Queen Elizabeth II reportedly tried to "steer Prince Harry onto the right path," but Meghan Markle stood in the way, a former royal butler has claimed.
Former royal butler's account
Speaking on behalf of Casino, former royal butler Paul Burrell previously told the Daily Express that the late Queen did all she could to guide both Harry and Meghan onto the "right path" during the final years of her reign.
He said: "I think the Queen tried to steer Meghan and Harry on the right path, the path that she thought they should take. I thought that they would stay within the Royal Family."
"I didn't want them to leave either. I thought they were a breath of fresh air, a force for good, and would do great work for the Royal Family and on behalf of the Royal Family. But they wanted their independence, and the Queen then tried to broker a deal."
Couple's estrangement
The couple have been estranged from the Royal Family ever since they stepped back from their senior roles in 2020. The couple dropped the bombshell shortly before moving to the US with their son, Prince Archie, and later welcomed their daughter, Princess Lilibet, in the US in 2021.
The former royal butler, who worked for various members of the Royal Family for 21 years, added: "She wanted Harry to stay as close to her as possible. But that couldn't be because the American in the equation wanted a different solution."
"Meghan wanted change. The Queen herself tried to bend all the rules for Meghan. She tried to keep her within the fold, knowing that the institution could protect her better than she could be protected in the outside world."
Queen's offer to Meghan
Speaking of the late Queen, Mr Burrell added: "She was a very wise woman, the Queen. She said, if you want to continue with your acting work, then that's fine."
The late Queen told Meghan she could "continue her acting career" if she did not want to pursue royal duties before she married Harry, a royal author previously claimed.
"Which is unprecedented for a member of the Royal Family. And then the Queen said, if you need someone to help you along the way, the Duchess of Edinburgh will help you."
