Queen Elizabeth disapproved of Meghan ignoring long-standing royal protocol on her wedding day, book claims
MEGHAN Markle “annoyed” the late Queen on her wedding day by breaking royal protocol, it is claimed.
The monarch – who died in September 2022 – allegedly disapproved of the Duchess of Sussex, 43, opting to wear a veil at her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018.
The Queen may have modernised many aspects of the monarchy during her 70-year reign, but she could still be a traditionalist from time to time.
Writing in his book, Revenge, royal author Tom Bower said: “The Queen also questioned why Meghan needed a veil for the wedding, given it was to be her second marriage.”
The late Queen was also allegedly taken aback at divorcee Meghan’s choice of a white bridal gown.
The Duchess was previously married to Hollywood film producer Trevor Engelson between 2011 and 2013.
In contrast, Queen Camilla, who had been married to Andrew Parker Bowles, stuck to tradition and didn’t wear a veil for her wedding to Charles in 2005.
Meghan’s 16ft-long veil was trimmed with lace depicting flora from each of the 53 Commonwealth countries for the service at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
Her £100,000 dress was designed by Clare Waight-Keller, then of Givenchy.
The fashion designer said she wanted to make something “timeless” but also “convey modernity”.
She said: “In contrast, the delicate floral beauty of the veil was a vision Meghan and I shared, a special gesture embracing the commonwealth flora, ascending the circumference of the silk tulle.”
The gown and veil took 50 people 3,900 hours to complete.
The veil was held in place by Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau tiara, made in 1932 and lent to the Duchess by the late Queen.
Describing the dress, Meghan previously said: “I had a very clear vision of what I wanted for the day and what I wanted the dress to look like.
“So what was amazing in working with Clare [Waight Keller] is that sometimes you’ll find designers try to push you in a different direction.
“But she just completely respected what I wanted to see for the day, and she wanted to bring that to life for me.”
Lady Elizabeth Anson, a close confidant of the Queen’s, told royal author Ingrid Seward that she made only one remark to her about Meghan and Harry’s wedding, which was that the bride’s Givenchy wedding gown was “too white”.
She wrote in her February 2024 book My Mother and I: “In the monarch’s view, it was not appropriate for a divorcee getting remarried in church to look quite so flamboyantly virginal.”
Seward also claims Prince Phillip was “one of the few wary” of Meghan and thought it was “uncanny” how much she reminded him of the socialite and divorcee Wallis Simpson.
Ms Simpson opted not to wear white when she married King Edward in 1937.
The Queen was also said to have felt regret that Meghan hadn’t made up with her estranged father Thomas Markle prior to the wedding.
At short notice, it was decided Charles would walk her down the aisle.
Royal author Katie Nicholl, in her book The New Royals, said the monarch had concerns grandson Harry had never even met Thomas.
Ms Nicholl said the Queen made a point to speak to Harry and Meghan about the situation with the latter’s father.
“She thought the whole thing could have been better handled,” she wrote.