Queen Elizabeth II reportedly confided in a friend she was “very hurt” about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to walk away from royal life back in 2020.
In her upcoming book The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown author Katie Nicholl reveals the late monarch was “exhausted by the turmoil of their decision”.
“She was very hurt,” a confidante of the UK’s longest-reigning monarch claimed.
The book also claims the 96-year-old lamented to her friend: “I don’t know, I don’t care, and I don’t want to think about it anymore”.
In the bombshell royal biography that explores the remarkable life, reign and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II – to be released next month – Ms Nicholl said “it was a source of sadness” to the Queen “that she got to see so little of Archie and Lilibet”.
The royal author claimed that she was hurt the Californian-based couple did not join her for a weekend at Balmoral in August, when she traditionally hosted a sleepover for all the grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Prince Harry and Meghan reportedly only spent 15 minutes with the Queen when they were back in the UK for her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June.
The trip marked the first time the late monarch met her great-granddaughter Lilibet, who was named in after her childhood nickname.
“It was a quick in-and-out job. It was all quite formal,” a source told The Sun at the time.
Prince Harry and Meghan’s relationship with some family members has been strained since they ditched the UK for the US and in the wake of a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.