The British public, as well as many people all over the world, would love to know what Queen Elizabeth II thought about Prince Harry’s romance and marriage to actress Meghan Markle.
A new book is out, entitled Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait. It’s a biography by British journalist and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth, which reveals the inner thoughts of the late Queen.
One of the titillating excerpts shares that Queen Elizabeth felt that her grandson, Prince Harry, was a little “too much in love” with his bride Meghan Markle.
The author is known to be a trusted confidant of the royal family. He said that comment by the deceased monarch was the closest that she ever came to saying anything negative about Meghan. She was happy about Prince Harry’s marriage to Meghan and had high expectations for the new royal’s contribution to public and royal life.
An excerpt from the biography says that Queen Elizabeth II told many people that she liked Meghan and did whatever she could to make her feel welcome and comfortable.
The late Queen wasn’t outwardly angry when Harry and Meghan did their candid interview with talk show host Oprah Winfrey. If she was offended by the interview with Oprah, where they talked about Meghan’s struggle with royal life and racist remarks by members of the royal family, she didn’t show it.
Brandreth, who is a former member of the British Parliament, wrote that after the Oprah interview, the Queen was very concerned about the emotional well-being of Prince Harry. She called the interview “television nonsense.”
The author also wrote that the Queen spoke with Meghan and told her if she wanted to, she could continue her acting career after her marriage to Prince Harry. The Queen was glad to hear that Markle was committed to dedicating her life to royal service but was concerned when the actress rejected an offer for Sophie Wessex to show her the ropes. Despite the Queen’s generous offer, Meghan decided to quit acting.
The Queen also was said to have rejected Prince Andrew’s attempt to criticize Harry and Meghan after the Oprah interview, reminding him that Sarah Ferguson, his ex-wife, had given a similar interview with Oprah after their divorce.
Some royal family members were hesitant about Meghan and Harry’s decision to name their daughter Lilibet after the Queen, but the Queen was happy about it.
Brandreth wrote that members of the royal family do not like talking about Harry and Meghan, and prefer to say a positive statement, such as “we wish them all the best” in their response to questions about the couple.
Brandreth’s relationship with the royal family goes back decades. He met Elizabeth’s husband, Prince Philip, in 1970 at a charity event, and they became friends. He has worked with the royals for the last 60 years. He and the Queen Consort have started a poetry podcast.
According to the biography, the Queen had bone marrow cancer before her death in September 2021.
Brandreth says that Prince Philip confided to him about the decision by Harry and Meghan to abandon their royal duties, telling Brandreth he thought they were making a mistake. Brandreth wrote that he believes Harry’s dad, King Charles, had the same feelings on the matter.