Just weeks before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's 2018 wedding, Queen Elizabeth II was left deeply unsettled by what she saw as a mismatch between her grandson and his bride-to-be, according to newly surfaced claims from the Queen's cousin, Lady Elizabeth Anson.

Anson, who died in 2020, allegedly expressed private doubts to royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith, saying Meghan may have "engineered" the relationship and didn't appear genuinely in love with Harry. Bedell Smith has published her findings in her Substack newsletter, Royal Extra.

"We hope but don't quite think she is in love," Anson reportedly said at the time. "We think she engineered it all."

Lady Elizabeth, known as "Liza," was one of the Queen's trusted royal attendants for decades. She gained a profound understanding of Buckingham Palace's inner workings through her proximity to Queen Elizabeth II's daily operations.

In the lead-up to Prince Harry and Meghan's 2018 royal wedding, she grew increasingly worried about the escalating friction between Meghan and senior family members, including the monarch and Kate Middleton.

According to accounts later shared with Smith, Meghan declined the Queen's request for consultation on her wedding attire, a perceived snub that added strain. Additionally, Harry's sharp tone during a reported conversation with his grandmother was portrayed as "rude," further straining their already fraught relationship amid the wedding's tense planning and pervasive media attention.

When the prince bypassed protocol by seeking the Archbishop of Canterbury's blessing for the nuptials independently, it came as a startling betrayal to the veteran sovereign.

Anson recalled Harry telling her that "he was close to his grandmother and she is content with this." But when Anson spoke to the Queen directly, the Queen's view was quite different. "She said she is not at all content," Anson said.

According to Anson, there were quiet fears among palace insiders that Meghan's strong personality and rapid rise could cause internal tension, a potential disruption the Queen was said to be worried about."

'Harry Is Neither Bright Nor Strong'

Concerns went deeper than matters of royal formalities.

To advisors, Harry appeared to be lured by infatuation, neglecting his other strengths. "The problem, bless his heart, is that Harry is neither bright nor strong, and she is both." one noted grimly.

Between the couples, too, tensions were laid bare. As the wedding day drew near, it became clear the Duchess had failed to win over Prince William and his wife. Most worrying of all to the Queen was the friction between Catherine and Meghan, once so friendly.

Though initially taken by Meghan's charm, others were less convinced. "I don't trust Meghan an inch. Meghan could turn into nothing but trouble," Anson confessed.

Despite those tensions, Anson had glowing praise for Kate's royal wedding. She described it as "a wonderfully beautiful and understated service," adding that "Kate did it brilliantly. She was fantastic with perfect strangers."

The revelations come at a time when Meghan's social standing in Hollywood appears to be on shaky ground. She and Harry were notably absent from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's star-studded wedding in Venice.

An unnamed insider informed Radar Online that Meghan was distressed over not receiving an invitation to the lavish event. "Meghan is reeling after not receiving an invitation... she considers herself more famous and important than guests such as the Kardashians," the source revealed.

This same insider suggested Meghan is struggling to preserve her public persona, stating, "Her podcast is one of the most-mocked in the world now on social media, and she's failed to rebrand herself as a philanthropist."

As for Harry, according to the source, severing ties with palace life for a celebrity existence "has hit a dead end."

Tags
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Queen Elizabeth II