Queen Elizabeth II was left upset by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in the run-up to their 2018 royal wedding, according to her cousin and closest confidante. Lady Elizabeth Anson, who died in 2020 at age 79, divulged how the late monarch felt about the Duchess of Sussex in an interview for the Times of London, published posthumously, with royal author Sally Bedell Smith.

The Posthumous Revelation

Lady Anson, who had been a lifelong friend and relative of the Queen, granted the interview shortly before her own death. In it, she spoke candidly about the Queen’s private sentiments regarding the Sussexes’ wedding plans. According to Bedell Smith, Lady Anson said the Queen was “not at all content” with the arrangements and believed Meghan could “turn into nothing but trouble.”

The cousin, who from the beginning branded Markle “nothing but trouble,” detailed a specific dispute that arose when Prince Harry asked the Archbishop of Canterbury to perform the ceremony in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle without first obtaining permission from the Dean of Windsor. “Harry seems to think the queen can do what she wants, but she can't,” Anson told Bedell Smith. “On the religious side, it is the dean of Windsor's jurisdiction.”

Background of Lady Elizabeth Anson

Lady Elizabeth Anson was the daughter of the 5th Earl of Lichfield and a close childhood companion of Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen. The two remained intimate friends throughout their lives. Lady Anson served as a lady-in-waiting for many years and was often described as one of the Queen’s most trusted confidantes. Her death in 2020 was mourned by the royal family, but her secret interview has now surfaced, offering a rare glimpse into the sovereign’s personal thoughts.

Anson’s remarks are particularly significant because she was known for her discretion and loyalty. Her willingness to share these conversations after her death suggests she believed the public deserved to know the full story of the Queen’s perspective on the Sussexes’ departure from royal duties.

The Pre-Wedding Tensions

The interview reveals that the Queen was angry and saddened by Prince Harry’s actions in the weeks before the wedding. According to Anson, Harry wrote to her claiming that his grandmother was “content” with the wedding plans, but when Anson spoke directly with the Queen, she said quite the opposite. “When I spoke with the queen, she said she is not at all content. Meghan could turn into nothing but trouble. She sees things in a different way.”

Anson added that the Queen was “dismayed” that the Invictus Games founder, now 40, had approached the Archbishop of Canterbury without consulting the Dean of Windsor. This breach of etiquette reportedly angered the Queen, who valued tradition and protocol above all else. “Harry has blown his relationship with his grandmother,” Anson said. “She said she was really upset. I was shocked when the queen told me this, how she was so saddened.”

The Aftermath of the Wedding

Anson also revealed that after the wedding, the Queen observed a growing distance between the Sussexes and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. “Meghan and William and Kate are not working well,” Anson quoted the Queen as saying. “That is what the queen said, particularly about the two girls. It's worrying that so many people are questioning whether Meghan is right for Harry.”

Anson herself offered a blunt assessment of the couple’s dynamic: “The problem, bless his heart, is that Harry is neither bright nor strong, and she is both.” This unflattering portrait of the couple has added fuel to the ongoing debate about the split between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family.

Royal Biographers Weigh In

Royal author Sally Bedell Smith, who conducted the interview with Lady Anson, confirmed that she spoke with the Queen’s cousin two weeks before Harry wed the “Suits” alum. According to Bedell Smith, Anson said at the time that “the jury is out on whether she likes Meghan.” Anson also used the Queen’s childhood nickname, “Jemima,” to describe her concern. “My Jemima is very worried,” Anson said. “Harry is besotted and weak about women. We hope, but don't quite think she is in love. We think she engineered it all.”

The interview has prompted a flurry of reactions from royal experts and commentators. Some argue that the Queen’s alleged feelings have been exaggerated, noting that the late monarch always maintained a public posture of neutrality and warmth toward all family members. Others point to the Sussexes’ own statements about their relationship with the Queen, which they have described as warm and respectful.

The Sussexes’ Response

Representatives for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not directly addressed Lady Anson’s claims. However, the couple has consistently maintained that they were on good terms with the late Queen when they left the monarchy in 2020. In a 2021 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Meghan’s biographer, Omid Scobie, stated: “They have kept a great relationship with Philip and the queen. We heard Harry talking very warmly about his grandparents on James Corden's show not so long ago.”

Prince Harry himself spoke fondly of his grandmother during the Corden appearance, describing her as “incredible” and saying he valued their phone calls. However, the Sussexes have also been critical of certain royal institutions and practices, particularly regarding media treatment and racial issues. The tension between their public statements and the Queen’s private sentiments, as conveyed by Lady Anson, underscores the complex nature of the relationship.

Historical Context of Royal Marriage Disputes

The Sussexes’ pre-wedding disagreements are not unique in royal history. Many royal marriages have involved negotiations over ceremony details, from the marriage of Princess Diana and Prince Charles to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. However, the level of public scrutiny and the rapid change in media landscape made the 2018 wedding particularly fraught. The involvement of an American actress, Meghan Markle, added a layer of cultural tension that some observers believe exacerbated the conflict.

The Queen, as head of the Church of England and supreme governor, has always had a ceremonial role in royal weddings, but the actual arrangements fall to the clergy of the specific venue. St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle is a royal peculiar, meaning it is under the direct jurisdiction of the monarch, but the day-to-day administration is handled by the Dean of Windsor. Prince Harry’s apparent bypassing of the Dean was therefore seen as a breach of protocol.

The Legacy of Lady Anson’s Interview

Lady Elizabeth Anson’s decision to speak posthumously has sparked debate about the ethics of publishing such private conversations. Some argue that the public has a right to know the Queen’s true feelings, especially given the ongoing narrative of the Sussexes. Others contend that the interview violates the trust between a monarch and her confidante, and that it may be unfair to judge the Queen’s views based on a secondhand account.

Nevertheless, the interview has become a key piece of evidence for those who believe the relationship between the Queen and the Sussexes was strained long before the couple stepped down as senior royals. The revelation that the Queen was “really upset” and “saddened” offers a more human dimension to a figure often portrayed as stoic and unflappable.

Impact on the Royal Family’s Public Image

The ongoing revelations about internal family tensions have contributed to a more complex public perception of the British royal family. While the institution maintains a carefully curated image of unity and tradition, behind-the-scenes accounts like Lady Anson’s paint a picture of a family grappling with change, generational differences, and the pressures of modern media scrutiny. The Sussexes’ departure to the United States and their subsequent interviews have only deepened the divide.

For many royal watchers, the fact that the Queen herself expressed doubts about Meghan Markle before the wedding lends credibility to later criticisms of the Duchess. Others, however, see it as evidence of an insular and resistant monarchy that failed to embrace a modern, biracial American woman. The truth likely lies somewhere in between, but Lady Anson’s account will forever alter the narrative of the Queen’s relationship with Meghan Markle.

Source:Yahoo Entertainment News