When Queen Elizabeth Called Out Meghan Markle Before Her Wedding to Harry: “In This Family, We Don’t..”

Meghan Markle and the late Queen Elizabeth II were reported to have started off well but things soon turned awry. Rumors of tension between the two strong personalities surfaced long before Markle got married to Prince Harry . Royal expert Katie Nicholl delves into one such instance in her book, The New Royals . Nicholl detailed that once when Markle was visiting the Palace for a food sampling before her royal wedding, the Queen allegedly overheard the Duchess being rude to staff.

The former actress had specifically requested that certain dishes be prepared entirely vegan, only to find eggs in one of the items. She promptly brought it to the attention of the catering team, as reported by OK! Magazine . Nicholl stated in her book, “She [Markle] got quite upset, saying that the dish was meant to be vegan and macrobiotic when suddenly the Queen walked in and said, ‘Meghan, in this family we don’t speak to people like that.'” Several other reports suggested that the late Queen was candid in her interactions with Markle leading up to the royal wedding , as reported by the Daily Express .

One particular clash highlighted the late Queen’s true feelings toward Markle— a disagreement over the Duchess’ wedding tiara . In his 2020 book, Battle of Brothers: William & Harry , royal biographer Robert Lacey detailed the tensions that arose before the wedding day. According to reports, Markle had her sights set on wearing a tiara adorned with diamonds and emeralds, but the Queen felt obliged to turn down her preference. The tiara Markle wanted was rarely used in royal ceremonies because of a previous scandal, according to a Buckingham Palace insider.

Harry was allegedly furious when he learned that Markle’s wish would not be granted, as reported by the New York Post . Instead, Markle wore a diamond bandeau tiara that had been made for Queen Mary, who was crowned alongside King George V in 1911. The tiara was passed down to Elizabeth II in 1953 when she ascended to the throne. At the time of her wedding, Markle was said to be unaware of the intricate protocol governing the crown jewels. Her request for a fitting for the tiara before the wedding was reportedly refused by the Queen’s dresser, Angela Kelly.

Markle and the late Queen had a good beginning to their relationship. The former Suits actress discussed a trip she made with the Queen to Cheshire, England, in an interview in March 2021. She said the Queen was much more welcoming and approachable than the public could have imagined. As reported by the New York Post , she said, “We were in the car going between engagements. And she had a blanket that sat across her knees for warmth, and it was chilly. And she was like, ‘Meghan, come on,’ and put it over my knees as well…and it made me think of my grandmother , where she’s always been warm and inviting and really welcoming.”