Latest news with #SallyBedellSmith
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
What really happened when Harry asked for consent to marry Meghan? How the Duke was 'floored' by the Queen's 'cryptic' response... and why others warned the American actress was 'engineering' love
She was the late Queen's closest confidante and she likely knew how the monarch really felt about everyone she met. Lady Elizabeth Anson, a great-niece of the Queen Mother and a goddaughter of King George VI, would speak to the Queen every week on the telephone and details from these chats have recently revealed by journalist and royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith on her.
The Sun
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Queen ‘saw straight through Meghan' & branded her and Harry a ‘catastrophe' in weeks before she died, insider reveals
THE late Queen allegedly branded Prince Harry's relationship with Meghan Markle a "complete catastrophe" in the weeks before she died. An insider has revealed how the late monarch"saw straight through Meghan" in the lead up to her passing in September 2022. 3 3 Journalist and royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith revealed the queens thoughts on her Substack Royal Extras. Bedell Smith previously told how Harry had been rude to his grandmother during a meeting about his wedding with Meghan refusing to reveal details about her death. Bedell Smith said the interaction left the queen "saddened." The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have always claimed their relationship with the Queen was warm despite the rift between them and other senior royals. According to a source, Bedell Smith says, the queen made some strong remarks about the Sussexes at Balmoral just weeks before her death. A group of guests at the Scots castle were alleged to have been privy to some strongly worded comments made by the late queen about Harry and Meghan's union. It came just months before her majesty sadly passed away in September 2022. A source said: "It was out of character for the she saw straight through Meghan. "At the drinks before the dinner, a small group were talking to the monarch and she explained that Harry meeting Meghan had become a complete catastrophe." "By this point we all knew the Queen's health was in decline and she had months left, she seemed regretful about how things had panned out." Harry and Meghan made the Queen's last years a complete misery - they'll NEVER be forgiven At this point the Sussexes had stepped down as working royals and were living in Montecito. When 'Megxit' was announced the late Queen Elizabeth said in a statement: " Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family." The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from royal duties in 2020 and went on to publicly criticise the family in their 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview. The relationship began to break down in the run up to Harry and Meghan's wedding according to insiders. In the run up to the Harry and Meghan's wedding at St George's Chapel in Windsor in 2018, the queen is alleged to have said her grandson was "besotted and weak." She also worried that his bride-to-be had manipulated the prince, while getting away with a raft of bad behaviour. The Queen's first cousin is alleged to have said just days before Meghan and Harry's wedding: "We hope but don't quite think she is in love. We think she engineered it all." According to Bedell Smith, when Harry and Meghan announced their plans to step down as working royals in 2020 the queen tried to find a compromise to stop ' Megxit.' The couple said at the time that they were stepping back to gain more financial independence and avoid the prying eyes of the media. Inside Prince William and Prince Harry's 'feud' TENSIONS have been running high in the royal family since Prince Harry stepped down from royal duties in 2020 and relocated to California with Meghan Markle. Their last reported interaction was during the funeral of their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September 2022, but conversations were said to be brief. The feuding brothers reportedly did not speak to each other despite standing 'virtually back to back' among mourners at their uncle's memorial service last year. Growing up, Wills and Harry shared many of the same friends who were part of their close, tight-knit circle. But their relationship took a sour turn after Harry lobbed vile allegations against the Prince of Wales in his memoir Spare - and they are said to have not been in direct contact since the 2023 release. In the book, he claimed William had physically attacked him and knocked him to the floor in 2019 and made insulting comments about Meghan. The Sussexes had also targeted Princess Kate, when Meghan claimed the royal made her cry. The bitter feud was ignited when the Sussexes told Oprah, in their 2021 sit down interview, that certain members of the Royal Family had speculated about Prince Archie's skin colour. It was later claimed the royals were Princess Kate and King Charles, after Harry and Meghan's former pal Omid Scobie published his hatchet-job book Endgame. During the infamous Oprah interview, the duchess also made stinging comments about the Firm and how they handled her mental health struggles. Prince William and Harry's bond then worsened after the Sussexes made a number of accusations against the Royal Family in their 2022 Netflix docuseries. The duke has given subsequent interviews, such as his most BBC chat in May 2025, that have only propelled bad blood.
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'.
The Sun
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
New Meghan allegations are dynamite, they prove she sees Prince Harry as a stepping stone, expert says
BOMBHSELL allegations swirling around Meghan Markle are "dynamite" and "prove she saw Harry as a stepping stone", an expert claimed. Esteemed royal biographer Phil Dampier shared his opinions on the latest claims made by Sally Bedell Smith, the late Queen, and her closest confidants. 9 9 9 He sat down on the Royal Exclusive show with The Sun's royal editor Matt Wilkinson, alongside co-guest Esther Okraku. According to "very well respected royal biographer" Bedell Smith, Queen Elizabeth II had shared her alleged doubts over the new Duchess, and feared Harry was "weak". Mr Dampier said the author was extremely close to Lady Elizabeth Anson, who was a confidante and a cousin of the Queen. "And Liza Shockley, as Sally Smith likes to call her, she was speaking to the Queen on a regular basis right up until her death, spoke to her every day, even in lockdown," he continued. Mr Dampier claimed, therefore, this meant information had come "right from the horse's mouth". He also alleged "we can trust this information", which is "very, very telling". In harsh comments, he the expert shared his thoughts: "And to be honest, it confirms what we'd already suspected that you know, that at first the Queen was very keen on Meghan." Mr Dampier further alleged the Queen's reported "doubts" about Meghan "ruined her close relationship with Harry". Bedell Smith also claimed Meghan was rude to the late Queen for 10 minutes over wedding details. "She remarked that Harry was perhaps a little bit too much in love, was possibly besotted and a bit weak and being manipulated by Meghan," he continued. Sharing his own opinions, Mr Dampier added: "I think, unfortunately, that confirms what I've been saying or thought for the last few years that, sadly, Meghan never really had any intention of staying in the royal family. "She saw as a stepping stone getting married to to Harry to to to new fame and fortune. "And I think that's what initially Prince William was concerned about. And that's why they fell out. And now we are where we are. But to have this confirmed by somebody so close to the Queen is, is is really dynamite." 9 9 9 Fellow expert, Esther Okraku, echoed these strong opinions and added how there's a "thread of commonality" regarding allegations clouding Meghan. She touched on previous comments made by King Charles that Harry was "whipped". "I think she was welcomed, like much of the country, with open arms," Ms Okraku continued. "I think where things went wrong was clearly the cultural clash. "And I think in some ways Meghan thought she was marrying a billionaire, but was marrying a millionaire, with like sort of a reduced status. So that might have been, not appealing eventually." This comes as 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. Just days before the wedding, she had 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." In another exchange, Lady Elizabeth said: 'I don't trust Meghan an inch. "Meghan could turn into nothing but trouble.' 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 are 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. 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.'' The biographer continued: '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 the gap. In January 2020, Harry and Meghan announced they had 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 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. The couple opted for the latter and moved to the US later that year, infamously launching a crusade of Palace-bashing and com- plaints against the royals in the aftermath. 9 9 9
