5yawG64yKWgm52kYruiucRmm56akamybrXSZqmosZGhwG7DzquqrWWenrSpwMyaqZ5n