Nearly seven years after the wedding that captivated millions around the world, a surprising detail has surfaced about the late Queen Elizabeth II’s private thoughts on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal nuptials. According to a new royal biography set to be released next month, Her Majesty reportedly made a dry, understated remark during the 2018 ceremony that quietly spoke volumes.

The book, titled Elizabeth: A Quiet Force, written by royal historian and former court correspondent Helena Fielding, explores the late Queen’s private reflections on significant royal events in her final years. Among its revelations is a moment during Harry and Meghan’s wedding that, while unnoticed by the public at the time, may now be seen as a subtle yet pointed observation from the monarch.

A Royal Ceremony Like No Other

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding, held on May 19, 2018, at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, was far from traditional in royal terms. With an American bride, gospel choir, a fiery sermon by American Bishop Michael Curry, and Hollywood celebrities in attendance, the event represented a break from the stiff formality of past royal weddings.

According to Fielding’s sources, Queen Elizabeth, while gracious and publicly supportive, was internally struck by the dramatic contrast between this ceremony and the restrained elegance of prior royal unions.

During Bishop Curry’s now-famous 14-minute sermon on the redemptive power of love—marked by impassioned delivery and American-style preaching—Fielding writes that the Queen turned to a close aide seated beside her and remarked:

“Well, that’s certainly not what we’re used to.”

Delivered in her famously calm and clipped tone, the comment was reportedly not intended to be harsh but instead dryly humorous—classic Elizabethan understatement. Yet, for those who knew the Queen’s careful choice of words, the message was clear: she was observing, not entirely approving.

Not Disapproval, But Discomfort

Sources close to the late monarch insist the Queen held no personal animosity toward Meghan Markle and did, in fact, welcome her into the family with sincerity. But Fielding’s biography suggests that Elizabeth was keenly aware of how Meghan’s presence, and the choices she and Prince Harry were making, signaled a cultural and generational departure that could challenge the monarchy’s image.

“She respected Meghan’s confidence and admired her charity work,” Fielding writes. “But there was also unease. The Queen was a woman of tradition. She understood symbolism, and the wedding was a powerful signal that the old ways were changing.”

A Moment That Foreshadowed More

In hindsight, the Queen’s brief comment may have foreshadowed the tumultuous path ahead. Within two years of the wedding, Prince Harry and Meghan would step back from royal duties in what became known as “Megxit,” sparking tensions that reverberated across the royal family and beyond.

Fielding posits that the wedding—so widely praised for its modern flair—marked the beginning of a shift that deeply concerned the Queen. “It wasn’t the sermon, or the Hollywood stars,” she writes. “It was the symbolism of autonomy, of a couple who clearly saw themselves on a different path.”

A Rare Glimpse Into a Private Mind

The Queen was known for her stoicism and discretion. Publicly, she expressed warm congratulations to Harry and Meghan and ensured that the wedding received the full support of the Crown. Privately, however, Fielding’s book paints a portrait of a monarch who saw change coming but remained characteristically measured in response.

“She never criticized them directly,” one aide told Fielding. “But her silence often said more than words ever could.”

Indeed, the reported comment about the wedding was, in many ways, typical of the Queen’s style—observant, lightly humorous, and laced with an unmistakable awareness of tradition.

Legacy and Reflection

As Britain continues to grapple with its evolving royal identity in the post-Elizabeth era, these small moments of insight into the late Queen’s thinking offer valuable context. Though she rarely revealed her private opinions, it is becoming clearer that Queen Elizabeth saw the future of the monarchy as one increasingly shaped by younger royals making untraditional choices.

Her understated comment at the wedding now serves as a snapshot in time—a quiet yet poignant reminder of a monarch witnessing the dawn of a new chapter, even as she remained rooted in the enduring values of duty and continuity.

As Fielding concludes in her biography:

“The Queen never resisted change outright. But she always recognized it when it arrived wearing unfamiliar shoes.”