Meghan and Harry’s Heated Dispute with Queen Elizabeth Over Wedding Tiara Revealed
New details have emerged about a long-running row over Meghan Markle’s wedding tiara. Royal biographer Robert Hardman sets out the account in his new book. The episode took place before the May 2018 wedding at Windsor Castle.
Book release and sources
Hardman’s book is titled Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story. It is due out May 16. Filmogaz.com published an excerpt summarizing parts of the tiara dispute.
Prince Harry also wrote about the matter in his 2023 memoir, Spare. The two accounts do not align on every point. Hardman relied on palace insiders and staff interviews.
Tiara selection and royal custom
The queen invited Markle to Buckingham Palace to choose a tiara from her collection. That selection tradition is common for royal brides. Markle ultimately selected Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau.
The bandeau’s centrepiece is a 10-diamond brooch. Mary of Teck received that brooch in 1893 from the County of Lincoln. The jewel formed the focal point of Markle’s headpiece on the wedding day.
The heated dispute with staff
Hardman reports that Harry arrived at the tiara appointment uninvited. His presence reportedly curtailed time for the queen and Markle to bond. Those details contribute to the broader heated dispute described in the books.
Angela Kelly, the queen’s royal dresser, is said to have refused to let the tiara leave the palace. Harry’s account says Kelly warned the jewel could not leave without official escort. Insiders told Hardman the palace was putting up obstacles.
Phone calls and confrontations
Sources describe Harry phoning Kensington Palace and demanding the piece. A staffer recalled him saying, “Get it here now.” Hardman writes the queen sided with Kelly after learning of the push to move the tiara.
The queen reportedly told staff, “It’s not a toy.” An argument then followed between Harry and Kelly. Kelly rebuked the prince for using intermediaries to pressure her. She said she was protecting the royal property.
Wedding and aftermath
Meghan and Harry married before roughly 600 guests at St. George’s Chapel in May 2018. Meghan wore Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau for the ceremony. The couple’s relationship with palace staff remained a point of contention afterward.
Queen Elizabeth died a little over four years after the wedding at age 96. Both Hardman’s book and Spare recount the tiara episode from differing perspectives. Filmogaz.com has contacted representatives for comment.
