Queen Elizabeth Reportedly Knew Meghan, William, and Kate Would Never Work

Before Meghan Markle even walked down the aisle, Queen Elizabeth II was apparently uneasy about the dynamic between Meghan, Prince William, and Princess Kate. According to newly released conversations between the late Queen’s cousin Lady Elizabeth Anson and royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith, the Queen sensed early on that things weren’t working smoothly among the trio.

“Meghan and William and Kate are not working well,” Anson reportedly said of the Queen’s remarks, adding that the monarch was especially concerned about “the two girls.” She also noted Queen Elizabeth was worried about Meghan’s suitability for Prince Harry, who she described as “neither bright nor strong.”

The interviews, now published on Bedell Smith’s Substack blog Royal Extra, offer a rare behind-the-scenes look at what might have been going on before the 2018 wedding. Though public awareness of tensions—like the infamous bridesmaid dress spat between Kate and Meghan—surfaced later, these remarks suggest the Queen was already troubled by the group’s lack of chemistry.

In one quote, Anson claimed Queen Elizabeth—who she affectionately called “Jemima”—was unsure about Meghan and felt that “the jury is out” on whether she liked her. Anson went even further, saying, “Harry is besotted and weak about women. We hope but don’t quite think she is in love. We think she engineered it all.”

At the time, there were other public signs of strain. In February 2018, during a joint appearance at The Royal Foundation Forum, all four royals were asked if they ever disagreed. William laughed and said, “Oh yes,” while Harry called them “healthy disagreements.”

Of course, none of the late royals can confirm or deny the claims now—Anson died in 2020 and Queen Elizabeth passed in 2022. Still, Prince Harry later described his relationship with the Queen as “really special” during a 2022 interview with Hoda Kotb, saying they shared private conversations and that he always made sure she was “protected and got the right people around her.”

It’s another layer to the already complex story of the Sussexes’ royal fallout—and proof that the cracks may have started forming long before the world noticed.