John Kerry Denies Commenting On Prince Harry, Meghan Markle's Marriage At Coronation

John Kerry, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, allegedly shared his sympathies for Prince Harry while at King Charles III's May 6 coronation when asked about the royal's marriage to Meghan Markle. But he has now denied claims he commented on the couple's marriage while at the ceremony.

Lady Anne Glenconner, who was maid of honour during Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 coronation, relayed the diplomat's message while at the literary festival "The Barnes BookFest". She said they chatted briefly at the ceremony in Westminster Abbey when she happened to sit next to him.

"I feel very sad for Harry because at the king's Coronation I happened to sit next to somebody called John Kerry, who ran for president. He wanted to be president," she recalled.

The socialite, who was also Princess Margaret's best friend, continued: "And he came over with Mrs. Biden, because he is into green things, and we were sitting with the king's friends, and I said to him, 'What do you think in America about Harry and Meghan?' and he just said, 'We all feel very, very sorry for Harry.'"

"So I think I can just leave it at that," she added.

However, a State Department spokesperson said that "any implication that Secretary Kerry was commenting on the marriage would be wrong". The representative told Newsweek that the 79-year-old politician "does not remember being asked that question". However, "as a father in the public eye himself, he has nothing but empathy for people working through a family matter who all deserve privacy and compassion."

Lady Glenconner also shared her own opinion on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal exit. She said: "I used to know Harry because he was a little boy, because my [children's] nanny Barbara and I used to go and see him. He was a lovely little boy."

Meanwhile, she claimed that the Duchess of Sussex had no idea what was expected of her when she married into the royal family. She explained: "I think she just thought it was like being another actress, you know. Riding around in a golden coach and everything like that."

On the contrary, she said that being a member of the royal family could be "extremely boring". She cited Princess Margaret, who she said had to be pleasant each time she does her royal engagements.

She explained: "Actually, being a member of the royal family—I mean I followed Princess Margaret for 34 years—a lot of it is extremely boring actually. Dedicated stuff, meeting hundreds of thousands of people you are never going to meet again, always trying to say something interesting and nice. I think it is very sad."

Lady Glenconner commented about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during her live interview on the "Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth" podcast at the festival. One of the audience members asked her opinion about the couple.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have since revealed that they left the U.K. because of the hostile British press and the lack of support they received from the royals in dealing with the tabloids. They have since financially established themselves following their move to Santa Barbara, California where they live in their Montecito mansion with their children, four-year-old Prince Archie and two-year-old Princess Lilibet. They have launched their own non-profit organisation Archewell Foundation and still continue to do public service.

Speaking of King Charles III's coronation, Prince Harry attended the ceremony by himself while Meghan Markle stayed behind in California. But he flew right back home after the service to make it in time for Prince Archie's fourth birthday celebration. He was seen leaving Westminster Abbey and getting inside a waiting black vehicle. It is unclear if he had the chance to talk to his father and Prince William ahead of the ceremony given reports of tension within the family.