The Queen could have an unlikely new favorite, according to a new report.
“The Queen likes Meghan,” historian David Starkey told the Daily Mail’s Richard Eden at a book launch party in SoHo, the columnist wrote. “The Queen immediately made her and Harry ambassadors for the Commonwealth, which is the only thing the Queen really cares about.”
Despite the favorable review, Starkey said Markle’s background as an American TV actress is a mark against her in the eyes of the royal family.
“The problem is she has brought too much Hollywood entitlement with her,” the historian and TV/radio announcer said, noting she’s not the first royal to bask in the spotlight.
“Diana behaved like a celebrity,” Starkey said, noting the similarities with her late mother-in-law could have attracted Prince Harry to the former actress.
“She behaved as though she’d been born in California,” Starkey told Eden. “He’s married his mother!”
Starkey also defended Markle and Prince Harry against the scathing reports of the royal couple’s private jet use this summer, which critics say contradicts Prince Harry’s environmental initiative.
“Her hypocrisy is just the same as any other member of the Hollywood elite: they all proclaim their eco-sensitivity while flying their private jets,” Starkey said.
The couple hopes an upcoming trip to Africa with 5-month-old baby Archie will help quiet some of those critics.
“It will take more than a great tour to turn the tide completely, but if it goes well then it could be the start of a smoother path for them in the press,” royal expert Ingrid Seward told Vanity Fair last week. “There’s a lot riding on the tour and the feeling is it really has to go well for the couple.”