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Prince Philip didn’t mince his words on his grandson’s big day.
Grant Harrold, King Charles’s former butler, claimed that the Duke of Edinburgh didn’t hold back after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle said “I do” in 2018. In his upcoming memoir, “The Royal Butler,” the etiquette expert claimed he overheard “a few choice words” from Queen Elizabeth II’s husband.
“Once all the formalities were over, we watched as the happy couple, and then the other members of the royal family, filed out of the chapel,” Harrold wrote, according to an excerpt published by The Telegraph.
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex married on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images)
“When Prince Philip came out, he turned to the Queen and said, ‘Thank f— that’s over.’”
Archewell, which handles the offices for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, told Fox News Digital they had no comment.
Meghan, an American actress who starred in “Suits,” married the British prince in a ceremony that was held at St George’s Chapel. Both the queen, who died in 2022, and Philip, who passed away in 2021, were in attendance.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, walk through the Galilee Porch after the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018. (Andrew Milligan – WPA/Getty Images)
Several royal experts told Fox News Digital they weren’t surprised by the alleged remarks made by Philip.
“He was 96 years old at their wedding,” said British royals expert Hilary Fordwich. “He had just recovered from surgery, so he was likely in pain and tired. Anyone would not have been at their best, alone at his ripe age.”
“Prince Philip was infamous for his colorful language and, on occasion, inappropriate, offensive comments,” said British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard.
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Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, attend the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. (Jonathan Brady – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“His gaffes became the norm, many putting it down to his razor-sharp tongue, lack of inhibition and PC due to his older generation,” she shared. “On this particular occasion, Prince Philip was feeling groggy, tired and fed up. He’d had enough for the day. He didn’t have enough tact left in his tank.”
“It wasn’t a personal swipe at the Sussexes,” Chard added.
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner said he was all too familiar with Philip’s blistering words and no-nonsense approach to life.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle depart following their wedding ceremony in 2018. (Owen Humphries – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“There are many expletives that could describe Philip, who was known for his outspoken views on anyone who would care to listen,” said Turner. “I used to be a royal photographer. Whenever I was given that task, I would check my life insurance, as he could be dangerous at times, especially when he was on his horse and carriage.”
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“More than once, he would… full charge towards me,” he recalled. “Once I had to dive into a thorn bush to get out of his way, and he muttered a similar oath to me, even though I was doing his carriage championships a massive favor. In reality, he was my least popular royal to work with. He led his own life… So, swearing after the wedding is just par for a man who thought he could get away with his behavior.”
Philip spent more than seven decades supporting his wife, England’s longest-reigning monarch. She affectionately referred to him as her rock in public.
Prince Philip, seen here with Queen Elizabeth, died in 2021. He was 99. (The Print Collector/Getty Images)
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020, citing the unbearable intrusions of the British press and a lack of support from the palace. They moved to California that year. The couple went on to air their grievances in interviews, documentaries, as well as Harry’s 2023 memoir “Spare.”
Meghan Markle, an American actress, became the Duchess of Sussex when she married Prince Harry in 2018. (Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)
In sit-downs leading up to the book’s publication, Harry accused members of the royal family of getting “into bed with the devil” to gain favorable tabloid coverage. He singled out Queen Camilla’s efforts to rehabilitate her image after her longtime affair with his father, the king. In the book, Harry also claimed that he and his brother begged their father not to marry Camilla.
Harrold admitted to The Telegraph that he was surprised by Harry’s words.
Prince Harry’s 2023 memoir “Spare” revealed embarrassing details about the House of Windsor. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
“[The family]… got on so well,” he told the outlet. “And that’s why I don’t understand what Harry’s said, I really don’t understand. Because I saw them. I saw them having dinners together, I saw them having drinks together, I saw them going to parties together… The king used to do things to make [his sons] laugh and giggle.”
Harrold also noted that both Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, made sure to include Harry in their “little gang.”
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From left: Prince William, Kate Middleton and Prince Harry during “The Patron’s Lunch” celebrations for the queen’s 90th birthday at The Mall on June 12, 2016, in London, England. (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
“They involved him,” said Harrold. “William would be away, and Kate and Harry would be out doing stuff together. They’d go shopping together, they’d go to pubs together… I think when people say, ‘Oh, he was left out,’ he really wasn’t. But also, he was with [his then-girlfriend] Chelsy [Davy]. Chelsy was always around. And Chelsy and Kate got on really well.”
Chelsy Davy (left), Prince Harry’s then-girlfriend and Kate Middleton watch the royal brothers play in a charity polo match at the Beaufort Polo Club on July 29, 2006, in Tetbury, England. (Indigo/Getty Images)
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The brothers were “so close,” Harrold insisted about William and Harry.
“The banter was great,” he told the outlet. “They used to go around being silly with each other and winding each other up, jumping out at their dad from corners and making him laugh. It was just like a [normal] family.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.