Prince Harry's visit to Queen 'kept a secret from palace aides' says royal source

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle kept their visit to Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle a secret from her staff because these are the same people that they had distressing moments with while working as royals, according to Omid Scobie.

Writing for Yahoo, the co-author of "Finding Freedom" explained the reason behind the Duke of Sussex's statement about protecting the queen. In his interview with the "Today Show," the royal talked about his pleasant reunion with his grandmother. He did not divulge much and seemed guarded in his answers. But him saying that he only wanted to make sure that his grandmother is "protected and has got the right people around her" had ruffled feathers.

His statement has been deemed as an insult and "incendiary attack" on the royal family by some royal experts. But according to Scobie, it was far from that. The royal biographer argued that it is only right for Prince Harry to question his grandmother's safety while at Windsor Castle.

He explained that the monarch has been living by herself since the death of Prince Philip last year. While he acknowledged that Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince William, and Kate Middleton "stop by for visits," the concern is the sincerity of the people surrounding Queen Elizabeth II on a daily basis. These include palace aides, courtiers, and household staff responsible for every aspect of her life.

Scobie noted that they are "all employees of the royal institution. And it's at the hands of some of these same people that Harry experienced some of his darkest and most distressing moments as a working member of the Firm." The author remembered what the duke told a close aide before Megxit in 2020, "These people have their own agendas, they work for the institution and certainly don't care about us as family."

Scobie said that while Prince Harry and Meghan Markle "have been in regular contact over the phone or virtually" with Queen Elizabeth II, their recent in-person meeting was "purposefully kept a secret from all palace aides." It was the duke's "first chance in a year to truly speak privately with his grandmother without fear of anyone overhearing or wandering in the background of a video call."