Queen Elizabeth II's take on Meghan Markle laid bare in telling new memoirs
Queen Elizabeth II"was not at all content" with the "Megxit" debacle, extraordinary new notes reveal.
The late monarch often confided in Lady Elizabeth Anson, her cousin and trusted aide, about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The explosive disclosures have now been made public and shed a fascinating light on the late Queen's views on the couple, who quit royal duties for a new life in Calfornia in 2020.
Sally Bedell Smith, a royal biographer, had interviewed Lady Elizabeth and subsequent notes are now online, as part of the writer's blog called Extra Substack. One passage reads: "She (Queen Elizabeth II) said she was not at all content." Another says: "Harry was rude to her for ten minutes."
There was also friction around Harry and Meghan's wedding in 2018. It is understood the Duchess of Sussex "wouldn't tell" the Queen anything about her dress, a Givenchy number which featured an open bateau neckline and three-quarter length sleeves. It is said the late Queen eventually found the dress "flamboyant" and thought it wasn't fit for a divorcee. Before her relationship with Prince Harry, Meghan had been married to Trevor Engelson.
In Ms Smith's newly released notes, she said Lady Elizabeth told her: "Meghan wouldn't tell her (Queen Elizabeth II) about the wedding dress". The Queen's cousin, who was a party planner, also declared: "The jury [was] out on whether she likes Meghan."
The sequence goes onto detail the tension around "Megxit," the term used for Harry and Meghan's departure to the US. The situation left Prince Harry's grandmother upset, according to the royal writer. Lady Elizabeth told Ms Smith: "I was shocked when the Queen told me this, how she was so saddened."
The Queen regularly used Lady Elizabeth as a sounding board until the latter's death in November 2020, aged 79. Her interview with Ms Smith came in her final months, shortly after the Duke and Duchess quit royal duties for their new life in the US.
But in recent weeks, there have been hints the couple may be eyeing a return to the royal fold. One of these - the inclusion of the titles HRH (His /Her Royal Highness) as well as the surname Sussex on passport applications for little Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet - did, though, leave royal sources "utterly bewildered" last month.
Yet, Richard Eden, a royal reporter with the Daily Mail, wrote: "The suggestion gives the biggest hint yet that they're hoping to mend fences.
"And it raises the question: Could the Sussexes, who chose to give up boring old public duties to seek their fortune in the US, stage a return to the royal fold via their children?"
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Scottish Sun
28 minutes ago
- 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.
The Sun
31 minutes ago
- The Sun
Queen doubted Meghan long before Megxit & palace feared she ‘engineered' marriage & was NOT in love, says expert
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. 4 4 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'. 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.
Powys County Times
an hour ago
- Powys County Times
Meghan's ‘essence of sun-drenched outdoor moments' wine sells out in under hour
The Duchess of Sussex's new rose wine, which is said to 'capture the essence of sun-drenched outdoor moments' and costs more than £20 a bottle, has sold out within an hour. Meghan launched her As Ever Napa Valley Rose 2023, described as having 'soft notes of stone fruit, gentle minerality, and a lasting finish', on Tuesday. The beverage, priced at more than £65 for a minimum three-bottle order, had only appeared to be available for US customers to buy, with shipping addresses limited to America. Meghan and the Duke of Sussex left the UK and moved to California five years ago for a new life after stepping down from the working monarchy. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @aseverofficial The wine went on sale at 4pm UK time, but the site was updated less than hour later to signal stocks were sold out. In a post on Instagram, the duchess' As Ever brand said: 'It's here! Raise a glass to the newest addition to the As ever family. Our beautiful Napa Valley rose is now available'. A short clip showed the wine being poured into a glass, with accompanying sound. The pale pink wine, in a clear bottle with a white gold-rimmed label, was launched on a dedicated where an over-21 birth date must be inputted to enter and where the drink was described as: 'A delicately balanced rose with soft notes of stone fruit, gentle minerality, and a lasting finish.' The site adds: 'Reminiscent of the finest Provencal styles, it's crisp, pale in color, and effortlessly elegant – crafted for slow afternoons and golden-hour gatherings. 'This rose captures the essence of sun-drenched outdoor moments through its thoughtfully crafted blend.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by @aseverofficial The wine was not available to buy in orders of less than three bottles. Three bottles cost 90 US dollars (£65.64), six bottles cost 159 dollars (£115.97) including a 12% discount, and 12 bottles are priced at 300 dollars (£218.81) including a 17% discount. Shipping, which begins on July 9, cost an additional flat rate 20 dollars (£14.59) per order. Meghan's wine has an ABV (alcohol by volume) of 14.5%. According to the Drink Aware charity, most wines have an ABV of around 11-14%. Meghan added apricot jam to her collection in June after restocking her online store, with items selling out for a second time in a row. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @aseverofficial The duchess was shown drinking rose during the last episode of her Netflix series With Love, Meghan earlier this year when she offered chef Alice Waters a glass of wine. 'Would you like a glass of rose while we're cooking?' the duchess said, pouring from a bottle which does not appear to be As Ever wine, having a different label. Meghan added as she drank: 'Might be the best sip of wine I've ever had.'
