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Scottish Sun
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Queen doubted Meghan long before Megxit & palace feared she ‘engineered' marriage & was NOT in love, says expert
For the first time the Queen's private concerns have been made public in heartbreaking detail — showing just how perceptive she proved to be ROYAL REVELATIONS Queen doubted Meghan long before Megxit & palace feared she 'engineered' marriage & was NOT in love, says expert Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FIVE years have passed since Megxit tore apart the Royal Family. It gave Queen Elizabeth II undue stress and upset in the last few years of her life. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tie the knot Credit: PA:Press Association 4 The Queen and Meg watch a flypast to mark the centenary of the RAF from the balcony of Buckingham Palace Credit: Getty 4 The Queen and Charles accompanied by Lady Elizabeth Anson Credit: PA But according to royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith, the late monarch and her innermost circle had had their doubts about Prince Harry's marriage to Meghan Markle long before they dropped the proverbial bomb and quit royal life in 2020. In fact, the Queen feared her grandson was 'besotted and weak' and said he had been 'rude' to her in the lead-up to his and Meghan's wedding at St George's Chapel in Windsor in 2018. She also worried that his bride-to-be had manipulated the prince, while getting away with a raft of bad behaviour. Now, for the first time, the Queen's private concerns have been made public in heartbreaking detail — showing just how perceptive she proved to be. This week Sally published 'explosive' revelations made to her by one of Her Majesty's closest confidantes, her first cousin once removed, Lady Elizabeth Anson, in several conversations in 2018 and 2019. Lady Elizabeth claimed there were serious concerns in the upper echelons of the Palace, long before Harry and Meghan made themselves royal pariahs. In fact, just days before the wedding, she told Sally: 'We hope but don't quite think [Meghan] is in love. 'We think she engineered it all.' She added: 'It's worrying that so many people are questioning whether Meghan is right for Harry. 'The problem, bless his heart, is that Harry is neither bright nor strong, and she is both.' It's unforgivable what Meghan did to the Queen - she's caused a bigger crisis than the death of Diana, says expert In another exchange, Lady Elizabeth said: 'I don't trust Meghan an inch. 'Meghan could turn into nothing but trouble.' Musty smell The shock revelations were released this week in Sally's Royals Extra feature on publishing platform Substack. The observations by Lady Elizabeth, who died from lung cancer in November 2020 aged 79, show the warning signs were there from the start — and proved well-founded. She said Meghan had initially appeared 'natural, intelligent and thoughtful' after getting engaged to Harry in 2017. But as their wedding approached, they both caused a stir with their poor behaviour — and blatant disrespect for the Queen. Harry was reportedly 'rude to her for ten minutes' in one meeting and upset her by asking the Archbishop of Canterbury to perform the wedding service in May 2018, without first seeking permission from the Dean of Windsor. As a high-society event planner herself, Lady Elizabeth — who was born at Windsor Castle in 1941 and was also King George VI's goddaughter — understood all too well just what an embarrassing situation this put the Queen in. She said at the time: 'Harry seems to think the Queen can do what she wants, but she can't. 'On the religious side, it is the Dean of Windsor's jurisdiction.' She added that as a result, 'Harry has blown his relationship with his grandmother.' They did later 'patch things up' — but the hurt remained. As for Meghan, allegations of her 'diva-like' behaviour in the run-up to her big day is nothing new. Indeed, at the time, it was rumoured that she had been nicknamed 'Me-gain' by Palace courtiers, thanks to her extensive demands, and among her many complaints, had moaned about the 'musty' smell in the chapel. Nicknamed 'Me-gain' by Palace courtiers She had even allegedly ordered staff to 'go around with these atomisers, like spritzer guns, and spray the chapel with scent before anyone arrived.' This follows years of allegations about Meghan's 'bullying' behaviour — something that even sparked an internal investigation at Buckingham Palace. However, this is the first time we have heard about the Queen's thoughts on the matter — and they were not good, according to Lady Elizabeth, who was a great-niece of the Queen Mother and a goddaughter of King George VI. In 2018 she told Sally that Meghan had rattled the Queen days before the wedding, revealing: 'They had tea with her the day before yesterday. 'She was trying to find out about the wedding dress, and Meghan wouldn't tell her.' This was enough to spark concern in the Palace, with hushed fears brewing that Meghan could 'turn into nothing but trouble' and that — despite royal protocol — 'she sees things in a different way'. As Sally revealed this week, 'I asked her if Meghan was being bossy. 'So I gather,' Lady Elizabeth replied. 'Very much so.'' What's more, the Queen is said to have worried about Meghan's infamously frosty relationship with her soon to be sister-in-law, Kate Middleton — telling her confidante that Meghan and Kate were 'not working well'. 4 Sally Bedell Smith, Queen Elizabeth's biographer Credit: Getty As history's proven, the Queen was right again. Around the time of the wedding, it was widely reported that Meghan had made Kate cry over a disagreement about Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid dress. Then, in their explosive sit-down with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, Harry and Meghan claimed the 'reverse' was true. Meghan said that she was in fact the one in tears, adding, 'I don't say that to be disparaging to anyone, because it was a really hard week of the wedding and she was upset about something, but she owned it, and she apologized.' Two years later, in his 2023 memoir Spare, Harry doubled down on Kate's allegedly 'icy' behaviour towards Meghan, claiming she'd made a 'grimace' when the latter had borrowed her lipgloss. Clearly, as the Queen and Lady Elizabeth foretold, that bad blood between Kate and Meghan and their warring husbands only worsened. Despite their concerns, there was — of course — hope that Harry and Meghan would take the mantle as loyal and popular senior members of the royal family. Harry seems to think the Queen can do what she wants, but Her Majesty can't... Harry has blown relationship with his grandmother And, initially, at least, they showed some promise. Just weeks after they got married, they proudly stood on the balcony at Buckingham Palace alongside Harry's family for Meghan's first Trooping the Colour. But by February, a then pregnant Meghan was sparking concern yet again. Writing on her recent Substack, Sally revealed, 'By late February 2019 when Liza [Lady Elizabeth's nickname] and I spoke on the phone, she said, 'I don't trust Meghan an inch. 'To begin with, she was not bad — a straightforward starlet, used to public speaking and charity work. 'The wedge between the brothers is really too bad.'' Sadly, the wedge only widened. In January 2020, Harry and Meghan announced they'd chosen to 'transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution'. At first, it seemed they wanted to keep one foot in the royal fold, while pursuing financial and commercial opportunities on the outside — but, after months of negotiations, the Queen and the then Prince Charles laid down the law: they were either fully in or fully out. There was no in-between. They opted for the latter and moved to the US later that year, infamously launching a crusade of palace-bashing and complaints against the royals in the aftermath. Their first attack came in 2021 when, as mentioned, they sat down with Oprah Winfrey, and claimed — among several accusations — that the palace hadn't protected Meghan when negative stories circulated about her, and hadn't supported her during a mental health crisis. They also claimed there had been racially-charged speculation over the colour of their future child's skin. In response, the Queen — who lived by her mantra to 'Never complain, never explain' — made the unprecedented move to respond to their attacks. The Queen and Meghan had tea days before the wedding. Her Majesty was trying to find out about the wedding dress, and Meghan wouldn't tell her A palace statement said on her behalf: 'The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. 'The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. 'Whilst some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. 'Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members.' As we all know by now, the schism has only grown. The Queen died in September 2022 at the age of 96 — before Harry and Meghan upped their outbursts against the royals. Thankfully, she didn't live to read his memoir, which made pointed attacks against his father and brother, accusing the latter of physically attacking him amid their Megxit negotiations. She also didn't live to see his legal battle against the UK government over the removal of his publicly funded police protection — an issue which, Harry says, has alienated his father for good. Over the past year, both Kate Middleton and King Charles have fought respective cancer battles — yet even poor health hasn't helped to bridge the divide between the royal family and the estranged Sussexes. As things stand, Harry and Meghan have fully severed every royal tie — though Meghan did recently refer to herself as HRH The Duchess of Sussex (despite previously promising the Queen they would not use their royal titles). In the wake of Sally's revelations, neither the Palace nor the Sussexes' team have responded. But her unearthed conversations with Lady Elizabeth, who was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order shortly before she died, came at a momentous time for Meghan — on the same day she launched her lifestyle brand's new rose wine. Whether she will be raising a toast this week — despite the fresh allegations stacked against her and Harry — remains to be seen.
Sky News AU
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
Prince Harry 'blew up' his relationship with the late Queen Elizabeth II over one crucial Meghan Markle wedding decision, royal confidant reveals
Prince Harry "blew up" his relationship with Queen Elizabeth II over one critical detail in his wedding to Meghan Markle, according to a late royal confidant. The new claims come from royal author Sally Bedell Smith, who has shared previously unreleased recollections from the late Lady Elizabeth Anson, a high society party planner and one of the Queen's closest friends for decades. Lady Elizabeth, who died in 2020 aged 79, was a cousin to the Queen, a goddaughter of King George VI, and a great-niece of the Queen Mother. She worked with the Royal Family for more than 60 years and became a trusted confidant to the late monarch, particularly from the time of the Golden Jubilee in 2002. In excerpts published on Bedell Smith's paid Substack, Royals Extra, Lady Elizabeth, known as 'Liza' to friends, is said to have been a trusted confidante to whom the Queen privately expressed concerns about Harry and Meghan Markle ahead of their 2018 wedding. Lady Elizabeth initially described Meghan as "full of charm" after meeting her following the couple's engagement. But her views quickly shifted. "Meghan could turn into nothing but trouble," she said. According to Lady Elizabeth, Harry informed her that he and Meghan were going "another way" when it came to wedding decisions. "He said, 'I am close to my grandmother, and she is content with this'," she told the American journalist. But when Liza raised it with the Queen, she recalled a different response. "She was not at all content," she said. One crucial point of contention was Harry's decision to approach the Archbishop of Canterbury to lead the wedding ceremony at St George's Chapel - without first getting permission from the Dean of Windsor. She added that the Queen was hurt by how the situation was handled. "Harry has blown his relationship with his grandmother," she said. "She said she was really upset. I was shocked when the Queen told me this, how she was so saddened. I had no idea about the conversation, that he was rude to her for ten minutes." Just two weeks before the wedding, Lady Elizabeth recounted another conversation with the Queen, whom she affectionately referred to as 'Jemima', expressing concerns about Meghan's intentions. "The Number One Lady- I call her Jemima- says the jury is out on whether she likes Meghan," Liza reportedly said. "My Jemima is very worried." It's was also revealed by Lady Elizabeth that "Meghan and William and Kate are not working well". She added: "That is what the Queen said, particularly about the two girls." Thankfully, it's understood that Harry went to the Queen "on his own" and they "patched things up" prior to the wedding. In 2020, however, the Sussexes stepped back from royal duties and relocated to Montecito, California. It was the same year Lady Elizabeth died, while Queen Elizabeth II passed away in September 2022. Reflecting on her friendship with Lady Elizabeth, Bedell Smith wrote: "From 1998 until her death in November 2020, I was lucky to have her as a friend- early on, she asked that I call her Liza- and we had many conversations over the years that informed my books about the royal family." While she kept many of Lady Elizabeth's "most sensitive observations confidential" the author said she was now sharing these stories "to help illuminate the lives of the royal family members Liza knew well."
