Prince Philip’s Surprising Comment After Harry & Meghan’s Royal Wedding

Prince Philip, often recalled for his humor and candor, had a surprising reaction to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s 2018 royal wedding.

Prince Philip’s Remark Revealed in New Memoir

According to excerpts of an upcoming royal memoir published by The Telegraph, the late Duke of Edinburgh made a blunt comment to Queen Elizabeth II as the newlyweds filed out of St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

“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,” former royal butler Grant Harrold recalls in “The Royal Butler.”

According to Harrold, Prince Philip proceeded to mark the moment with his signature wit. “When Prince Philip came out, he turned to the Queen and said, ‘Thank f–k that’s over.’”

Despite the tense remark, royal biographers have long noted that Philip warmly welcomed Meghan into the family early on in the couple’s relationship. “He was very welcoming to Meghan because, of course, she was a newcomer and a very different newcomer,” royal expert Ingrid Seward told Us Weekly in 2021.

Remembering Philip’s Legacy

Philip retired from public duties in 2017 but remained a steady presence in the royal family until his death in 2021 at age 99. Though supportive, he often chose to stay out of controversies.

When Harry and Meghan announced in 2020 that they would step back from their roles and move to California, Philip was said to have taken a hands-off approach. Biographer Gyles Brandreth reported that the duke remarked, “It’s his [Prince Harry’s] life,” adding, “I’ll soon be out of it and not before time.”

According to the Daily Mail, Philip also viewed Harry as “a good man” and respected his desire to “do things his own way.” In the years since, Harry and Meghan’s move and their widely publicized tensions with the royal family have reportedly left Harry estranged from his father and brother, a rift that persisted even after Philip’s death.

After Philip’s passing, Harry and Meghan honored him with a message on their Archewell Foundation website, writing: “Thank you for your service … You will be greatly missed. In loving memory of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh 1921-2021.”

While Harrold’s anecdote highlights Philip’s no-nonsense nature, it also reflects his candid approach, which often endeared him to the public and remains part of his legacy.

Grant Harrold’s memoir “The Royal Butler” is scheduled for release in September.