Prince Harry Spotted In Public For The First Time Since Claims Queen Was Furious Over Lilibet's Name
Prince Harry put the issues surrounding his daughter's name behind him and stepped out for a jog.
The Duke of Sussex was spotted jogging in Santa Barbara, California, Tuesday morning. He kept himself warm by opting for layered clothing and a beanie. He wore a purple shirt, a jacket from Loro Piana and light material shorts.
It was the first time Prince Harry was out in public after his daughter's name, Lilibet, became a topic of discussion. Robert Hardman, a British journalist, author and documentary filmmaker, brought up the issue in his new book "Charles III: New King, New Court. The Inside Story."
Hardman spoke with various insiders, and he was told the late monarch was furious with the Sussexes' statement that they received her blessing to name their daughter "Lilibet."
"One privately recalled that Elizabeth II had been 'as angry as I'd ever seen her' in 2021 after the Sussexes announced that she had given them her blessing to call their baby daughter' Lilibet,' the Queen's childhood nickname," the author wrote.
Another insider claimed Her Majesty was so upset that she told her aides that Prince Harry and Markle took away from her the only thing she owned.
"I don't own the palaces, I don't own the paintings, the only thing I own is my name. And now they've taken that," the late Queen reportedly said.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex haven't released any statement about the issue. However, they previously insisted they had the Queen's approval after a BBC report cited an unnamed insider, saying they didn't ask his grandmother's permission to use her name for their daughter.
"The duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement -- in fact, his grandmother was the first family member he called," Prince Harry and Markle's rep said in a statement at the time.
"During that conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honor. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name."
Amid the royal couple's silence, several netizens slammed Prince Harry and Markle for naming their daughter after the Queen after they seemingly called the royal family "racist" in their interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021.
"Why name your daughter after a person who was the head of an institution you openly labeled as being racist and refused Meghan support when she was pregnant and suicidal? Harry and Meghan are two vile, nauseating liars and schemers," one wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Charlotte Griffiths, editor at large at Mail on Sunday, shared her opinion on the issue. According to her, the backlash was not directed at the Sussexes' daughter but at her parents for choosing that name for her.
"We're not attacking the little girl, it's about, as you say, publicity, making a drama, inviting their daughter into the circus by calling her Lilibet," Griffiths said.
