Royal historian Robert Hardman’s forthcoming book about the late Queen Elizabeth II sheds new light on a dispute between Prince Harry and one of the late Queen’s closest aides ahead of the 2018 royal wedding.
The disagreement centred on the tiara the Duchess of Sussex would wear for her nuptials to Prince Harry.
In an extract from Queen Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story, Hardman wrote: “Another pre-wedding row, which would continue to create headlines years after the wedding, concerned Meghan’s choice of tiara.
“The Queen much enjoyed offering a piece from her own tiara collection to a royal bride, when required.”
Royal historian Robert Hardman’s forthcoming book about the late Queen Elizabeth II sheds new light on a dispute between Prince Harry and one of the late Queen’s closest aides ahead of the 2018 royal wedding.
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The couple ultimately selected Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau, though Harry noted in his memoir Spare that they had examined multiple options before settling on the piece.
The tiara holds considerable royal heritage, having been crafted in 1932 specifically for Queen Mary.
At its centre sits a detachable brooch with its own distinct provenance, presented to the Queen in 1893 as a gift from the County of Lincoln.
Both Harry and Meghan were reportedly drawn to the diamond bandeau from the outset of their search through the royal jewellery collection.
Both Harry and Meghan were reportedly drawn to the diamond bandeau from the outset of their search through the royal jewellery collection.
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In his memoir Spare, the Duke of Sussex described the difficulties he faced in arranging for Meghan to try on the tiara with the Queen’s dresser, Angela Kelly.
Harry was blunt in his assessment of the situation, writing: “To my mind, Angela was a troublemaker.”
The Duke of Sussex also revealed his reluctance to escalate matters to the monarch directly.
“I considered going to Granny, but that would probably mean sparking an all-out confrontation, and I wasn’t quite sure with whom Granny would side,” Harry wrote.
The Duke of Sussex also revealed his reluctance to escalate matters to the monarch directly.
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His account painted a picture of coordination problems that created tension in the lead-up to the ceremony.
Mr Hardman’s book, drawn from palace insiders, presents a markedly different version of events.
According to a staffer who spoke to the historian, tensions were already evident before Kelly even arrived on the scene, with Meghan notably absent.
“There was already an atmosphere before Angela arrived. Meghan was nowhere to be seen.
“Harry poked the box and said ‘Is that it?’ Then he stood over Angela and said he did not like her whining to his grandmother,” the staffer recalled.