Queen Elizabeth II 'privately disagreed' with Meghan Markle over wedding decision due to duchess' divorce
The queen was allegedly unimpressed by Meghan's decision to wear a dramatic veil
Queen Elizabeth II is said to have privately disagreed with one key aspect of Meghan Markle’s royal wedding, according to claims made in a new royal biography.
In William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, author Russell Myers revealed that the Duchess of Sussex’s wardrobe choices caused quiet concern within royal circles before she married Prince Harry.
Queen Elizabeth II ‘disagreed’ with Meghan Markle over veil
According to the book, the late monarch was reportedly uneasy about Meghan’s decision to wear a traditional bridal veil. Her choice was said to have conflicted with royal convention for divorcees.
Myers wrote that the queen “privately disagreed” with the decision.
“[Royal author Sally] Bedell Smith described how Meghan ‘refused’ to tell the queen about her wedding dress and had insisted on wearing a veil, which the queen privately disagreed with, due to her being a divorcee,” he explained, as reported by HELLO!.
Royal Insider has contacted reps for Buckingham Palace for comment.
Historically, senior royal divorcees, including Queen Camilla and Princess Anne, opted against traditional bridal veils when remarrying, choosing more understated outfits instead.
Meghan, however, selected a dramatic silk tulle veil designed by Givenchy’s Clare Waight Keller. The veil featured intricate embroidery representing all 53 Commonwealth nations.
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Kensington Palace confirmed at the time that Meghan wanted the Commonwealth symbolically included in the ceremony. They described the design as a tribute to the countries she hoped to support in her future royal role.
The veil was paired with Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau tiara, which was loaned to Meghan from the royal vault by Queen Elizabeth II herself.
The reported disagreement was linked to Meghan’s previous marriage to American film producer Trevor Engelson. The duchess married Engelson in 2011, but they divorced in 2014.
Meghan and Harry’s wedding
Claims surrounding the queen’s reservations have circulated for years.
Royal commentator Ingrid Seward alleged that the monarch had also been uneasy about Meghan wearing a traditional white wedding gown.
She noted Her Majesty appeared visibly “cross” at the time. Seward reiterated this claim in her 2023 book, My Mother and I.
Writing about conversations relayed to her, Seward claimed the queen made just one private remark about the Sussexes’ 2018 nuptials, allegedly describing Meghan’s Givenchy wedding gown as “too white”.
Seward added that such a traditional bridal style was considered “not appropriate” for a divorcee remarrying in a church ceremony.
Despite any private disagreements, the wedding itself became one of the most watched royal events in modern history. It drew millions of viewers worldwide as Harry and Meghan exchanged vows in May 2018.
The couple first met in London in 2016 after being introduced by a mutual friend. They quickly formed what Prince Harry later described as an instant connection.
Within weeks, they travelled together to Botswana to build their relationship away from public scrutiny.
Their whirlwind romance culminated in an engagement announcement in 2017. This was quickly followed by the Windsor wedding the following year.
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