Royal Expert Reveals the Exact Moment Meghan Markle's Relationship With the Queen 'Went Wrong'

Queen Elizabeth II was initially fond of Meghan Markle during her early days in the royal fold, even inviting her to her private Christmas dinner against royal tradition. While things completely broke down when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down as senior royals, a royal correspondent reveals that the first signs of trouble in Markle's relationship with the Queen came after a disagreement about her wedding tiara.

Royal correspondent Valentine Low writes in his book, Courtiers: the Hidden Power Behind the Crown, that Harry thought the Queen's hairdresser, Angela Kelly, was being ‘obstructive’ when Markle tried to dress rehearse a tiara for their wedding. As reported by the London Standard, an extract from his book read, “Whether Harry swore at his grandmother’s aide, or about her, is not clear. But she wasn’t impressed. She reported all this to the Queen, who summoned Harry to a private meeting. ‘He was firmly put in his place,’ a source said. ‘He had been downright rude.’”

Low in his book revealed that Markle didn't bother to check Kelly’s availability. The hairdresser allegedly explained protocol to Markle and ignored requests for fittings. As reported by the Daily Express, diary editor Richard Eden echoed, “Harry felt that Meghan wasn't being treated as she should. Everyone should show her great respect, and here was a servant who was being quite difficult and obstructive. It set a bad tone for the marriage and relationship with the royal family.”

Prince Harry has himself written about the drama surrounding the wedding tiara in his memoir, Spare. The book claimed that the couple initially wanted to test Princess Diana’s tiaras, but the Queen begged them to select something from her private collection. As reported by Page Six, he said that when they inquired with Kelly about borrowing the tiara for Markle’s test, she never got back to them. Harry penned, “It was obvious they were putting up obstacles, but why? It didn’t occur to us what motives they might have.” He revealed that there were also 'heated debates' on whether Markle, a divorced woman, should wear a veil for their ceremony.

As per Page Six, royal author Robert Lacey, in his book Battle of Brothers, also echoed that Markle’s first choice of tiara was actually an emerald piece, but the Queen 'felt she had' to deny the request as the piece had a 'scandal attached'. The book claims that Harry flew into a rage when he was told that Markle could not borrow the emerald tiara. Ultimately, Markle went ahead with Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau Tiara, a family heirloom borrowed from the late monarch.