A royal mess. Queen Elizabeth II has not stopped working to repair her family’s name after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s explosive tell-all interview.
“She has barely had any time to herself since the interview and has been in constant crisis meetings,” a source exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly.
While the monarch, 94, has not watched the March 7 special, according to the source, Buckingham Palace aides “thoroughly briefed” her on the claims that Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, made about the royal family.
“The queen has always had a soft spot for Harry and looked out for him, so [she] is incredibly hurt and shocked that it has come to this,” the source tells Us. “She’s trying to be understanding and see things from Harry’s perspective, but he allegations he and Meghan have made are hard for her to digest. The interview has wreaked havoc on the royal family.”
During their CBS sit-down, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex discussed everything from their decision to step back from their roles within the royal family to their 22-month-old son, Archie, to the upcoming arrival of their second child, a daughter. The couple, who married in May 2018, also opened up about the suicidal thoughts that Meghan had during her first pregnancy as well as a family member’s “concerns” about Archie’s skin color.
Buckingham Palace responded on March 9 in a statement to Us that read, “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members.”
In the aftermath, Gayle King revealed that Harry has talked to his brother, Prince William, and their father, Prince Charles, since the interview, but the “conversations were not productive” amid tensions between them.
For more on the royals, watch the video above and pick up the new issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now.
