In an interview with Today, Prince Harry opened up about his recent whirlwind visit to England, and, in particular, how it felt to reconnect with the queen after so long apart. “Being with her, it was great,” Harry enthused. “It was just so nice to see her.” The long-reigning monarch battled COVID-19 earlier this year and has been mostly absent from public life, leading to speculation about her waning health. According to Harry, the queen is in fine fettle, with her sense of humor fully intact.
Harry also reiterated that, despite the physical distance between them, he still supports his grandmother 100%. However, one comment the duke made during the chat caused major controversy. At one point, Harry stated, “I’m just making sure that she’s, you know, protected and got the right people around her,” acknowledging he and the queen share a close bond. “We have a really special relationship, we talk about things she can’t talk about with anyone else,” Harry shared, per Insider.
The Daily Mail reports that royal experts were up in arms about his comments, even suggesting the prince is exaggerating their relationship to further his celebrity in the States. Biographer Tom Bower argued Harry is more concerned about his own commercial prospects and doesn’t want anybody to interfere with his bottom line. According to Bower, “To enhance his credibility in America and for Netflix he needs to [play up] a special relationship with the Queen.”
