Prince Harry Strains Relationship with Late Queen over 2018 Wedding Plans

Prince Harry's relationship with the late Queen Elizabeth II was significantly strained in early 2018, months before his wedding to Meghan Markle, primarily due to his decision to bypass royal protocol by inviting the Archbishop of Canterbury to officiate without consulting the Dean of Windsor. This move, along with Meghan's refusal to disclose details about her wedding dress and tensions with palace staff, left the Queen feeling dismayed and upset, according to Lady Elizabeth Anson, a close confidante of the monarch. Despite a reported reconciliation by April 2018, the royal household remained cautious, and the Queen was uncertain about her feelings toward Meghan. These private accounts, revealed by royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith through Lady Elizabeth's notes, highlight the emotional toll on the Queen and the beginning of a noticeable shift in family dynamics that eventually led to Harry and Meghan stepping back from royal duties in 2020. Harry publicly defended Meghan in 2025, calling her the most trolled person in 2018, while the couple now lives in California with their children. Notably unrelated to this topic, Prince Harry's former girlfriend Cressida Bonas recently announced the completion of the first season of her podcast, 'Lessons From Our Mothers.'