EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Blasted by Royal Historian for 'Odious' Use Of Queen Elizabeth's Nickname for Daughter Lilibet
A royal biographer claims the Queen was 'furious' that the duo named their daughter 'Lilibet.'
April 20 2026, Published 1:05 p.m. ET
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been blasted as "odious" by royal historian Hugo Vickers for naming their daughter after Queen Elizabeth II’s deeply personal childhood nickname, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Vickers claimed the late monarch was left "furious" over the move, accusing the couple of appropriating the intimate name "Lilibet," originally given to the Queen by her grandfather, and bestowing it on their daughter, Lilibet Diana, born in June 2021.
The Sussexes Were 'Odious' for Using the Queen's Private Nickname for Daughter
Royal historian Hugo Vickers called the Sussexes naming their daughter 'Lilibet' absolutely 'shocking.'
Vickers appeared on The Daily T podcast to discuss his new biography, Queen Elizabeth II: A Personal History, where he scoffed, "Oh, well, that was odious," over the Sussexes using the name "Lilibet."
Co-hosts Tim Stanley and Camilla Tominey were stunned, as he doubled down on the claim.
"Wasn't it rather sweet for them to call their daughter Lilibet after the queen's name?" Tominey asked.
"To use the queen's name that was used by her actual private family? No. That's absolutely shocking," Vickers retorted about the Sussexes' bold move with the moniker a year after their heated departure from the royal family.
'Lilibet' Was a Deeply Personal Name for The Queen
Prince Philip was the last family member to call the queen 'Lilibet.'
The Queen's treasured nickname "Lilibet" wasn’t just a cute moniker, as it was born from childhood, when the young princess struggled to pronounce "Elizabeth." It prompted her grandfather, King George V, to lovingly coin the name that would stick for life.
The deeply personal nickname became a closely guarded family term of endearment, used by her father, King George VI, who once famously said of his very different daughters: "Lilibet is my pride. Margaret is my joy.”
In later years, Elizabeth's husband, Prince Philip, was among the last to call her "Lilibet," especially following the deaths of her mother and sister in 2002, making it an even more intimate and private name within her inner circle.
The nickname was expected to fade into memory after Philip’s death in April 2021, capping their 73-year marriage with the Queen signing a heartbreaking handwritten note placed atop his coffin, "In loving memory, Lilibet." But just two months later, Harry and Markle claimed it as their own for their newborn daughter.
'The Queen Was Furious'
Vickers claimed the Queen was 'furious' upon learning Prince Harry and Markle named their daughter 'Lilibet.'
Vickers claims the monarch was livid when she found out Harry and Markle used her treasured private nickname for their daughter.
"She said they did, but no, they didn't. No, the queen was furious," the biographer said about the queen's reaction to hearing about the infant being named Lilibet, amid reports the couple consulted with her before bestowing the infant's moniker.
At the time, there were conflicting reports about whether or not Harry got the green light to use "Lilibet" or if he told his grandmother he wanted to name the girl after her, meaning "Elizabeth."
The Sussexes' rep said the duo "100 percent got permission" for the name, adding, "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."
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The Queen Was 'As Angry as I'd Ever Seen Her' Over Sussexes Using 'Lilibet' Name
Another royal author claimed the Queen was livid the couple named their daughter after her private nickname.
However, a senior Buckingham Palace source told the BBC at the time that the Queen "was not asked" for permission to use the name Lilibet and was "absolutely adamant" that no permission was granted.
Royal author Robert Jobson wrote in his 2024 biography, Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story, that the queen was infuriated when Harry and Markle released their statement claiming she gave them her "blessing" to use the name Lilibet.
The monarch was "as angry as I’d ever seen her," a senior royal aide was quoted as saying.
He also wrote that the queen told close palace aides, "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."
