Harry and Meghan hit out at BBC story on Lilibet's name

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have clashed with the BBC over the version of events that led to the naming of their daughter, Lilibet.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussexes lawyers have written to the corporation after a BBC story claimed the Queen had not been asked about naming their baby Lilibet, which was the monarch's childhood family nickname.

It has been widely reported that Harry and Meghan did consult with the Queen before the name of their baby, who was born in California on Friday, was announced.

But an article on the BBC's website claimed palace sources had said the Queen was not asked by the duke and duchess about naming their daughter Lilibet.

A spokeswoman for the couple said their daughter's name was mentioned in a conversation with the Queen.

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She said: "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 honour. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name."

The Times newspaper reported the couple's lawyers Schillings have sent a letter to the BBC warning the story is "false and defamatory".

The story by one of the BBC's royal correspondents remains on the corporation's website.

Buckingham Palace has declined to comment.

It comes after a reporter in the UK claims she has been fired from her job at The Telegraph after posting a tweet about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn daughter that many have deemed racist.

Julie Burchill made the controversial comments after the California-based couple welcomed Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor in the morning of June 4 (US time).

Burchill questioned the Sussexes' choice of name for their second child — which honours both the Queen and Princess Diana — which she called a 'missed opportunity'.

"What a missed opportunity. They could have called it Georgina Floydina!" she tweeted.

Burchill's suggestion, 'Georgina Floydina,' is, of course, a less-than-subtle reference to African American man George Floyd who was murdered by US police in May 2020.

She also refers to the newborn as 'it' instead of 'her'.

Additional reporting by AAP

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