Throughout the drama of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “stepping back” from royal life, their move to the US and the controversial Oprah Winfrey interview, the late Queen always maintained that the couple were "much-loved members of the Royal Family”.
But, says one royal author, her late majesty never quite understood the thinking behind Harry’s decision, and was "hurt and upset" that the Sussexes chose to quit The Firm.
Katie Nicholl, whose book ‘The New Royals’ hit shelves the day after the Queen’s funeral, sats that the Queen remained close to Harry despite all of the turmoil, saying the pair “always had a close relationship and he would call quite frequently”.
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Appearing on the Royally Us podcast to promote her new book The New Royals, Katie said that the Queen always looked forward to her video chats with her grandson and his family.
“The Queen took those calls and enjoyed the video calls where she got to see Archie and Lilibet,” she said, “but I’m not sure she ever did understand his decision to leave.
“We know from the statements she issued that she really did try to convince them to stay and I think it was a source of great disappointment and private hurt and upset that a way couldn’t be found for them to stay as working members of the Royal Family.”
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Katie added that the Queen was desperate to keep the family united, and organised the famous “Sandringham Summit,” in which Prince Charles, as he then was, along with princes William and Harry to try to thrash out a way of preventing a permanent rift in the royal family.
The Duchess of Sussex who is believed to have been in Canada at the time, joined in on the debate via video chat.
“It was the Queen’s wish to try and persuade them to stay,” Katie said.
Sadly, it was not to be, and it would have been a source of deep regret for Queen Elizabeth that at the end of her long and illustrious reign, some of the most important people in her life remained at odds with each other.
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