The late Queen Elizabeth II is said to have made a striking comment after learning that her grandson Prince Harry would attend Prince Philip’s funeral without Meghan Markle.

According to royal biographer Tom Bower, when told Meghan would not be present at the service in April 2021, the Queen turned to her aides and remarked: “Thank goodness Meghan is not coming.”

In his book Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors, Bower noted that the comment reflected the monarch’s growing dislike for what he described as “the disruptive actress,” who had stepped back from royal duties the previous year.

A Funeral Marked by Restraint

Prince Philip, who passed away at the age of 99 on April 9, 2021, had requested a simple service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor. Covid restrictions limited the gathering to just 30 mourners, and the Queen was determined to honor her husband of 73 years with quiet dignity.

“Philip had been her rock for the previous 70 years,” Bower observed, adding that Her Majesty complied with restrictions by grieving alone inside the chapel.

Meghan, pregnant with Princess Lilibet at the time, stayed in California. Her absence came shortly after the couple’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, where allegations of racism inside the royal household were made public.

Even without Meghan, Harry’s solo attendance presented challenges. Palace officials were concerned about potential tensions with his brother, Prince William. To avoid confrontation during the solemn procession to St George’s Chapel, their cousin Peter Phillips was deliberately placed between the two princes.

The Queen’s Shifting Opinion of Meghan

The Queen’s sharp remark contrasted with her initial efforts to welcome Meghan into royal life. Former royal aide Paul Burrell told the Mirror that Her Majesty tried to ease Meghan’s transition and did not want the couple to leave the royal fold.

“There is no doubt in my mind that she didn’t want Harry and Meghan to leave. She did not want ‘Megxit’ as it was dubbed,” Burrell said.

He recalled that the Queen even told Meghan: “You can go back to acting if you want to.” According to Burrell, the monarch was willing to bend long-standing traditions for Meghan and offered her personal support whenever needed.

A Generational Divide

Still, Burrell noted that the vast generational gap made it difficult for the Queen to fully understand Harry and Meghan’s perspective. “She wanted them to stay but she was born into an Edwardian court and was nearly 60 years older than Harry. Her Majesty had lived in a different world from her grandson. How could the Queen understand all of Harry’s problems? She couldn’t,” he explained.

Despite these tensions, Harry is believed to have reconciled with his grandmother before her passing on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96. Both he and Meghan attended her state funeral later that month — the Duchess’s most recent visit to the United Kingdom.