Queen broke ‘stay silent’ rule amid row with Harry and Meghan over Lilibet

The Queen chose to challenge “mistruths” circulated by those close to Meghan and Harry to go unchecked, it is claimed.

The late monarch is said to have instructed her courtiers to ditch their long held ‘never complain, never explain’ policy when it comes to her own private conversations, or those of other senior royals.

It’s said to be a direct consequence of the Queen’s exasperation with sources close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex giving statements and briefings to the media shortly after their exit from the Royal Family.

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According to the Mail On Sunday at the time, Queen Elizabeth II informed her aides that she would no longer let ‘mistruths’ go unchallenged. In 2021, Harry and Meghan took issue with a BBC report which claimed they had not asked Harry’s grandmother if she would have an issue with them calling their newborn daughter Lilibet, a deeply personal childhood nickname of the Queen’s, used by her closest family including her father, sister and her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. Harry and Meghan were furious and had their lawyers contest the BBC story, describing it as “false and defamatory”.

A spokeswoman for the couple said their daughter’s name was mentioned in a conversation with the Queen. US journalists initially reported that the couple had “asked permission” to use the moniker, but a Royal insider later said the conversation was more “telling, not asking” moment, seeming to confirm the BBC’s account.

Palace sources went on to say that the Queen will more robustly correct any briefings from allies about the couple about her that are obviously inaccurate and untrue. An insider said: “This is about whether or not what is being reported is an accurate version of what actually happened.”

Lilibet is said to have celebrated her third birthday at the weekend surrounded by loved ones and friends – although no royals were reportedly present. It’s said that the invitation included a number of celebrity faces, with royal expert Tom Quinn claiming to The Mirror that the likes of Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom were at the bash with their daughter Daisy.