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Queen Elizabeth II Felt 'Betrayed' After Prince Harry Accused The Royal Family Of Racism, Source Says: 'Unforgivable In Her Eyes'

July 13, 2025 by Abigail Connolly
shefinds | Celebrity
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Most royal family fans can remember the bombshell reports that came out of the era when Prince Harry and his American wife, Meghan Markle, began separating themselves from the crown. As it turns out, inside sources are saying the prince’s departure from royal life and some of the accusations he made against it were the ultimate ‘betrayal’ for his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

New inside sources have made new statements about how “betrayed” the late Queen Elizabeth II felt after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle accused the royal family and institution of racism after they officially stepped down from their royal duties. The couple famously gave television interviews where the royal family was accused of letting some offensive behavior slip through the cracks, which reportedly destroyed Harry’s relationship with his grandmother. Read more about the latest inside information below.

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Invictus Games 2023

Royal Insider Says Prince Harry 'Betrayed' Queen Elizabeth II After Stepping Away From Royal Duties

In 2021, about a year after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped away from their royal duties and moved to America, the world was shaken when they sat down for a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey. It was one of the first times they opened up in depth about what drove them to leave their lives as working royals and subsequently cut ties with several members of the royal family.

 

Oprah got the famous couple to talk about how they were consistently attacked and hounded by the media, which was one of the biggest reasons they decided to step out of the spotlight. However, they also talked about how Meghan had a hard time being accepted by members of the royal family, and accused them of treating her differently due to her race. Prince Harry, in particular, said that there was a "race element" to the hatred towards Meghan, and they mentioned that there were "concerns" over "how dark" the appearance of their son, Archie, would be before he was born.

 

An insider, who was a former royal courtier while Queen Elizabeth II was still alive, told The Daily Beast that "Ultimately, the queen felt betrayed by Harry, and when he and Meghan attacked the institution that she spent her whole life serving in the Oprah interview, that betrayal was complete."

 

"It was absolutely shocking to those of us who knew him that he would do that," they continued.

Prince Harry with Queen Elizabeth I during a royal event

An Inside Source Says What Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Did Was 'Unforgivable' To The Queen

The allegations made against the crown by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were so serious that Buckingham Palace had to release an official statement following their interview with Oprah, which noted they would have to address the situation "privately" and amongst family members.

 

Since then, they've all stayed rather tight-lipped about their relationships with Prince Harry, his wife, and his two children, one of whom was named after the queen, Lilibet. Still, the damage had already been done, and once the prince left and accused his family and the royal institution of racism against his wife, the queen was deeply hurt.

 

Another royal insider told The Royalist, "The allegations of racism dismayed [the queen]. To accuse an unidentified person within the family of racism, thereby casting the shadow of suspicion over everyone, was unforgivable in her eyes."

 

"Things were never the same after that. ... It was a horrific series of betrayals at the end of her life," they added.

 

Before she passed away in September 2022, Prince Harry and the As Ever founder made very rare appearances alongside the queen, attending her Platinum Jubilee a few months prior. When she did pass, they were there for the somber funeral.

 

However, it seems that there were hardly any connections aside from those events, as the insiders insist that her grandson hurt her deeply.

Author:

Editorial Assistant

Abigail is a journalist based in Brooklyn, New York. As an Editorial Assistant for SheFinds, she covers topics ranging from celebrity news and fashion to wellness. She has written for other publications, including Chip Chick, Bandsintown, BroadwayWorld, and more. When she isn't writing, Abigail loves spending time in the city with her friends, being a 'dog mom' to her Chihuahua, and singing along to some of her favorite music.

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