Prince Harry faced skepticism from multiple family members when he announced his intention to marry Meghan Markle, with his late grandfather Prince Philip delivering perhaps the most memorably blunt assessment of the relationship. The Duke of Edinburgh’s candid reaction to the engagement news has resurfaced through revelations in a new royal biography that examines the dynamics within the House of Windsor.
Royal patriarch issues stark warning
When Harry shared his plans to wed the American actress in November 2017, Prince Philip responded with characteristic directness that reflected both his no-nonsense personality and concerns about bringing an actress into the royal family. According to Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, historian Andrew Lownie’s biography of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Philip told his grandson that one steps out with actresses but doesn’t marry them.
The warning demonstrated Philip’s old-fashioned views about appropriate royal marriages and his skepticism about whether someone from the entertainment industry could successfully navigate the demanding protocols and intense scrutiny of royal life. His blunt assessment came just over a year after news of Harry and Meghan’s romance first became public knowledge.
Philip’s caution to Harry following the engagement announcement was initially reported by The Sunday Times in 2019, which characterized it as potentially idle dinner party gossip while acknowledging it sounded authentically like a Prince Philip remark. The Duke of Edinburgh had built a legendary reputation for quick wit and unfiltered commentary both inside and outside palace walls throughout his decades of royal service.
Brother expresses concerns about relationship pace
Prince Philip was not the only family member who reportedly expressed reservations about Harry’s whirlwind romance with Meghan. Prince William, who dated college sweetheart Kate Middleton for approximately eight years before marrying, cautioned his younger brother that the relationship was progressing too quickly according to sources who spoke with PEOPLE in 2019.
William’s advice left Harry feeling both angry and hurt, as the younger prince believed his brother should support his happiness rather than question his judgment. The differing approaches to romance between the brothers reflected their distinct personalities and experiences navigating relationships under intense public scrutiny.
Harry addressed William’s concerns in his 2023 memoir Spare, though he later clarified important details about what his brother actually said regarding the relationship. While acknowledging that William expressed worries, Harry emphasized during subsequent interviews that his brother never tried to dissuade him from marrying Meghan.
Alleged physical confrontation after wedding
The Duke of Sussex claimed in Spare that a 2019 disagreement between the brothers escalated into violence, with the confrontation beginning when William allegedly called Meghan difficult, rude and abrasive. Harry responded by suggesting his brother was simply repeating press narratives about his wife rather than forming independent opinions.
During an interview with ITV News’ Tom Bradby tied to the memoir’s release, Harry was asked directly whether William tried to prevent the marriage. The Duke of Sussex stated definitively that his brother never attempted to dissuade him from wedding Meghan, though he acknowledged William aired concerns very early in the relationship about the challenges ahead.
Harry recalled that William warned the situation would prove really hard, though he admitted not fully understanding which specific aspects his brother meant. He speculated that William perhaps predicted how intensely the British press would react to Meghan joining the royal family, a prophecy that proved devastatingly accurate.
Characterizing the heated exchange
Harry told Bradby that he witnessed a red mist in his brother during their emotional exchange, suggesting William’s anger reached concerning levels. He elaborated to Anderson Cooper during a 60 Minutes interview that he felt William was coming for his wife, implying the confrontation centered on defending Meghan against perceived attacks.
These revelations painted a picture of deep fraternal tension stemming from disagreements about how the family and press treated Meghan. The conflict highlighted broader issues within the royal institution about modernization, media relationships and supporting family members married to outsiders.
Couple’s journey from engagement to California
Harry and Meghan first met in early 2016, announcing their engagement in November 2017 before tying the knot in a globally televised ceremony at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in May 2018. The wedding represented a historic moment for the royal family with Meghan becoming the first biracial American actress to marry a senior royal.
The couple later stepped back from their royal roles in 2021, a decision that sent shockwaves through the institution and sparked ongoing debates about duty, family loyalty and personal happiness. They now live in Montecito, California with their two children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, having built new lives centered on media production, charitable work and advocacy.
Source: PEOPLE Magazine
