Queen Elizabeth ‘refused to take Prince Harry’s calls without a witness’

Another day, another royal book release. Which inevitably, means more royal drama — this time, about the late Queen Elizabeth and her grandson, Prince Harry.

In his latest biography, ‘Queen Elizabeth II: A Personal History,’ royal historian Hugo Vickers explores the woman behind the crown and dives deep into her private life and family struggles.

While touching on the Queen’s enduring marriage to Prince Philip, and detailing the challenges she faced with her disgraced son and former prince, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, there’s also some juicy Prince Harry content.

2020 saw Harry and Meghan Markle’s dramatic exit from the royal family. After stepping back as working royals and moving across the Atlantic to California, the couple cited a ‘really difficult environment’ as their catalyst for leaving the ‘firm.’

This included a reported lack of institutional support and racism within the royal family.

Later, the Sussexes would use the media to tell their sides of the story.

Their explosive 2021 Oprah interview and Prince Harry’s 2023 memoir, ‘Spare,’ which, at the time, became the fastest-selling non-fiction book ever, made global headlines.

However, in his own book, Vickers revealed that Queen Elizabeth was left ‘distressed’ by the situation.

Known for her inscrutability and being notoriously private throughout her 70-year reign, the monarch reportedly refused to speak with her grandson on the phone without a witness following the fallout.

Vickers penned: ‘Whenever Prince Harry called his grandmother, she asked her lady-in-waiting to stay with her.

‘The distress the Sussexes caused the Queen in the last years of her life cannot be overestimated.’

An insider also claimed to Page Six that, during the calls, the Queen would remain ‘monosyllabic.’

‘There were lots of one-word answers, “yes” and “no”,’ the source said.

‘The Queen clearly wanted some kind of protection,’ they continued, adding that she kept her lady in waiting with her for ‘moral support and protection,’ while ensuring ‘there was a record of what was said.’

The source concluded by saying the Queen was ‘on her guard’ with Harry, because she was ‘so hurt by what he had done.’

Elsewhere, Vickers touched on Harry’s decision to move to the US and ditch royal duties. He claimed that the Queen ‘judged’ his life choices, and reportedly said: ‘And now Harry has opted out, and for what? To be a carer for Archie?’

Whether people see that as a bad thing or not, it looks as though Harry, Meghan and their young family are getting on perfectly fine.

Just yesterday, the former Suits actress posted a wholesome father-son video to Instagram of Harry and Prince Archie, six, skiing together.

Meghan captioned the footage: ‘My boys. Quick learner, Archie! So proud,’ as the pair zoomed down a mountain.

Harry and Meghan, who have historically kept their home life private, have been sharing rare glimpses of their family in recent times.

On Valentine’s Day, Meghan posted a photo of Harry and Princess Lilibet, four, who was wearing a sweet ballet outfit, with the caption: ‘These two + Archie = my forever Valentines.’

A month later, on International Women’s Day, Meghan shared a mother-daughter photo of the pair from the back, cuddling on the beach.

‘For the woman she will one day be… Happy International Women’s Day,’ she penned alongside the picture.

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