In a resurfaced excerpt from his memoir, "Spare," Prince Harry opened up about the late Queen Elizabeth II's final visit with his children, Archie and Lilibet, revealing a touching moment that showcased the strong bond between the monarch and her great-grandchildren. Despite the family feud that strained their relationship in her final years, Harry described how his children behaved during the long-awaited meeting.
"Archie making deep, chivalrous bows, his baby sister Lilibet cuddling the monarch's shins. Sweetest children, Granny said, sounding bemused," Harry wrote. He explained that the Queen had expected the children to be "a bit more...American," meaning "more rambunctious" in her mind.
Queen Elizabeth's death in 2022 at the age of 96 deeply affected Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle. Harry admitted that the loss changed the way he acted around his young family upon returning to the United States following her funeral. "For days and days, we couldn't stop hugging the children, couldn't let them out of our sight. Though I also couldn't stop picturing them with Granny," he shared.
However, while this heartwarming moment sheds light on the close relationship between the Queen and her great-grandchildren, a new book by royal journalist Robert Hardman has revealed a contrasting story involving the naming of Harry and Meghan's daughter, Lilibet.
According to Hardman's autobiography, currently being serialized in the Daily Mail, the late Queen was "as angry as I'd ever seen her" after the couple stated she had been "supportive" of their decision to name their daughter after her childhood nickname. The book claims that the Sussexes were "rebuffed" by Buckingham Palace when they asked them to back up their claim publicly.
"One privately [member of palace staff] 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 book reads. "The couple subsequently fired off warnings of legal action against anyone who dared to suggest otherwise, as the BBC had done. However, when the Sussexes tried to co-opt the Palace into propping up their version of events, they were rebuffed."
The BBC had reported a palace source saying that the Queen "was not asked by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex about naming their daughter Lilibet." In response, the couple accused the broadcasters of libel, but according to Hardman, the threat of legal action "evaporated and the libel action against the BBC never materialised."
At the time of the naming announcement, Harry and Meghan's spokesperson maintained that the Duke had spoken with his family in advance, sharing their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in the Queen's honor and stating that they would not have used the name had she not been supportive.
The book also provides new insight into Harry's relationship with his father, King Charles. While the King is said to be "extremely sad" about Harry's estrangement, he now feels that he has "done what he can" and must focus on his role as monarch. However, a senior official is quoted as saying that Charles will "always" leave the door open for his youngest son.
As the royal rift continues to deepen, with neither King Charles nor Prince William having read Harry's memoir but being informed of its "key points" by staff, the Sussexes are reportedly enlisting the help of a top UK PR guru to rebuild their broken image. This move is thought to be connected to Meghan's upcoming launch of her new brand, American Riviera Orchard, which is expected to sell a wide variety of products from cookbooks to homeware.
