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Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Harry and Meghan's 'final betrayal' of the Queen: Couple's 'unforgivable' act meant that 'things were never the same again' with the late monarch, sources claim
While relations between Prince Harry and his grandmother were allegedly strained in the run up to his wedding to Meghan Markle, it was a 'final betrayal' almost three years later that changed their relationship forever, sources have claimed. A year after announcing their decision to step down as senior members of the Royal Family, the Sussexes sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a no-holds-barred interview, in which Meghan said 'concerns' had been raised by an unnamed member of the Royal Family about Archie's skin colour before he was born. Now sources have told The Daily Beast, that by attacking the monarchy, their 'betrayal was complete' in the Queen's eyes, while the insinuation of racism which cast suspicion on everyone was 'unforgivable'. The relationship between the late Queen and Harry made headlines again this month after biographer Sally Bedell Smith revealed on her Substack, Royal Extras, that the Queen was profoundly unhappy with Harry and Meghan prior to their wedding. The revelations by Bedell Smith were based on interviews with the queen's cousin, the late Lady Elizabeth Anson. Lady Liza, as she was known to friends, told Bedell Smith that Harry had been 'rude' to his grandmother for 10 minutes during a meeting about his wedding and Meghan refused to disclose details of her dress, leaving the monarch 'saddened'. Now, according to fresh claims from an insider, the relationship was fractured up until the late monarch's death, and was 'never the same again' after the Oprah interview. Speaking to the Beast's The Royalist section, a former courtier said: 'When he and Meghan attacked the institution that she spent her whole life serving in the Oprah interview, that betrayal was complete.' They added that those who knew Harry were 'shocked' by his actions, particularly because his grandather Prince Philip was 'on his deathbed' at the time. The Duke of Edinburgh died on April 9, 2021, 33 days after the interview aired, and the Queen was reportedly 'dismayed' by the allegations of racism levelled at the family in his final days. 'To accuse an unidentified person within the family of racism, thereby casting the shadow of suspicion over everyone, was unforgivable in her eyes,' a former courtier said. 'Things were never the same after that. ... It was a horrific series of betrayals at the end of her life.' In the interview Meghan alleged that an unnamed Royal Family member had expressed 'concerns' about 'how dark' her first child's skin would be when he was born and 'what that would mean or look like'. Oprah asked Meghan: 'They were concerned that if he were too brown, that would be a problem? Are you saying that?'. She responded: 'If that's the assumption you're making, I think that feels like a pretty safe one.' She said the conversations had been with Harry rather than her, and that it would be 'very damaging' to reveal who made the alleged remarks. It prompted a worldwide guessing game about the senior royal who said it and hours later Harry's estranged brother, Prince William, was forced to publicly remark that they were 'very much not a racist family'. The Queen gave a rare statement and said 'the issues raised, particularly that of race, were concerning' but stressed that 'recollections may vary'. Then, in January 2023, in an interview with ITV's Tom Bradby to plug his memoir Spare, Harry made a u-turn. The British broadcaster, a friend of Harry's, raised the 2021 Oprah interview with Meghan and said: 'You accused members of your family of racism.' But Harry snapped back: 'No I didn't. The British press said that. Did Meghan ever mention that they're racist?' The duke then insisted the comments made about his son Archie's skin colour were 'unconscious bias'. Speaking about the Palace reaction to the Oprah interview, royal author Valentine Low wrote in his 2022 book Courtiers: 'The late Queen was adamant that she was going to watch the programme first. 'She was going to watch it with the rest of the population, on ITV on Monday evening.' The interview aired in the US first, and a day later in the UK. The line 'recollections may vary' was proposed to add into the draft statement, which would show that the royals were unwilling to let Harry and Meghan's Oprah narrative become the definitive version. It took until March 9 for a statement to be agreed upon by the family, with the queen having final approval. Royal author Ingrid Seward, who has spent 40 years following The Firm, has claimed that Harry's suffering relationship with his grandmother stemmed from the prince being characterised as 'the joker'. 'When he had something serious to say to her, he had very little idea how to go about it,' she wrote in her book, My Mother and I. She added that Harry allowed the 'Spare' label to 'dominate his life - to the extent that he has now made a career out of it'. In his explosive memoir Harry wrote that William always felt the Queen indulged Harry in his misbehaviour, while he was expected to maintain high standards. This could be seen playing out when the brothers came to loggerheads as the Queen reluctantly accepted that Harry could keep his beard on his wedding day. The royal author wrote: 'When William discovered this he was furious: annoyed that Harry had gone to the Queen, annoyed that she had given her clearance and annoyed at what he saw as Harry's one-upmanship.' This stemmed back to the fact that William had not been allowed to keep his beard at his own wedding. Hosted by Royal Historians Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams, Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things looks at the Royal Family - the secrets, the palace intrigues, and the Crown's bloodiest moments. Listen wherever you get your podcasts now. 'This argument became so heated that at one point William actually ordered Harry to shave, 'as the Heir speaking to the Spare',' wrote Seward. A friend of Prince William and Kate Middleton said: 'The family, of course, all blame Meghan 100 percent. 'As Sally Bedell Smith's column made clear, he ain't the sharpest tool in the box, and they feel he was completely manipulated and that Meghan saw him and realized she could become the most famous person in the world. 'Then the reality of what their boring royal life would be like sunk in, and she decided to ruthlessly milk it for all it was worth. That is their view.' But it was the late Queen who found herself in an 'impossible position' when it came to dealing with Harry's antics. Seward wrote: 'However much she loved Harry - and she did - she couldn't condone the way he was speaking about the institution of the monarchy that she had spent 70 years preserving. 'He chooses to be the victim and wreak vengeance on the slights he thought he had suffered; on his family, on the press and through the courts. 'His row with his brother was one thing - this is not unusual with siblings, when one has all the responsibility and the other is free to have more fun. 'But the anger aimed at the monarchy, the British people, his father and stepmother was totally unnecessary.' The wounded relationship between the Sussexes and the Royal Family is unlikely to heal any time soon. In a fresh dig, the prince spoke to the BBC about losing his legal challenge against the government over his security in May. Harry said there had been 'so many disagreements 'in the family, but the 'only thing that's left' is the row over his security - which he said had 'always been the sticking point'. 'There is no point in continuing to fight anymore, life is precious,' he added. Harry also touched on King Charles' cancer treatment. He said: 'I don't know how much longer my father has - he won't speak to me because of this security stuff but it would be nice to reconcile.' He added 'some members of my family will never forgive me' for writing his memoir Spare, and went on to say: 'It would be nice to have that reconciliation part now.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Queen's Cousin Makes Wild Claims About Drama Between Her Majesty and Prince Harry
Apparently the Queen's cousin, Lady Elizabeth Anson, had a lot to say about the vibes between Her Majesty and Prince Harry before she passed away, and it's only just been revealed. Anson was friends with biographer Sally Bedell Smith, who published parts of their conversations in her Substack, Royal Extras. Per her reporting (via the Daily Mail), Anson said "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. Meghan is clearly brighter than Harry, but she has to be careful not to overshadow him." Um, rude! But there's more. Anson also accused Prince Harry of being "rude" to his grandmother during a ten minute meeting, and said the Queen noted that "Meghan and William and Kate were not working well" together. Per Bedell Smith's recollections of her chat with Anson (aka "Liza"): "According to Liza, the Queen was dismayed that Harry had asked the Archbishop of Canterbury to perform the wedding service in St. George's Chapel without first requesting permission from the Dean of Windsor. 'Harry seems to think the Queen can do what she wants, but she can't,' said Liza. 'On the religious side, it is the Dean of Windsor's jurisdiction.' Bedell Smith also recalls Anson saying "Harry has blown his relationship with his grandmother. 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. 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." Meghan and Harry haven't responded to these claims, but a source close to the pair said it was "just gossip." Which, true! You Might Also Like Here's What NOT to Wear to a Wedding Meet the Laziest, Easiest Acne Routine You'll Ever Try
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Why the Queen was 'not at all content' at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding, according to the Mail's royal experts on PALACE CONFIDENTIAL
The late Queen Elizabeth II was 'not at all content' on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 's wedding day, it was claimed this week. Lady Elizabeth Anson, a great-niece of the Queen Mother and a goddaughter of King George VI, was Her Majesty's party-planner and confidant for many years. Now, her words have been reported by journalist and royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith in her Substack 'Royal Extras', describing her private conversations with Lady Elizabeth, who was fondly called Liza by friends. Liza claimed that Meghan was 'full of charm' and appeared 'natural, intelligent, and thoughtful' after she became engaged to Harry in 2017. But as the wedding came closer, Liza claimed that both Harry and Meghan upset the Queen. Harry was apparently 'rude' to his grandmother for ten minutes in one meeting. Meghan allegedly refused to share details of her wedding dress with the monarch. Speaking on the YouTube show Palace Confidential, Rebecca English, the Daily Mail's Royal Editor, said: 'I know from my own sources that the Queen was bemused and saddened by some of Meghan's behaviour but by their behaviour as a couple. 'It did overshadow her last few years of life, of course.' But there was another reason why the Queen was reportedly 'not at all content' while sat in the pews at St George's Chapel on May 19, 2018. Ms Bedell Smith wrote: 'According to Liza, the Queen was dismayed that Harry had asked the Archbishop of Canterbury to perform the wedding service in St. George's Chapel without first requesting permission from the Dean of Windsor.' 'It sounds quite niche in the circumstances,' Rebecca said o n the latest episode of Palace Confidential. 'But I do think it gets to the crux of the issue. 'She was really quite unhappy that Meghan and Harry wanted the Archbishop of Canterbury to marry them at St George's Chapel at Windsor because actually that was the Dean of Windsor's territory and it really shouldn't have happened.' Although Rebecca acknowledged that Palace Confidential viewers may find this 'silly', she explained: 'When you know about the set up of things, it really was the Dean's territory. 'It kind of illustrated how she felt there was a fundamental misunderstanding from the couple about how things worked. 'It just didn't sit comfortably with her,' she added. As a result, Ms Bedell Smith wrote that Lady Elizabeth believed Harry had 'blown his relationship with his grandmother'. Rebecca stars on the hit royal YouTube show alongside host Jo Elvin and Richard Eden, the Daily Mail's Diary Editor. Responding to Rebecca, Richard said: 'You might remember in Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview that Meghan actually said: "You know what, we got married the night before!" 'They got the Archbishop of Canterbury round to their backyard, as she called it, and they got married and we know what that was. In reality, that was a rehearsal and they were just going through their vows. 'That caused awful confusion because the Church actually had to issue a formal statement saying: "We did not marry them the day before i.e. break the law."' Rebecca added: 'I think the Church suggested it was just basically a blessing ahead of their big day but it did put the Archbishop of Canterbury in a difficult position. 'He was a big supporter of Harry and Meghan because they had their marital lessons and they had spent time with him discussing their feelings and where they were going. 'But they totally threw him to the wolves over that,' she added. Circling back to Lady Elizabeth's words, which were published this week, Richard said the 'most damning of all' was her apparent suspicion of the former Suits star's motives in marrying Harry. 'We hope but don't quite think she is in love,' Liza said. 'We think she engineered it all.' She also warned: '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'. 'Meghan is clearly brighter than Harry, but she has to be careful not to overshadow him', she added. Liza apparently told Ms Bedell Smith at the time: 'I don't trust Meghan an inch. Meghan could turn into nothing but trouble.' A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex declined to comment on the claims made by Sally Bedell Smith. But a source close to the couple dismissed the sensational claims as 'just gossip'.
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Queen's closest confidante issued a chilling warning about Meghan in the run up to her royal wedding in 2018 - and it was more damning than anyone knew…
The Queen's closest confidante has given the most damning verdict on Harry and Meghan yet. The late Lady Elizabeth Anson, Queen Elizabeth's first cousin, carefully documented the Queen's feelings about Meghan and shared them with respected biographer Sally Bedell Smith before she died in 2020. Click above to watch the video in full.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Queen Elizabeth II's Cousin Believed Meghan Markle's Father Thomas Was ‘Frightened' to Attend Royal Wedding
Queen Elizabeth II's cousin reportedly believed that Meghan Markle's father, Thomas Markle, had reservations about attending her wedding to Prince Harry. Before her 2020 death, the late Lady Elizabeth Anson — Queen Elizabeth's first cousin once removed — shared her perspective in conversations with royal author Sally Bedell Smith. In a story that was published by The Times on Tuesday, July 1, Smith revealed Anson once told her 'that Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, was 'frightened of coming to the wedding,'' referring to the royal nuptials between Meghan, 43, and Harry, 40 — although no explanation why was given. Ahead of the wedding, Anson reportedly asked Queen Elizabeth if it seemed 'rather odd for Meghan to be arriving with her mother' Doria Ragland. Anson also explained that since Thomas was unable to 'do steps,' he planned to enter through a side door and meet his daughter at the chapel's main entrance. In May 2018, Thomas, now 80, was caught posing for photos for paparazzi and it was ultimately revealed that he had struck a deal with a photo agency. Around that same time, he told TMZ he suffered a heart attack and was opting not to attend. King Charles — then Prince Charles — accompanied Meghan to the altar. As Star previously reported, Queen Elizabeth was allegedly 'dismayed' that Harry reached out to the Archbishop of Canterbury to perform the ceremony in St George's Chapel without getting permission from the Dean of Windsor first leading up to the couple's wedding. According to Bedell Smith, Anson — who had asked to be called Liza — said, '[Prince] Harry wrote to me and said they were going another way. He said, 'I am close to my grandmother, and she is content with this. When I spoke with the Queen, she said she is not at all content.' Smith continued that Liza 'added, 'Meghan could turn into nothing but trouble. She sees things in a different way.'' Harry and Meghan have continued to forge their own path, notably stepping down from their duties as senior working royals in 2020 just two years before Elizabeth died in September 2022. After relocating from the UK, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are still living in Montecito, California, while raising their two children: Prince Archie, 6, and 4-year-old Princess Lilibet.
