The Queen was left "hurt and exhausted" by Harry and Meghan's decision to step back from royal life, a new book has claimed.
In The New Royals - Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown, author Katie Nicholl claims a source close to the late Queen told her she preferred not to think about the Duke and Duchess's decision to leave the family and move to the US.
"[The Queen] was very hurt and told me, 'I don't know, I don't care, and I don't want to think about it anymore'," the source said.
Nicholl also claims the Queen was deeply disappointed she didn't see more of Harry and Meghan's children, Lilibet and Archie.
An extract published in Vanity Fair says the Queen was also disappointed when Harry and Meghan didn't return to the UK in August with Archie and Lilibet when she was hosting her annual 'sleepover' in Sandringham with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The book also says Charles is keen to heal the rift between himself and Harry, and the wider family.
It's believed this was why King Charles III made a special mention of Harry and Meghan in his first televised address after the Queen died.
"'I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas," he said in the address of Friday, September 9 (UK local time).
However, the book also cautioned the rift could be further widened by Meghan and Harry's future actions, given their various media deals and after various claims within Markle's podcasts with Spotify.
"It depends a lot on what happens in the coming months, particularly with Harry's book and their TV show," Nicholl said, adding any bombshells could potentially have more of an impact on Lilibet and Archie than on their parents alone.
