24 October 2023 , 10:50
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A close friend of the late Queen has revealed the surprise comment about Prince Harry made by a top US government official at King Charles' Coronation. Lady Glenconner, a childhood friend of the former monarch and a lady-in-waiting for Princess Margaret, was invited to Westminster Abbey for the historic occasion earlier this year.
The 91-year-old played a huge role in the late Queen's Coronation in 1953 as she served as one of her maids of honour. In conversation with broadcaster Gyles Brandreth at The Barnes Book Fest recently, she was asked about her thoughts on Harry and Meghan Markle after they sensationally quit their royal roles back in 2020.
Prince Harry at King Charles' Coronation earlier this year (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)And she recalled the comment made by former US presidential candidate and Secretary of State John Kerry just before the King was crowned. Mr Kerry was sat next to Lady Gleconner at King Charles' Coronation in May - and she told the audience how she asked the now US Climate Change envoy what Americans thought of Harry and Meghan. She explained: "He said 'We all feel very, very sorry for Harry'. I think I can just leave it at that."
Meanwhile, earlier in the chat, which features on Mr Brandreth's podcast Rosebud, Lady Glenconner also claimed the Duchess of Sussex failed to grasp that a lot of royal duties are actually "extremely boring". Meghan was a working royal from May 2018 until March 2020, when she and husband Prince Harry sensationally quit the UK in order to carve out a new life together with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet in the United States.
Lady Glenconner said: "I think the thing about Meghan was, she had no idea what was expected of her really. I think [Meghan] just thought it was sort of like being another actress, you know. Riding around in a golden coach and everything like that.
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John Kerry with Prince William and Kate at the Earthshot Prize awards last year in Boston (Samir Hussein/WireImage)"And actually, being a member of the Royal Family - I followed Princess Margaret for 34 years - a lot of it is extremely boring - dedicating stuff, meeting hundreds of thousands of people you're never going to meet again, always trying to say something interesting and nice. I think it is very sad, and I feel very sad for Harry."
It comes as a royal historian and expert warned that Harry and Meghan's decision to "air their dirty laundry in public" has damaged the idea of a family monarchy. Since sensationally quitting as senior working royals, the Sussexes have mounted several high-profile attacks on their royal relatives - especially King Charles and Prince William.
In addition, their relationship with many of the royals has turned extremely sour with them barely speaking to the monarch or Prince and Princess of Wales. And not only has it damaged personal relationships within the Firm, but historian Dr Ed Owens believes it has also majorly dented the royals' image of being the "best of British family life".
Speaking on the Mirror's Pod Save The King podcast, Dr Owens, author of the new book After Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself? also suggested it's time for the monarchy to drop its family image. He explained: "The story is a slightly tragic one as it has damaged this idea of a family monarchy. This idea that this is a united group who embody, if you like, the best of British family life.
"Originally King Charles III's reign was going to be based around him being supported by his two trusty lieutenants - William and Harry. But when that went so disastrously wrong in early 2020 because of Harry and Meghan's decision to leave Britain, it really put paid to that vision of the family monarchy.
"And then of course we've had the Sussexes airing their dirty laundry in public for the best part of three years - and again it has done much damage to that narrative of happy family life."