New claims suggest that Queen Elizabeth II quietly advised Prince Harry not to rush into marriage with Meghan Markle ahead of their 2018 wedding.
According to royal author Hugo Vickers, the late monarch — who was known to share a close relationship with her grandson — initially welcomed Meghan warmly. When Harry and Meghan began dating in 2016, the Queen reportedly described the former actress as a “breath of fresh air” and even invited her to spend Christmas at Sandringham before the couple were married.
However, Vickers claims that behind the scenes, the Queen had concerns.
“The Queen herself suggested that Harry should wait a year,” he wrote.
“He did not take her advice. Instead, as we know, the wedding went ahead just over six months after the couple’s engagement.”
Reactions and Debate Around the Claims
Discussing the revelations, comedian Diane Spencer weighed in during a television appearance, saying:
“You’ve got to listen to your nana! You’ve got to listen to your nana when it comes to stuff like this!”
However, presenter Alex Armstrong defended the couple, pointing out that Harry and Meghan now have two children and appear happy. Spencer responded skeptically:
“Well, you think?”
She also referenced reports about Meghan’s behavior, adding:
“What I have found interesting are the reports coming out – there was a report from Variety about Meghan’s behaviour – she literally corrects him (Harry) mid-topic,”
“So he’ll say something – she’ll correct him, rephrase what he’s saying and she will pat him. And it is the most controlling behaviour.”
She argued that public reaction might differ if the situation were reversed:
“People would be going, ‘Look at the way he controls her, this is absolutely terrible!’”
The Queen’s Reported Reservations
Vickers further claimed that by the time of the wedding in May 2018, the Queen’s attitude had shifted.
“Someone close to the monarch told me her attitude to the actual wedding was: ‘You get on with it. It’s nothing to do with me’,” he wrote.
“It was said that the Queen did not like the dress – too white and with ungainly shoulders.”
Similar accounts have been shared by author Sally Bedell Smith, who cited conversations with Lady Elizabeth Anson, a close confidante of the Queen.
Initially, Lady Elizabeth described Meghan as “full of charm,” but her view reportedly changed over time.
“Meghan could turn into nothing but trouble,” she later said.
Tensions During Wedding Planning
According to Lady Elizabeth, disagreements began to surface during preparations for the wedding. She recalled Harry telling her that he and Meghan were going “another way” with their plans, and insisting:
“I am close to my grandmother, and she is content with this.”
However, when she spoke directly to the Queen, she claimed the response was very different:
“She was not at all content.”
One issue reportedly involved Harry approaching the Archbishop of Canterbury about officiating the ceremony without first consulting the Dean of Windsor.
Lady Elizabeth said the Queen was deeply upset by how events unfolded:
“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.”
Wider Family Strains
Further concerns were reportedly raised just weeks before the wedding.
“The Number One Lady- I call her Jemima- says the jury is out on whether she likes Meghan,” Lady Elizabeth said.
“My Jemima is very worried.”
She also suggested tensions extended to other members of the family, adding:
“Meghan and William and Kate are not working well.”
“That is what the Queen said, particularly about the two girls.”
Aftermath and Moving Forward
Despite the reported strain, Harry and the Queen are believed to have met privately and “patched things up” before the wedding.
In 2020, however, Harry and Meghan stepped back from their royal roles and moved to California. Lady Elizabeth passed away the same year, while Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022 at the age of 96.
Meghan later attended the Queen’s funeral, marking her most recent appearance in the UK.
