While much of the public only saw the carefully curated fairy tale of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal romance, those closest to the Queen were having very different conversations behind the scenes.
One of her most trusted confidantes, Lady Elizabeth Anson—affectionately known as Liza—was among the few who had a direct line to the monarch every single week.
Thanks to newly revealed accounts from royal biographers Sally Bedell Smith and Ingrid Seward, we’re now getting a rare peek into those private conversations, including the Queen’s early impressions of Meghan and the chaos that surrounded the couple’s wedding planning.
A Royal Confidante and the Queen’s Weekly Phone Calls
Lady Elizabeth Anson wasn’t just another name in the royal circle—she was a great-niece of the Queen Mother, goddaughter of King George VI, and the Queen’s own cousin.
More importantly, she was someone the Queen trusted implicitly.
According to journalist Sally Bedell Smith, Liza spoke to the Queen every week by phone, offering a window into Her Majesty’s real thoughts—the kind she rarely shared with anyone else.
Harry’s Proposal Caught the Queen Off Guard
Royal biographer Ingrid Seward revealed in her book My Mother and I that Prince Harry made his move in an unorthodox way.
He asked the Queen for permission to marry Meghan Markle in the middle of a windswept field in Norfolk—without his father, Prince Charles, or Prince Philip present.
The Queen’s response? A deliberately vague, “Well then, I suppose I have to say yes.”
Apparently, Harry was taken aback by her reply, though he quickly realized it was a yes.
While the Queen later seemed to warm up to Meghan after meeting her, her tone during that early conversation seemed less than enthusiastic.
Liza’s Chilling Doubts About Meghan’s Intentions
Not everyone in the Queen’s circle was thrilled about the match.
Lady Anson, who helped organize many of the Queen’s parties and even her 80th birthday celebration, allegedly voiced serious doubts.
According to Smith, just days before the wedding, Liza warned: “We hope but don’t quite think she is in love. We think she engineered it all.”
She also didn’t mince words about Harry, calling him “neither bright nor strong,” and suggested that Meghan—being the more intelligent and dominant partner—needed to be careful not to overshadow him.
The Queen’s Private Reaction to Meghan’s Wedding Dress
According to Seward, the Queen made a rare personal comment about Meghan’s Givenchy wedding gown—saying it was “too white.”
In royal tradition, it’s expected that divorcees (like Meghan, who was previously married to Hollywood producer Trevor Engelson) wear a dress in a less virginal shade if remarrying in church.
The Queen, who usually kept her opinions tightly guarded, reportedly shared that particular thought with Lady Anson in private.
Friction Behind the Scenes as the Wedding Approached
Things didn’t get easier after the engagement. Smith recalls that in early 2018, Liza was getting regular updates from the Queen, who she playfully nicknamed “Jemima.”
According to Liza, “My Jemima is very worried.”
The Queen was reportedly upset that Harry bypassed royal protocol by asking the Archbishop of Canterbury to perform the ceremony without first speaking to the Dean of Windsor, who actually held authority over religious matters at St George’s Chapel.
Liza relayed that the Queen told her Harry had been “rude to her for ten minutes” during a tea meeting.
The Queen was also disappointed that Meghan wouldn’t reveal details about her dress, even when asked directly.
At that moment, Liza feared Meghan could “turn into nothing but trouble.”
Temporary Peace Between Harry and the Queen
Despite the tension, things seemed to cool off a bit by late April 2018.
Harry visited the Queen alone in an effort to mend their relationship, and reportedly sent her a letter with additional wedding information afterward.
This helped smooth things over—for the time being at least.
But the unease didn’t go away. Liza later commented that Meghan’s father, Thomas Markle, was “frightened of coming to the wedding,” and admitted that Meghan had become increasingly “bossy” in the lead-up to the big day.
A Royal Wedding Clouded by Doubt
What was presented to the public as a fairy-tale union was, in private, surrounded by hesitations, confusion, and hurt feelings.
From Lady Anson’s perspective—and perhaps even the Queen’s—there were troubling signs even before Meghan walked down the aisle.
As time has revealed, those early concerns may have been a preview of the royal storm that was to come.