Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding remains one of the most discussed moments in modern royal history. Despite the fairytale outlook, the occasion proved to be more complicated than it originally seemed, with Harry opening up about some of the hurdles he and Meghan faced in his memoir, “Spare,” and a new book offering a new perspective.
Both sources confirm that there was a clash with palace staff over Meghan Markle’s wedding tiara. The new royal biography, titled “Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story,” takes the side of the royal family, showing that even the Queen was involved in the process.
The diamond bandeau Meghan wore
Every detail carries weight in weddings, with royal weddings being no exception. For her wedding, Meghan wore a diamond bandeau tiara that once belonged to Queen Mary of Teck, which carries historical and symbolic significance.
Traditionally, the selection of a tiara takes place in a private and intimate moment between the monarch and the bride-to-be. In this case, the custom took an unexpected turn. According to Hardman, Meghan broke tradition; she was accompanied by Prince Harry, a move that reportedly surprised Queen Elizabeth II.
“It was her lovely way of bonding with the bride,” said a former royal staffer to Hardman. “She did it with Sophie [Rhys-Jones] and with Catherine [Middleton]. But there wasn’t that bonding with Meghan because she turned up with Prince Harry.”
© Getty ImagesIn his memoir “Spare,” Harry revealed that Meghan considered wearing the Spencer tiara, famously worn by his mother, Princess Diana. But she was ultimately swayed by the Queen, who offered Meghan access to her own collection, inviting her to Buckingham Palace to try on different pieces.
Harry recalled that the Queen also suggested Meghan practice wearing the tiara with her hairstylist ahead of the wedding. “It’s tricky, and you don’t want to be doing it for the first time on the wedding day,” the Queen reportedly advised, noting it wasn’t something to attempt for the first time on the big day.
Tensions behind the scenes
Despite the Queen’s support, the process wasn’t without complications.
According to Harry, issues arose involving Angela Kelly, the Queen’s longtime dresser and gatekeeper of the royal jewelry collection. Communication reportedly broke down, and Kelly later insisted that the tiara would require a police escort to leave the palace.
“I considered going to Granny, but that would probably mean sparking an all-out confrontation, and I wasn’t quite sure with whom Granny would side,” Harry wrote. “Also, to my mind, Angela was a troublemaker, and I didn’t need her as an enemy.”
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesOther accounts cited by Hardman paint a different picture. One version claims that Meghan wasn’t present when the tiara was handed over, and that Harry reacted coolly to Kelly, questioning whether that was all before criticizing her handling of the situation.
From the palace’s perspective, sources insist Kelly acted appropriately, returning the tiara promptly and simply fulfilling her job.
The situation reportedly reached the Queen, who sided with her assistant and was said to be displeased with her grandson’s behavior. At one point, she firmly reminded him that the tiara was “not a toy.”
The family’s Easter in the US
Over the weekend, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle celebrated Easter far away from the UK, in their home in Montecito, California, the place where they’ve built a home after stepping down as senior royals of the British monarchy.
In a post shared on Instagram, Meghan showed her followers some of their Easter celebrations, including her children, Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4, and how they enjoyed the festivities. Videos showed the children playing and hunting for Easter eggs, and participating in other activities, like decorating eggs.
“Happy Easter,” Meghan wrote.
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