Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to name their daughter Lilibet, after the Queen's private family nickname, sparked a royal row that left the monarch feeling "betrayed" and "as angry as I'd ever seen her", according to a new book.
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The book, Charles III: New King, New Court. The Inside Story, by Robert Hardman, reveals that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not ask the Queen for permission to use the name, but claimed that they had her blessing in a public statement.
The couple, who live in California, said that they had spoken to the Queen before the birth and shared their hope of naming their daughter in her honour. They also said that they would not have used the name Lilibet if the Queen had not been "supportive".
However, the book alleges that the Queen was not aware of their plans and was "co-opted" into "propping up" their version of events. The book also says that the Queen felt "betrayed" by Harry and Meghan's decision to quit royal duties and criticise the monarchy in a series of interviews.
The name Lilibet was given to the Queen by her father, King George VI, who mimicked her attempts to pronounce her own name as a child. It was also used by her late husband, Prince Philip, as a term of affection.
The Queen's death on September 8, 2022, at the age of 95, was described as "very peaceful" in a memo written by her private secretary, which is now in the Royal Archives.
The book, which is being serialised in the Daily Mail, also claims that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hired a firm of aggressive lawyers to threaten media outlets that reported that the Queen had not been consulted about the name.
The couple's lawyers, Schillings, wrote to news broadcasters and publishers, including the BBC, saying that the report that the Queen was not asked for permission to use the name Lilibet was false and defamatory and should not be repeated.
But when the Sussexes tried to "co-opt" Buckingham Palace into "propping up" their version of events, they were "rebuffed", the book says.
The book also reveals how Prince William felt his brother's attacks on his wife, Kate, were "the lowest of the low" and how he was "mortified" by Harry's "casual betrayal" of so many fraternal secrets in his memoir, Spare.
Neither King Charles nor William has read Spare, or ever will. But staff have informed them of "the key points", the book says.
Charles was left deeply hurt by Harry's actions but has learnt to "compartmentalise" domestic trauma, the book adds.
