A royal butler has revealed new details about Queen Elizabeth’s discreet role in the feud between Meghan Markle and Princess Catherine, at a time when tensions between the two women threatened to overshadow the monarchy.

Queen Elizabeth II, according to former royal butler Grant Harrold, quietly intervened when disagreements arose between Princess Catherine and Meghan Markle, stepping in behind the scenes as their strained relationship risked drawing focus away from the institution itself.

Early on, the so-called “fab four” – the Prince and Princess of Wales, 43, and the Duke, 41, and Duchess of Sussex, 44 – appeared to embody unity and modern royalty after Harry introduced Meghan to the family in 2016. Public moments on the Buckingham Palace balcony showed them laughing together and seemingly at ease in each other’s company. But, as is often the case, the reality behind palace walls was more complicated than those images suggested.

Royal tensions behind the scenes

The once warm dynamic between Catherine and Meghan is understood to have cooled significantly in the months following Prince Harry’s engagement to the former Suits star in 2017.

Speaking to RadarOnline on Wednesday, Harrold explained that the late Queen was renowned for her “deep commitment to maintaining unity within the Royal Family”. He said that if Elizabeth sensed friction between Kate and Meghan, she would have “quietly stepped in to try and smooth things over”.

“Her focus was always on preserving a strong and united front, especially among the younger generation of royals,” Harrold said.

Harrold, who worked for Queen Elizabeth and then Prince Charles from 2004 to 2011, added that she “would have done everything in her power to make sure family disagreements never overshadowed duty.” As Harry and Meghan’s romance progressed, he suggested that shifting dynamics behind the scenes would not have gone unnoticed by the monarch, who likely recognised “signs of strain and done what she could to resolve it.”