Prince Harry and Meghan's split from the Royal Family left Queen Elizabeth II 'enormously upset'

Svar Nanan-Sen
Sun, 19 Apr 2026 14:03:05 +0000

A new book by royal commentator Robert Hardman offers fresh insights into Queen Elizabeth II's relationship with Prince Harry, revealing the late monarch held deep affection for her grandson throughout his life.

"The Queen always adored Harry," says Hardman, whose work Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story has been released to mark the centenary of the Queen's birth.

The author, who has covered more than 70 royal tours across three decades, explains that Queen Elizabeth II possessed a natural understanding of those born into the "spare" roles within the family.

"She had an instinctive sympathy for the spare," Hardman notes, pointing to her own father's unexpected ascension to the throne following his brother's abdication, and her lifelong support for Princess Margaret.

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The Queen worried that both Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Prince Harry lacked the clearly defined positions their elder siblings enjoyed.

When Harry introduced Meghan to his grandmother, the monarch displayed nothing but warmth and generosity towards her future granddaughter-in-law.

The Queen extended a particularly significant gesture to Meghan by inviting her on a solo journey aboard the royal train, an honour rarely bestowed upon new family members.

She also presented Meghan with diamond and pearl drop earrings, a personal gift intended to help her feel welcomed into the family.

Elizabeth recognised her grandson's potential as a working member of the Royal Family, according to Hardman.

"The Queen recognised what a modernising force Harry was," the author states, citing her decision to dispatch him to Jamaica in March 2012 during Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

The timing was significant, as republican sentiment was growing in the Caribbean nation.

Harry proved himself the ideal ambassador for the occasion, embracing Jamaica's prime minister and famously racing against Usain Bolt on the track, where he claimed victory through playful cheating.

The prince returned home having successfully bolstered support for the monarchy, demonstrating precisely the kind of informal, engaging approach that could connect with modern audiences in ways traditional royal protocol could not achieve.

Harry and Meghan's January 2020 announcement that they would step back from senior royal duties came without proper consultation with the Palace, leaving the Queen deeply wounded.

"As far as the Queen was concerned, Harry and Meghan had everything handed to them but wanted to throw it all away," Hardman reveals, adding she was "enormously upset and terribly sad about a wasted opportunity."

Queen Elizabeth II responded decisively, convening crisis discussions at Sandringham where Harry learned there would be no compromise allowing a partial royal role, and that he could no longer use his HRH title.