As one might expect, there's been plenty of hand-wringing about whether Harry and Meghan did or did not ask the queen for permission/her blessing in bestowing her nickname on their newly born baby girl, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. A palace source tells the BBC the queen wasn't consulted about the use of the name Lilibet before the child was born. A rep for the Sussexes counters that in comments to the BBC, although their statement wasn't very clear about whether the queen was contacted prior to or after the birth. The explainer: "The duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement—in fact, his grandmother was the first family member he called. 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."
CNN reports it was told by Buckingham Palace that no official statement would be issued on the subject. It notes the nickname hails from Elizabeth's childhood, when her grandfather, King George V, imitated the way she pronounced her own name when young. At NBC News, Kelly Hartog lends her opinion as a Brit: She finds the name tasteless considering the current state of family relations, likening it to "Harry saying, 'Hey Grandma, I know you're pissed off with me right now, so I thought I'd take your very private nickname and put it in the public domain by giving it to our newborn daughter.' At best, the decision seems tone-deaf. At worst, it's a cynical attempt at a reconciliation without actually doing any reconciliation work." At Slate, Heather Schwedel has a more generous reaction, noting that throughout the hubbub, "Meghan and Harry have taken pains to emphasize that they still have a warm relationship with the queen." (More Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor stories.)
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