Royal Expert Reveals The Moment Elizabeth and Meghan Markle’s Relationship Started Falling Apart

Meghan Markle and Queen Elizabeth II reportedly clicked right away, and despite the Duchess's difficult history with the royal family, they stayed close until the monarch's death in September 2022. The Queen and Markle's relationship flourished after she married Prince Harry in May 2018. However, despite the Queen's efforts to make Markle feel accepted in the Royal Family, the couple resigned as senior royals in 2020. Experts claim that the first indications of tension emerged when a dispute broke out over the tiara Markle intended to wear on her wedding day.

As per the reports, Markle and Elizabeth’s dresser, Angela Kelly, clashed over the tiara. Valentine Low, the royal correspondent, revealed in his book Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown that Harry felt Kelly was being "obstructive." Low revealed that Harry pressured Kelly to relax the rules, even using strong language to get his point across, as reported by the Daily Express. Another expert pointed out that the real issue was scheduling a trial for the tiara. In his memoir Spare, Harry also mentioned the difficulty in reaching Kelly and her team.

During his appearance on Reading the Royals, a diary editor, Richard Eden said, "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." Markle famously chose the Queen Mary Bandeau Tiara for her wedding day. Once a brooch from Queen Mary's collection, this exquisite item was turned into a gorgeous Art Deco bandeau-style tiara in 1932, with a central diamond stone as the main attraction.

Meanwhile, Markle had her first meeting with the Queen before getting engaged to Harry, and it reportedly went very well. Harry was pleased to see how perfectly his girlfriend connected with his family, leaving him reassured about their relationship. Markle spoke about the Queen during the post-engagement interview and said, "When I met her I had such a deep understanding and, of course, incredible respect for being able to have that time with her, and she’s an incredible woman.” During the same interview, Harry humorously pointed out that the Queen's beloved corgis have never been fond of him—but they adore his fiancée, as reported by Harper's Bazaar.

In the past, Markle has also mentioned how much she loved being with the Queen, reminiscing about a sweet time they spent together. She recalled a charming moment with Her Majesty in a car when the Queen graciously covered Markle's knees with her blanket, which brought back memories of the warmth and kindness she experienced from her own grandmother. However, despite all the evident love between the two, some observers have pointed out that the Queen’s public message of approval for Harry and Markle’s wedding seemed more reserved when compared to the enthusiastic way in which she expressed for Kate Middleton and Prince William's marriage.