Royal Expert Says Queen Elizabeth ‘Adored’ Prince Harry Until Her Passing (and He Felt the Same Way)
The royal family recently mourned the loss of Queen Elizabeth II with a large state funeral, which was a rare instance of the family coming together, as all four of the late monarch's children, as well as all eight of her grandchildren, were in attendance. Even Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were a long way from home, but it makes sense the pair showed up, given that the Duke of Sussex reportedly always had a close relationship with his grandmother.
In a recent interview with People, royal expert and historian Robert Hardman said that up until Queen Elizabeth's passing on September 8, 2022, she “adored Harry right to the end, and Harry adored her.” The author of Queen of Our Times: The Life of Queen Elizabeth II added, “I think she was one of the conduits between Windsor and California, and it would have been one of her dearest wishes that [the family] patch things up.”
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With regards to the “patch things up” comment, Hardman is likely referring to the tension that has existed between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the rest of the royal family after the pair conducted a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey back in the spring of 2021.
However, while rumors have flown about the family's dynamic ever since Prince Harry and Markle stepped down from their positions as senior royals back in 2020, the couple has slowly started to attend more and more family events.
In addition to the queen's funeral service, the couple made the journey to Buckingham Palace this past June, when they took part in the late Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee festivities.
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While body language experts may have noticed that Prince Harry and his brother, Prince William, have been “out of sync” in certain scenarios, the Duke of Sussex's relationship with his grandmother remained strong.
Prior to the Platinum Jubilee, Prince Harry and Markle made a secret visit to Windsor Castle in April, where they held a meeting with Queen Elizabeth. The timing was significant, given that it occurred right before Easter, a holiday that Daily Mail editor Richard Kay pointed out was “such an important time of year to [the queen].”
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Meanwhile, following the announcement of the queen's passing, Prince Harry shared an emotional message to the website for his and Markle's Archewell foundation, where he said, “Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings—from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren. I cherish these times shared with you, and the many other special moments in between.”
We bet the family will try to fulfill the queen's final wishes.
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