Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Bristle At “False & Defamatory” BBC Report On Daughter Lilibet’s Name

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have bristled at a report from the BBC that Queen Elizabeth II was not consulted before they named their daughter Lilibet.

According to the BBC, the UK broadcaster has received a legal letter from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s attorneys at Schillings, which brands the reporting by royal correspondent Jonny Dymond “false and defamatory.”

More from Deadline

• Claes Bang Joins Stephen Merchant's BBC/Amazon Comedy 'The Offenders'

• It Starts On The Page: Read The Script For Episode 8 Of Michaela Coel's 'I May Destroy You'

• Royal Family Celebrates The Birth Of Prince Harry And Meghan's Daughter, Lilibet Diana

Markle and Harry’s representative did not comment on the letter when contacted by Deadline. Instead, the spokeswoman referred us to Schillings. We have contacted the law firm for comment and requested a copy of the letter, which has been circulated to other broadcasters and publishers, according to the BBC.

The Sussexes announced the birth of Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor on Sunday. They subsequently confirmed media reports that Prince Harry told his grandmother, the Queen, about his desire to name her Lilibet. The name is significant because it was a nickname given to the Queen by her grandfather, King George V.

The BBC’s Dymond reported, however, that the Queen’s approval had not been sought. Citing a Palace source, Dymond said that the Queen was “never asked” by Markle and Prince Harry about the use of her childhood nickname.

The conflicting accounts are significant because they represent the latest fractious moment in the already extremely strained relationship between the Sussexes and the royal family. It is also another chapter in Markle and Prince Harry’s war on the media, with the BBC this time in the crosshairs.

The UK broadcaster does not usually emerge well from skirmishes with the royal family. The BBC is currently in Prince Harry’s bad books after an independent inquiry concluded last month that former reporter Martin Bashir deceived his way to a Panorama interview with Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, in 1995.

Best of Deadline

• Broadway Returns: A Complete Roster Of Opening Dates, Venues And How To Buy Tickets

• BravoCon Fan Fest Returns In The Fall After Pandemic Layoff

• NFL 2021 Schedule: Primetime TV Games, Thanksgiving Menu, UK Matchups & More

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.