On November 27, 2017, Prince Charles announced the engagement of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle, marking the beginning of her integration into the royal family. Meghan Markle wanted to be referred to as 'Ms', a detail that signaled her independent identity. Prince Harry had first introduced Meghan Markle to Queen Elizabeth II in 2016 at Royal Lodge, Windsor, setting the stage for their formal relationship with the monarch.
Before that initial meeting, Sarah, Duchess of York, gave Meghan Markle a crash-course in curtseying, ensuring proper protocol. The meeting between Meghan Markle and Queen Elizabeth II lasted 20 minutes and was deemed a success, suggesting a positive start.
Private secretaries fell foul of Angela - she could make or break your palace career because she had the queen’s ear.
Engagement details soon followed, with Harry and Meghan's engagement photographs taken in the garden of Kensington Palace. Their engagement interview emphasized a 'passion' for 'change' and excitement about the Commonwealth. St George's Chapel, Windsor, was booked for Harry and Meghan's wedding on May 19, 2018.
Behind the scenes, Angela Kelly's position within the royal household was controversial. Her close friendship with Queen Elizabeth II was frowned upon by Palace aides who felt she was 'technically a servant'. Some courtiers felt Angela Kelly was an outsider and resented her status as the most trusted member of the Queen's 'inner circle'. She was nicknamed 'AK 47' by some because people felt threatened by her influence.
Let me tell you I don’t agree with you talking to my grandmother about this.
Angela Kelly's influence was significant, as she could make or break palace careers because she had the Queen's ear. This power dynamic became evident when Queen Elizabeth II sided with Angela Kelly after Prince Harry allegedly reduced her to tears over the 'Tiaragate' scandal.
Ahead of the 2018 wedding, Prince Harry's bride Meghan Markle had her heart set on wearing an emerald tiara, but unanswered questions about its provenance made it unsuitable. Queen Elizabeth II offered Meghan Markle the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiara instead, which Meghan allegedly happily accepted.
He can’t have it. I’ll deal with him. We’re having enough trouble with this wedding.
Tensions rose when Angela Kelly declined to give Meghan the tiara for a trial appointment with her hairdresser. A palace source said Prince Harry 'was giving Angela hell' over the tiara issue.
The confrontation intensified when Prince Harry allegedly told Angela Kelly he did not agree with her talking to his grandmother about this. When a teary Angela Kelly went to Queen Elizabeth II, the monarch is believed to have said he could not have it and that she would deal with him, noting they were having enough trouble with this wedding.
Another pre-wedding row, which would continue to create headlines years after the wedding, concerned Meghan’s choice of tiara. The Queen much enjoyed offering a piece from her own tiara collection to a royal bride, when required.
In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry contradicted the suggestion that Queen Elizabeth II was opposed to Meghan borrowing the tiara, adding that his grandmother actually advised her to try it on with her hairstylist. Prince Harry claimed that when he tried to contact Angela Kelly later to get the tiara for a practice session, she did not respond.
Royal historian Robert Hardman revealed in an extract from his forthcoming book that there was a reported clash between Meghan Markle and Queen Elizabeth II over Meghan's choice of tiara ahead of the 2018 wedding. Hardman wrote that the Queen much enjoyed offering a piece from her own tiara collection to a royal bride, when required. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle favoured Queen Mary's diamond bandeau early in the tiara selection process.
To my mind, Angela was a troublemaker.
Complications arose when arrangements were made for Meghan to try on the tiara. Prince Harry claimed that attempts to coordinate with Angela Kelly did not go smoothly.
Prince Harry wrote in his memoir that to his mind, Angela was a troublemaker. He also wrote that he considered going to his grandmother, but that would probably mean sparking an all-out confrontation, and he was not quite sure with whom his grandmother would side.
I considered going to Granny, but that would probably mean sparking an all-out confrontation, and I wasn’t quite sure with whom Granny would side.
Robert Hardman's account suggests a different version of events from Prince Harry's memoir regarding the tiara incident. According to a staffer, there was already an atmosphere before Angela arrived, with Meghan nowhere to be seen, Harry poking the box and saying 'Is that it?', then standing over Angela and saying he did not like something.
The contradictions in accounts raise questions about Queen Elizabeth II's stance on Meghan Markle borrowing the tiara. On one side, Queen Elizabeth II was opposed to Meghan borrowing the tiara and sided with Angela Kelly. On the other, Queen Elizabeth II was not opposed to Meghan borrowing the tiara and actually advised her to try it on with her hairstylist, as Prince Harry claimed.
There was already an atmosphere before Angela arrived. Meghan was nowhere to be seen. Harry poked the box and said 'Is that it?' Then he stood over Angela and said he did not like...
Similarly, Angela Kelly's role and behavior in the tiara incident is disputed. Angela Kelly declined to give Meghan the tiara for a trial appointment, leading to tensions, and Prince Harry alleged she was a troublemaker who did not respond to his attempts to coordinate. In contrast, a staffer recalled that there was an atmosphere before Angela arrived, with Harry poking the box and standing over her, suggesting Harry initiated the conflict.
Unanswered questions persist about the provenance of the emerald tiara that made it unsuitable for Meghan Markle, and it remains unclear if Meghan ever tried on the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiara before the wedding. The full context of Harry's confrontation with Angela Kelly is also murky, as the staffer's recollection is incomplete, leaving his exact words unknown. How these tensions specifically impacted the lead-up to the wedding and relationships within the royal family is not fully detailed, and the accuracy of the staffer's recollection about the atmosphere and Harry's actions remains uncertain.
A source described that private secretaries fell foul of Angela Kelly because she could make or break palace careers due to her access to the Queen's ear. Another pre-wedding row, which would continue to create headlines years after the wedding, concerned Meghan’s choice of tiara, with royal historian Robert Hardman noting that the Queen much enjoyed offering a piece from her own tiara collection to a royal bride, when required.