A close friend of the late Queen has expressed strong disapproval towards Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to halt the disclosure of royal secrets.
The friend believes that the couple should have maintained silence during the Queen’s final months, characterized by her declining health and immense physical suffering.
Identified as Tom Sykes, a member of the minor aristocracy with ties to the Sykes baronetcy and the prestigious Sledmere House, he offers a rare glimpse into the secretive circumstances surrounding the Queen’s passing in September 2022 due to bone cancer.
According to the friend, the Queen endured significant pain in the years following her husband’s death in April 2021, with her condition deteriorating notably in the months leading up to the Platinum Jubilee in June 2022.
During this period, her friend recounts that the Queen’s ability to see and hear was severely impaired, and she grappled with confusion.
Despite her fragile state, the Queen made a monumental effort to appear at public events, such as the Jubilee balcony appearance.
This, the friend argues, was a time when Harry and Meghan should have refrained from public criticisms and instead shown respect for her legacy.
The friend expresses dismay at Harry’s decision to announce his memoir while his grandmother was battling illness and mourning her late husband.
The friend condemns the couple’s continuous public statements and interviews that were perceived as hurtful towards the Queen’s lifelong dedication.
The notion that Harry and Meghan now intend to adopt a vow of silence, though doubtful in the friend’s eyes, does little to alleviate the anger and disappointment felt by those close to the Queen regarding the couple’s actions in her final days.
The friend’s perspective sheds light on the late Queen’s struggles, portraying her as a grieving figure in constant agony, besieged by external threats and attacks while attempting to fulfill her official duties amid excruciating pain.
The friend points out the Queen’s characterization of Meghan as “evil” as a reflection of the Queen’s distress and challenges during her final years, emphasizing the toll that Harry and Meghan’s actions took on her.
The friend expresses bewilderment at Harry’s apparent allowance of disrespect towards his family by Meghan, believing that she led him astray into disgraceful paths.
The friend laments the irreparable tarnish on Harry’s reputation caused by his wife’s behavior and reveals that Harry’s portraits at the National Portrait Gallery in London will be removed following consultations with senior royals.
As the National Portrait Gallery prepares to unveil its refurbished spaces, including a late-night cocktail bar, attention is drawn to a notable absence – the removal of a celebrated royal portrait featuring Princes William and Harry.
Initially hailed as a modern masterpiece upon its debut in 2010, the painting now symbolizes the deep divisions within the royal family, resonating particularly with the gallery’s patron, the Princess of Wales.