A startling new revelation has emerged about the late Queen Elizabeth II's private thoughts on one of the most personal royal announcements in recent years.
According to excerpts from a new biography by royal expert Robert Hardman, the monarch was caught entirely off guard when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced they had named their daughter Lilibet. The name, of course, was the Queen's own deeply private childhood nickname, used only by her closest family, including her parents and her late husband, Prince Philip.
The Queen's reported response was a masterpiece of understatement. Upon being informed of the choice, she is said to have drily remarked, "I hear they’re calling her Lili."
This characteristically witty and bemused comment speaks volumes. While not openly critical, it hints at a certain surprise at the appropriation of such an intimate moniker. The revelation provides a rare glimpse into the Queen's personal feelings on a matter that blurred the line between public duty and private family life.
The choice of the name had sparked significant controversy at the time. Buckingham Palace was notably silent on the matter, but reports later suggested that the Queen was "never asked" by the Sussexes if they could use her personal nickname for their child. This new account appears to add a new layer of nuance to that private moment within the walls of the palace.
Hardman's book, Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story, continues to provide captivating insights into the most turbulent period of modern royal history, capturing the human reactions behind the public stoicism of the monarchy.
