Prince Harry was reportedly left stunned by the Queen’s reaction when he asked for her blessing to marry Meghan Markle.
According to royal biographer Ingrid Seward, the late monarch gave a rather unexpected reply, which left her grandson briefly unsure of where he stood.
The Queen is said to have responded: “Well then, I suppose I have to say yes.”
Seward claims Harry was momentarily “floored” by the remark but soon realised she had, in fact, given her consent.
A proposal without Charles or Philip present
© GettyPrince Harry was shocked by Queen Elizabeth’s response to his Meghan Markle question
The exchange reportedly took place in a windswept field in Norfolk, with neither King Charles nor Prince Philip present.
Seward, writing in her biography My Mother And I, revealed that this private moment occurred away from any official royal setting.
Lady Elizabeth Anson, a close confidante of the Queen, was said to have been told about the meeting soon after.
She had previously spoken with the Queen weekly and shared insights into Her Majesty’s private feelings.
Private doubts from inside the palace
© GettyQueen Elizabeth II, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on the balcony of Buckingham Palace
Although the Queen seemed to approve the engagement, not everyone in royal circles was convinced about Meghan.
Journalist and biographer Sally Bedell Smith recently revealed Lady Elizabeth’s private doubts on her Substack Royal Extras.
Just days before the wedding, Lady Elizabeth reportedly said: “We hope but don’t quite think she is in love. 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.”
The Queen’s concerns and wedding planning tensions
© GettyQueen Elizabeth II and Prince Harry attend the annual Chelsea Flower show at Royal Hospital Chelsea
Seward also noted that the Queen privately shared concerns about aspects of the wedding.
One moment that allegedly stood out to the Queen was Meghan’s choice of gown.
She is said to have described Meghan’s Givenchy wedding dress as “too white”, which she apparently felt was inappropriate for a divorcee marrying in church.
Meghan was previously married to film producer Trevor Engelson between 2011 and 2014.
Traditionally, royal protocol suggests that a bride who has been previously married should opt for a gown in a colour other than pure white.
Friction during wedding preparations
© GettyMeghan Markle, Prince Harry and Queen Elizabeth II at the Queen’s Young Leaders Awards Ceremony at Buckingham Palace
Tensions reportedly arose behind the scenes in the lead-up to the big day in May 2018.
Lady Elizabeth claimed the Queen was upset that Harry had asked the Archbishop of Canterbury to conduct the service without consulting the Dean of Windsor.
According to Smith’s account, Lady Elizabeth said: “Harry seems to think the Queen can do what she wants, but she can’t.”
Lady Elizabeth also claimed: “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.”
Meghan’s behaviour raised concerns
© GettyQueen Elizabeth II, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex watch a flypast to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force
Concerns were also allegedly raised about Meghan’s behaviour during the run-up to the wedding.
Lady Elizabeth believed that Meghan was becoming increasingly “bossy”, and that the Queen was “very worried” about her future granddaughter-in-law.
Smith wrote that when the Queen tried to ask Meghan about her wedding dress, she wouldn’t tell her.
Lady Elizabeth added: “Harry is besotted and weak about women.”
A patch-up before the big day
© GettyPrince Harry joined the Procession following the State Hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II
Despite the friction, it seems Harry made efforts to mend the relationship.
Lady Elizabeth said that he visited the Queen alone in late April to smooth things over and later wrote to her with more wedding details.
By the time of the ceremony at St George’s Chapel, the Queen and her grandson had reportedly reconciled.
While Lady Elizabeth remained cautious about Meghan, others in the royal family appeared supportive.
PRINCE HARRY’S INTRIGUING TRIP
Prince Harry popped up unannounced in Angola this week, reminding the world of his more serious side by making a symbolic walk through a cleared minefield to highlight the work of the HALO Trust. The timing of the trip was particularly interesting given a meeting that took place in London this week.
Want to know more? Then hop over to The HELLO! Royal Club where HELLO!’s Royal Editor, Emily Nash, decodes the royal week in her brilliant weekly newsletter.
The Queen’s dry and unexpected response — “Well then, I suppose I have to say yes” — has now become one of many moments reflecting her famously understated sense of humour.
Whether intentional or not, her remark left Harry briefly taken aback, offering a rare insight into royal family dynamics at a moment of huge personal and public significance.
Despite the stormy path that followed, that Norfolk field meeting in 2017 remains a key turning point in the story of Harry and Meghan.
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