Fresh details have emerged about an alleged disagreement between Meghan Markle and Queen Elizabeth II ahead of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding back in 2018. New insight has revealed tensions that went on behind palace doors.

The claims centre around Meghan’s choice of royal tiara, an issue that is said to have caused friction in the lead-up to the ceremony. While the moment was never publicly addressed at the time, it has remained a subject of speculation in the years since.

A new account has offered fresh insight into what may have unfolded. According to the Daily Mail, royal historian Robert Hardman revealed in an extract from his forthcoming book Queen Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story that there was a reported clash between the two women.

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry married in 2018, shortly before stepping down as working royals (Image: Getty)

Hardman wrote: “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.”

It has previously been reported that Prince Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, favoured Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau early in the selection process.

In his memoir Spare, the Duke explained that the couple had considered several options before settling on the piece, which ultimately stood out among the rest.

Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth allegedly hoped it could be a bonding experience, which appeared to backfire (Image: Getty)

However, complications are said to have arisen when arrangements were made for Meghan to try on the tiara.

Harry claimed that attempts to coordinate with the late Queen’s dresser, Angela Kelly, did not go smoothly.

Writing in his Memoir, Harry said: “To my mind, Angela was a troublemaker”, later adding: “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.”

In contrast, Hardman’s account suggests a different version of events.

Meghan Markle

Meghan Markle’s tiara clash with Queen Elizabeth revealed (Image: Getty)

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Hardman continued: “As one staffer recalled: ‘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 her whining to his grandmother.’”

The situation is said to have escalated to the point where it reached Queen Elizabeth II herself.

According to insiders cited in the book, the late monarch was displeased and is reported to have told a member of the Royal Household: “It’s not a toy”.

Meghan

Queen Elizabeth II allowed Meghan to wear the bandeau tiara, which originally belonged to Mary of Teck, has a profound history, dating back to 1932 (Image: Getty)

There were also practical challenges at play. At the time, the Queen was based in Windsor for Easter and occupied with the Royal Windsor Horse Show, while Angela Kelly was said to be carefully verifying the tiara to ensure there was no “awkward backstory” attached to the piece.

Despite the reported tensions, Meghan went on to wear the Queen Mary diamond bandeau on her wedding day, officially becoming the Duchess of Sussex.

The tiara itself carries significant historical importance. Originally created in 1932 for Queen Mary, it features a detachable central brooch that was gifted to her in 1893 by the County of Lincoln.