EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Nicky Haslam adds to mystery of 'Lilibet' baby name

2022-07-01

EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Nicky Haslam adds to mystery of Prince Harry naming baby ‘Lilibet’

Mystery has surrounded the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to call their daughter Lilibet since the BBC’s royal correspondent, Jonny Dymond, claimed last year that they did not ask the Queen if they could use her family pet name.

In response, Prince Harry and Meghan launched an unprecedented legal attack on the BBC, saying the story was ‘false and defamatory’.

Their spokesman said: ‘The Duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement — in fact, his grandmother was the first family member he called.

Interior designer Nicky Haslam, whose royal pals include everyone from the Duchess of Cornwall to Prince Michael of Kent, claims the Queen had been under the impression that the child, who was born last June, would be named Elizabeth — and was taken aback to discover that the couple had, in fact, called her Lilibet

‘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.’

Now, a friend of the royals has added to the mystery of what they did or didn’t say in their telephone conversation with the monarch.

Says Haslam: ‘I heard he [Harry] rang her and said: ‘We want to call our daughter after you, Granny’. She said: ‘How charming of you, thank you’, thinking that it would be Elizabeth.

‘So they got the permission, but they didn’t say the name.’

What Haslam, 82, heard may, of course, be inaccurate, and we may never know where the truth lies.

Lilibet has important sentimental connotations for the Queen because it was the name used in private for her by her father, George VI, and by her late husband, Prince Philip.

Speaking on The Third Act podcast, Haslam goes on to question why Harry and Meghan didn’t name the baby after the American former actress’s mother instead.

‘Why on earth didn’t they call that baby Doria?’ he asks. ‘It’s the prettiest name ever.’

A spokesman for the Sussexes did not comment, more than three days after I asked them about Haslam’s claims.

Lady Victoria to investigate that Andrew photo

Lady Victoria, 45, is to delve deeper into Giuffre’s allegations in a TV documentary

Lady Victoria Hervey has long defended Prince Andrew from Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 17.

The Queen’s second son strenuously denied Giuffre’s claims but paid her millions in an out-of-court settlement.

Now, Lady Victoria, 45, is to delve deeper into Giuffre’s allegations in a TV documentary.

‘I’m going to be interviewing the person who took the photos of Andrew and Giuffre,’ she tells me at the Grand Prix Ball in aid of the Global Gift Foundation.

‘I’m really enjoying the investigation side.’

Victoria, who once went on a date with the Duke of York, adds: ‘It’s so sad what’s happened to Andrew.’

Ashton wore a sparkling off-the-shoulder gown which showed off her baby bump on the red carpet at the premiere of her latest film, Mr Malcolm’s List, in New York

Zawe is bumping along on red carpet

Forget The Night Manager — Tom Hiddleston will soon need a night nurse.

The star of Marvel superhero series Loki is looking forward to the birth of his first child with his fiancee, Fresh Meat star Zawe Ashton.

Ashton wore a sparkling off-the-shoulder gown which showed off her baby bump on the red carpet at the premiere of her latest film, Mr Malcolm’s List, in New York.

Eton and Cambridge-educated Hiddleston, 41, confirmed last month that he was engaged to the 37-year-old Londoner, whose grandfather, Paulo Muwanga, briefly served as both president and prime minister of Uganda.

Hiddleston and Ashton first met in 2019 when they played husband and wife in a revival of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal.

The actor previously courted American pop superstar Taylor Swift.

Hiddleston and Ashton first met in 2019 when they played husband and wife in a revival of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal

Downton Abbey has made Dame Maggie Smith richer than most dowager countesses.

The Oscar winner, 87, has enjoyed one of her most financially successful years after making more than £2.3 million in 2021. Newly filed accounts reveal that assets in her acting firm, Dame Margaret Cross Productions, increased to £10.2 m, including £9.8 m in cash reserves.

The business, through which she channels her earnings, made a £1.6 m profit. After allowing for bills at £1.6 m, £8.7 m was retained for Dame Maggie. Whoever said ‘actors never retire, they just get less and less work’?

It’s one of the highlights of the season for London’s beau monde, but the Serpentine Gallery’s summer party will not be held, even though the pandemic is behind us.

‘In light of continuing world events, we have taken the decision not to go ahead with our usual summer party this year,’ a spokesman tells me.

Which ‘world events’ are not made clear, but perhaps they’re missing all those super-rich Russians who used to attend the bash and make generous donations to the art gallery?

Most festival-goers return home from Glasto with a pile of dirty washing, but Hollywood hard-man Ray Winstone’s daughter Jaime sported an engagement ring from her boyfriend.

DJ James Suckling proposed to the Made In Dagenham star, 37, at Worthy Farm in Somerset, where she conceived their son, Raymond, in 2015.

‘I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect engagement,’ says Jaime (far left).

She celebrated with friends including model Daisy Lowe, 33, (left) at the Fulham Palace launch of Grey Goose Essences Season of Spritz picnic series.

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