Opinion | Kelly Hartog: Giving their daughter the monarch's private name seems like it could be a cynical attempt at reconciliation without actually doing any work. - NBCNewsTHINK
From where I sit, it looks like Harry and Meghan are using a Band-Aid to try to fix a gunshot wound, with Harry saying,"Hey Grandma, I know you're pissed off with me right now, so I thought I'd take your very private nickname and put it in the public domain by giving it to our newborn daughter." At best, the decision seems tone-deaf. At worst, it's a cynical attempt at a reconciliation without actually doing any reconciliation work.
Frankly, the queen deserves better. Her late husband — the only one who really was entitled to call her by her nickname — was barely in his grave when her grandson chose to shout across the pond,"Surprise!" Americans can't seem to get enough of the pomp and circumstance of the royal family, because there's simply no equivalent here. However, they conveniently like to overlook what goes hand in hand with that pomp and circumstance — specifically, strict rules and protocols. So while Americans might think Harry and Meghan have offered a sweet and touching gesture, making their child's first name the nickname of the country's official head of state is egregious.
Britons overall are much more private than Americans, and for the royal family, privacy is particularly cherished given how much of a public life they have to lead. Harry and Meghan have been in the U.S. for only 15 months, but it appears that in their eagerness to embrace the laid-back American attitude — and their desire or need for public visibility — they have chosen to throw royal rules and traditions out the window yet again.
simply reads,"The Queen, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, and The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been informed and are delighted with the news of the birth of a daughter for The Duke and Duchess of Sussex."
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