Queen's 'memorable' call with Prince Harry 'pointed to friction between late monarch and Meghan'
Details of a particularly striking telephone conversation between Prince Harry and Queen Elizabeth II have surfaced - and the exchange is said to reveal friction between the late monarch and Meghan Markle.
Harry is believed to have adhered to protocol, by ringing Queen Elizabeth II's private number and identifying himself to the switchboard operator. The telephonist was then responsible for notifying the Queen of the caller's identity before connecting the conversation.
However, when Harry phoned from America during the pandemic, the Buckingham Palace operator informed the sovereign - only to be met with "a stony silence," creating a moment that became distinctly "uncomfortable".
The telephonist remembered the exchange and this week, the Daily Mail revealed fresh particulars of this incident, following new autobiography extracts which seem to expose the Queen's views on Meghan.
The recently published memoirs also reveal how the Queen grew "very worried" about her grandson before his nuptials, reports the Mirror.
"When I announced to the Queen that Harry was her caller there was just a stony silence," she said.
"In fact, it was so uncomfortable that I filled the silence myself by saying 'Thank you, your Majesty' and then connected them."
This phone conversation took place years after Meghan and Harry's wedding, following their departure from Royal duties to start anew in the US.
Royal commentators suggest that the repercussions of this decision were still weighing on Queen Elizabeth II's mind, alongside concerns for her ailing husband, Prince Philip, who passed away at 99 in Windsor Castle in April 2021.
Daily Mail's Royal columnist Richard Kay penned in his latest article: "The telephonist has never forgotten the moment, telling me: 'It was memorable because the Queen would never not acknowledge you.'".
He continued, highlighting the impact of the Sussexes' actions: "To this longstanding and loyal servant, the absence of the usual courtesy was a direct result of the tensions and discord sewn by the prince and his wife."
Kay recalled the incident as an exceptional deviation from the Queen's typical conduct, prompted by revelations about her sentiments towards Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
This was shared by an American historian who had spoken with one of the Queen's trusted confidantes.
The fresh controversy stems from insights provided by Lady Elizabeth Anson, a renowned party planner and the Queen's cousin.
She disclosed that Queen Elizabeth II was deeply dissatisfied with the entire "Megxit" situation and claimed that Prince Harry had been "rude to her [the Queen] for ten minutes".
However, some highlight that Harry shared a particularly close bond with his grandmother, who passed away at the age of 86 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland in September 2022.
The Duke of Sussex, one of her eight grandchildren, was often seen grinning next to the Queen at Royal events during the later years of her reign.
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