The meaning behind Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s newborn — Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor — went from sweet to controversial in a matter of days. When Lilibet’s birth was announced on June 6, 2021, the official statement on Archewell revealed that Lili was “named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen.” Some news outlets like People reported the name being a “sweet tribute,” as it is the queen’s nickname given to her by her father, King George VI.
However, that sweet gesture quickly turned sour when there were reports from the palace that the queen was not asked permission to use her beloved nickname (via BBC). That caused a media frenzy of some people citing the baby’s name as “at best tone deaf,” which added even more fuel to the current rift between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex with the royal family (via NBC News). Spokespeople for Harry and Meghan were quick to fight back, saying, “The duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement — in fact his grandmother was the first family member he called.” They also said that “[h]ad she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.”
The queen is reportedly tired of the 'mistruths' coming from Harry and Meghan
This is definitely not the first time there has been a back and forth between Buckingham Palace and the Sussexes. Since Harry and Meghan decided to leave the royal family, they have been very open and honest about their experiences. In March, the couple did a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, where the two revealed that there were some concerns within the royal family as to what their children’s skin color would be (via The Hollywood Reporter). This forced the palace to make a statement on the racist claims saying, “While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately” (via Insider).
According to Showbiz Cheat Sheet, the royal family has an unofficial code of conduct when it comes to press, which is “never complain, never explain.” Royal biographer Penny Junor explained this motto, saying, “There has been a long tradition in the British royal family of riding criticism out.” It seems now, the royal family is not riding this out. Insiders have said the queen is tired of the “mistruths” coming from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and “enough’s enough” (via the Daily Express). With the royal family now ready to respond, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have prepared themselves with their own PR team.
The duke and duchess have assembled a spin team
According to the Daily Mail, Harry and Meghan have assembled an “LA Spin Machine.” This team of PR advisers and consultants are part of “a rapidly expanding team that’s deeply dedicated to advancing systemic cultural change and supporting compassionate communities across the world.” Basically, they’re here to get the truth out from Harry and Meghan’s side during this ongoing royal family war.
In 2019, it was reported that there was a group of “men in grey” in Buckingham Palace who were plotting Meghan’s downfall (via the Daily Mirror). According to the Daily Mail, instead of men in grey suits, the Sussexes’ new spin team is “largely female” and “drawn from the highest echelons of film, showbiz, politics, sport and law.” Included in the nine members of Team Sussex are some of Meghan’s longtime friends, like Keleigh Thomas Morgan, who serves as their PR adviser, and Meghan’s former talent agent Nick Collins, who is now the couple’s consultant, according to The Sun.
They also hired James Holt as the Executive Director of their Archewell Foundation. Before that, Holt was the Head of Government Communications at Downing Street, and served as an adviser to former Deputy Prime Minister of the U.K., Nick Clegg. So, it seems they have a powerful team to support them as this briefing war within the royal family will likely continue.
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