What the Queen REALLY THOUGHT of Meghan

In a stinging appraisal of what our late Queen made of the Duchess of Sussex, it's been revealed that one of her closest confidantes broke ranks to tell all,

- writes royal editor Emily Andrews

There were always rumours that the late Queen found the Duchess of Sussex difficult. Now, three years after her death in September 2022, what Queen Elizabeth II really thought – in the opinion of one of her closest confidantes – has been revealed.

Certainly Megxit, when Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal life, is thought to have caused her huge upset and stress in the last few years of her life.

But according to royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith, the late monarch and her innermost circle had had their doubts about Prince Harry's marriage to Meghan Markle long before 2020.

In fact, the Queen is thought to have feared her grandson was 'besotted and weak' and confided that he had been 'rude' to her in the lead-up to his wedding at St George's Chapel in Windsor in 2018.

Just days before the wedding, the Queen's cousin Lady Elizabeth Anson had told Sally, 'We hope but don't quite think [Meghan] is in love. We think she engineered it all.'

She added, '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.'

Lady Elizabeth was one of the late Queen's closest friends, her party planner, and spoke to her almost daily. She also said the 'jury was out' on whether the late Queen even liked Meghan.