Some of the bits from leaked portions of Prince Harry’s memoir Spare are heavy—but this one is pretty funny: Apparently when Meghan Markle met the Queen for the first time, she mistakenly thought Her late Majesty’s son Prince Andrew was her assistant. (That’ll keep a royal humble!)
“After a moment, Meg asked me something about the Queen’s assistant,” Harry writes in the book, out on Tuesday. Initially having no idea who Meghan was referring to, she continued “that man holding the purse. That man who walked her to the door.”
Harry, according to Us Weekly, promptly informed Meghan that “that man holding the purse” was Andrew, the second son of the Queen, and a high-ranking senior royal (keep in mind, this was over six years ago, in October 2016—a different time, indeed).
“She definitely hadn’t Googled us,” Harry writes.
At this meeting, Harry and Meghan joined the Queen, Andrew, Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, and their daughter Princess Eugenie and her then-boyfriend Jack Brooksbank for lunch at the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
“It was all very pleasant,” Harry writes, noting that his then-girlfriend executed a near-flawless deep curtsy when she met Her late Majesty for the first time.
Meghan revealed in the couple’s docuseries Harry & Meghan that she didn’t know she would be meeting the Queen until they arrived in Windsor.
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
“There wasn’t some big moment of, like, ‘and now you’re going to meet my grandmother,’” Meghan said. “I remember being in the car and [Harry] was like, ‘you know how to curtsy, right?’ and I just thought it was a joke. Americans will understand this—we have Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament. [My first curtsy] was like that. Like, I curtsied as if I was [bowing down to the floor].”
After Meghan apparently nailed her curtsy, the couple exchanged pleasantries with the Queen, discussed Her late Majesty’s attendance at church that morning, and Meghan’s then-home of Toronto, where she filmed Suits.
The Queen left the lunch about 20 minutes later, and Andrew escorted her out.
“Everyone flooded into the room after she’d driven away,” Harry writes. “The whole vibe changed”—and the group toasted the occasion with a round of drinks.
Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.
-
Everything We Know About Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie's New Reality Show
The '00s icons are reunited for a new reality show—which won't be a reboot of 'The Simple Life.'
By Sadie Bell Published
-
Hunter Schafer Proves Pockets Belong on the Cannes Red Carpet
She could carry her phone with her if she wanted.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
The Cast of 'The Strangers: Chapter 1' Plays 'How Well Do You Know Your Co-Star?'
We'd love to get a look at their Netflix queues.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Nigeria Trip Seems to Be the First of Many Royal Tour-Esque Visits the Couple Want to Undertake
“Being able to be on the ground, to us, is what it’s all about,” Harry said.
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Meghan Markle Calms Prince Harry Down and Helps Him with Anxiety at Public Engagements, Royal Commenter Says
The couple will celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary this weekend after a whirlwind three-day visit to Nigeria.
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Almost 5 Years On From Heartbreaking "Not Really OK" Interview in Africa, Meghan Markle Says "We're Really Happy" During Nigeria Tour
A poignant update.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Brought a Personal Photographer with Them to Visit Nigeria Over the Weekend
It’s a name that you’ll no doubt recognize, at that.
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
California's Attorney General's Office Confirms That Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Nonprofit Archewell Is "In Good Standing"
The nonprofit had briefly been labeled "delinquent" due to a lost check, but the issue was quickly resolved.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Prince Harry Would “Love to Reconnect” with Princess Kate—But Royal Biographer Says Prince William Won’t Have It
“Harry was hit hard by the news of her cancer diagnosis,” according to Christopher Andersen.
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Prince Harry Reportedly Declined King Charles' Offer to Stay in a Royal Residence on U.K. Visit
The plot thickens.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Land in Nigeria After Briefly Reuniting in London
They have a full program for their three days in the West African country.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published