Prince Harry’s unexpected comments about ‘protecting’ Queen that raised eyebrows

A royal author has condemned Harry’s past comments about the late Queen in an out of touch interview, with the Duke of Sussex’s claims allegedly striking a nerve with the King

A candid comment made by Prince Harry in a 2022 interview caused a stir, after he claimed the late Queen Elizabeth needed to be “protected”(Image: Getty Images for Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023)

Since Prince Harry quit royal life in 2020 and relocated to California, he has continued to speak out on the royal family in a series of interviews. Between his comments in the tell-all sit down with Oprah Winfrey, and his many bombshell allegations in his autobiography Spare, it’s no secret that several of his claims have disrupted the royal family.

One such interview came in April 2022, when the Duke of Sussex spoke to The Today Show in America ahead of the Invictus Games in The Hague, which had been rescheduled from 2020. Before Harry and Meghan travelled to The Netherlands for the Games, they made a brief stop in the UK and visited the late Queen Elizabeth in Windsor.

A 2022 interview with Prince Harry struck a nerve within the Palace, after he claimed the late Queen Elizabeth needed “protection”

When asked by Today host Hoda Kotb how the late Queen was doing after the prince’s quick stop-off in the UK, he replied: “Being with her, it was great.”

“It was just so nice to see her, you know, she’s on great form, she’s always got a great sense of humour with me and I’m making sure she’s protected and got the right people around her.”

Despite Harry’s seemingly innocent comments about the brief reunion with his grandmother, the line about Harry making sure the Queen was “protected” seemed to strike a nerve with several royal commentators.

The Duke of Sussex was mocked by journalist and royal expert Giles Coren, who wrote in The Times: “If he doesn’t keep his grandmother on the straight and narrow, who knows what could happen? She could, say, marry someone unsuitable, or fall out with her entire family.”

The comments were made after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited the Queen on their way to the Invictus Games in The Hague (Image: Humphrey Nemar / Daily Star)

While Harry didn’t elaborate on what he meant about the late Queen needing protection, his candid comment came one year after he made a similar sentiment during the tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.

During the interview, in which Harry and Meghan delivered a series of bombshells about the royal family, the Duke of Sussex that the late Queen had been badly advised on occasion by those around her.

He said at the time: “When you’re head of the Firm there are people around you that give you advice. And what has also made me really sad is some of that advice has been really bad.”

Elsewhere in the 2022 interview, Harry spoke fondly of his grandmother, and said during Harry and Meghan’s brief visit, he had made her laugh. Despite admitting to having a nice time with the royal family, he confirmed that his home is now permanently in California.

During the interview, Harry confirmed that he and Meghan will remain in California

Host Hoda Kotb asked: “You make her laugh, that’s what she always says. Did you do it again?” to which Harry replied with a smile: Yes I did. Both Meghan and I had tea with her so it was nice to catch up with her.”

“Home for me now is for the time being is in the States and it feels that way as well. We’ve been welcomed with open arms and we have such a great community up in Santa Barbara.”