What Queen Camilla Said About Harry and Meghan's Wedding

Prince Harry's relationship with his stepmother, Queen Camilla, was one he analyzed closely after splitting from the monarchy in 2020 and in writing his memoir, Spare.

In the book, Harry referred to his father's second wife as "the other woman," and he told interviewer Anderson Cooper she was "the villain" who has always needed to "rehabilitate her image."

Though a close friend of Camilla's told a British newspaper at the time that Harry's assessment "bothers" and "hurts" her, Britain's new queen has not publicly discussed Harry's feelings toward her.

Camilla's relationships with King Charles' two sons has remained a subject of public fascination, revived during any major discussion surrounding the late Princess Diana. But Camilla has appeared to keep a respectful distance from her stepsons.

The royal has not discussed the princes in any detail publicly. However, in 2018 she was asked on camera to reflect on the recent wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, which she had previously described as "such a lovely day" where "everything went right."

Queen Camilla and Prince Harry, Meghan Wedding
A composite image of Queen Camilla in Paris on September 20, 2023, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel on their wedding day, May 19, 2018. Camilla has rarely spoken about her... Samir Hussein/WireImage/Ben STANSALL - WPA Pool/Getty Images

As Harry and Meghan celebrated their sixth anniversary on May 19, Newsweek looks at what Queen Camilla said about the couple's wedding day.

'Very Touching'

In November 2018, the BBC broadcast Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70, a documentary celebrating Charles' 70th birthday, featuring exclusive interviews with his wife and sons.

Camilla was asked about the royal wedding, which had taken place in May, and the moment her husband walked Meghan down the aisle.

Harry told Charles, "Thank you, Pa," after his father escorted Meghan to the high altar of St. George's Chapel. After rewatching the moment, Camilla said it was "very touching."

"I think that was very touching," she said. "Sitting where I was, you couldn't hear what he said, but afterwards, watching it on the television, I think it was a very ... it was a lovely gesture."

'Something That Moved Everybody'

Camilla also commented on the moment Charles was spotted offering his hand to Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, during the ceremony.

"A lot of people—seeing my husband actually take the bride's mother by the hand to sign the registry, it's something that moved everybody," she said in the documentary. "It's the things that he does behind the scenes that people don't know about. I don't think people realize quite how kind he is."

Queen Camilla, King Charles and Doria Ragland
Meghan Markle's mother, Doria Ragland, left; then-Prince Charles, center; and Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall, right, at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan on May 19, 2018. Camilla said Charles' gesture to Ragland... Jane Barlow - WPA Pool/Getty Images

'Everything Went Right'

Prior to her appearance in the documentary, Camilla referenced the wedding during a visit to Britain's Channel 5 network and its news team.

"It was such a lovely day," she told the journalists, per the Daily Mail. "Just everything went right. We all wondered whatever would happen next, and then everything went right. The only thing is that we are all losing our voices now."

She added: "It's nice to have something that is uplifting rather than depressing. Everything was just perfect, including the weather, which couldn't have been better. It was a beautiful day."

James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.

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About the writer


James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more

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