A new publication about the British royal family has revealed that Queen Elizabeth II was not as happy with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s relationship as previously thought.
According to Lady Elizabeth Anson, the monarch’s cousin and one of her closest confidants, the queen was disappointed and concerned about the couple’s attitude during their wedding preparations in 2018.
Anson, who died in 2020, offered her testimony in an interview included in author Sally Bedell Smith’s latest book, published after her death.
The discontent arose, among other things, from the decision of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to ask the Archbishop of Canterbury to perform the ceremony without first consulting the Dean of Windsor.
“Harry seems to think the queen can do what she wants, but she can’t,” Anson reportedly said, explaining that this decision contravened the religious hierarchical structure of the event.
The queen did not agree with this gesture, although Harry assured in a letter that his grandmother was “content with this.”
Lady Elizabeth also confessed that the monarch described Meghan as someone who “could turn into nothing but trouble” and that she was not convinced that the feelings between her and her grandson were completely sincere.
“We hope, but don’t quite think she is in love. We think she engineered it all,” Anson said. In her opinion, Meghan was strong and ambitious, while Harry did not show the same character.
Although the Sussexes have never commented on these statements, they have always publicly maintained that they had a good relationship with Queen Elizabeth until her death in 2022.
Biographer Omid Scobie said, “They have kept a great relationship with [Prince] Philip and the queen.”
Apparently, the queen was more critical and concerned than she appeared to the public.