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Queen Elizabeth has “a soft spot” for her grandson Prince Harry because of the “tragic nature of his mother Princess Diana’s death and his struggles to cope with it.”
The claim was made by royal expert Andrew Morton, who has written a new book about the reigning monarch titled “The Queen.” The bestselling author, known for being Diana’s biographer, has previously written books on other members of the British royal family, including Meghan Markle and Princess Margaret.
Morton’s latest book coincides with the Platinum Jubilee, which marks Elizabeth’s 70 years on the throne.
“The queen’s got a soft spot for Harry,” the British author revealed during an appearance on the U.K. talk show “Lorraine” Friday. “He can jump over. I mean courtiers will have an appointment with the queen and it’ll be three weeks hence. He can turn up at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle, walk in and say ‘hi’ and get the queen to say, be involved in the Invictus Games.”
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Princess Diana’s biographer Andrew Morton shared that Queen Elizabeth has a close bond with her grandson Prince Harry.
(Julian Simmonds – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“So yeah the queen has a soft spot for Harry, because obviously, the tragic nature of his mother’s death, and he struggles to cope with that – his mental struggles,” Morton continued. “He’s cursed with charisma in a way. When I see him on royal engagements it’s very much like watching Diana, kneeling down and hugging kids. It’s remarkable.”
The Duke of Sussex lost his mother in 1997 at age 36 from injuries she sustained in a Paris car crash. Harry was just 12 years old at the time.
Morton was asked how the queen, 96, feels about “Megxit” today. The term was coined by the press following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s announcement that they were stepping back as senior royals. Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, is originally from California. The couple now resides there with their two children.
“Well it was abrupt, a lot of it was uncalled for,” said Morton. “But at the same time, the queen will recognize that they’ve got a young family. [Meghan] is American and she’ll cast her mind back to her own life. Because she and [her late husband] Prince Philip went off to Malta for a few years shortly after they were married, and they expected to be on the fringes of the royal family, of duty as it were, for 20 years or so.”
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Andrew Morton with a copy of his book, “Diana: Her True Story – In Her Own Words” at his home in London on Aug. 24, 2017.
(Chris J. Ratcliffe/AFP via Getty Images)
“Prince Philip was expected to go through the ranks in the navy,” Morton shared. “It was very unexpected for them and she will appreciate the fact that Harry and Meghan want to make a life for themselves.”
The reigning monarch is expected to appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony following the Trooping the Colour Parade on June 2. She will greet the public alongside senior members of her family.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who will be traveling across the pond, are expected to join the queen at a thanksgiving service held in St Paul’s Cathedral. The couple will appear alongside Elizabeth’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It’s unlikely that the couple’s two children, Archie and Lilibet, will attend the service. Their daughter turns one on Saturday.
The couple’s appearance will mark the first time they’re surrounded by many members of the royal family since their wedding in 2018.
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be in the U.K. for the queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
(Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Buckingham Palace shared that the queen’s attendance at events through the Platinum Jubilee weekend will likely only be confirmed on “the day itself.”
Despite having mobility issues, the queen has been making surprise appearances during the Platinum Jubilee season. She recently made her first public appearance in weeks when she attended the Royal Windsor Horse Show, where she watched her beloved equines perform. She was also the guest of honor at an equestrian show near Windsor, where Hollywood stars like Tom Cruise and Helen Mirren were guests.
Soon after, Elizabeth made an appearance at a train station in London to see a newly completed subway line named in her honor.
Buckingham Palace called the visit “a happy development,” noting that “the organizers were informed of the possibility she may attend.”
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reside in California with their two children.
(Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage via Getty Images)
Markle, a former American actress, became the Duchess of Sussex when she married Harry, 37, at Windsor Castle. The couple welcomed a son named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor in 2019.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s departures from royal duties began in 2020 over what they described as the British media’s intrusions and racist attitudes toward the former “Suits” star, 40. The family now resides in the coastal city of Montecito.
In the wake of quitting royal duties, they gave an explosive TV interview to Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, in which the couple described painful comments about how dark Archie’s skin might be before his birth. The duchess talked about the intense isolation she felt inside the royal family that led her to contemplate suicide.
Buckingham Palace said the allegations of racism made by the couple were “concerning” and would be addressed privately.
Following their tell-all interview, the couple welcomed a daughter who was named after the queen and Harry’s late mother.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
