In his book Gilded Youth, British author Tom Quinn revisited Meghan and Harry’s decision to name their daughter Lilibet, the nickname of the late Queen Elizabeth II. According to him, it was not a trivial choice for Prince Harry.
On June 4, 2021, Meghan and Harry, already parents of Archie, welcomed a little girl named Lilibet. A nod to the prince’s grandmother, who used this nickname as a child because she couldn’t pronounce her real first name, Elizabeth. Over the years, the nickname has remained, so that King George VI, the Queen Mother, or even Prince Philip regularly used this alias when addressing Elizabeth II. Yes, but now, if many saw it as a tribute on the part of Meghan and Harry, the author Tom Quinn, he seems to have found the audacity of the couple particularly inappropriate. “Naming this child that sparked a diplomatic scuffle. Hating to even think of the admittedly labyrinthine rules of protocol that surround the British royal family, Meghan and Harry called her Lilibet, apparently with the idea that it would be a wonderful surprise for her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.“, wrote the latter in his book, Gilded Youth, published on February 28.
He adds : “The fact that Harry didn’t have the good sense to foresee that it would cause problems is beyond comprehension. He certainly would have known that appropriating the monarch’s beloved childhood nickname would be seen by many as disrespectful and intrusive“.
Was Elizabeth II upset by the name given to her great-granddaughter Lilibet?
The author goes even further by imagining the reaction of Elizabeth II upon hearing the news. “The Queen was no doubt upset that her grandson and his family claimed the intimate nickname which has always been part of the Queen’s private life“, he said, before reporting a “fundamental misunderstanding based on differences between American and British cultures“. If he finds it difficult to believe that Prince Harry named his daughter Lilibet without suspecting the consequences, he nevertheless believes that Meghan Markle simply saw it as a tribute, and that she did not expect that it is perceived as a “impertinenceby the British public.
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3/9 –
Harry and Meghan: this tribute to the queen that went wrong
The naming of this child sparked a diplomatic scuffle. Hating to even think of the admittedly labyrinthine rules of protocol that surround the British royal family, Meghan and Harry called her Lilibet, apparently with the idea that it would be a wonderful surprise for her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.
© Netflix
4/9 –
Harry and Meghan: this tribute to the queen that went wrong
The fact that Harry didn’t have the common sense to foresee that this would cause trouble is beyond comprehension. He would certainly have known that appropriating the monarch’s beloved childhood nickname would be seen by many as disrespectful and intrusive.
© Netflix
5/9 –
Harry and Meghan: this tribute to the queen that went wrong
“The queen was undoubtedly upset that her grandson and his family claimed the intimate nickname which has always been part of the queen’s private life”, he said, before reporting a “misunderstanding fundamental based on the differences between American and British cultures”
© Backgrid UK
6/9 –
Meghan and Harry: this “misunderstanding” when naming their daughter
If Tom Quinn finds it hard to believe that Prince Harry named his daughter Lilibet without suspecting the consequences, he nevertheless believes that Meghan Markle simply saw it as a tribute, and that she did not expect it to be perceived as “impertinence” by the British public.
© Backgrid UK
7/9 –
Lilibet: was the queen upset by the name given to her great-granddaughter?
“The queen was undoubtedly upset that her grandson and his family claimed the intimate nickname which has always been part of the queen’s private life”, he said, before reporting a “misunderstanding fundamental based on the differences between American and British cultures,” says Tom Quinn.
© Backgrid UK
8/9 –
Lilibet: her first name discussed by the public
A nod to the prince’s grandmother, who used this nickname as a child because she couldn’t pronounce her real first name, Elizabeth. Over the years, the nickname has remained, so that King George VI, the Queen Mother, or even Prince Philip regularly used this alias when addressing Elizabeth II. Yes, but now, if many saw it as a tribute from Meghan and Harry, author Tom Quinn seems to have found the audacity of the couple particularly inappropriate
© Backgrid UK
9/9 –
Meghan and Harry: this media scuffle that they did not see coming
“Naming this child that sparked a diplomatic scuffle. Hating even to think of the admittedly labyrinthine rules of protocol that surround the British royal family, Meghan and Harry named her Lilibet, apparently thinking it would be a wonderful surprise for his great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth,” said Tom Quinn.
