Prince Harry 'threw catastrophe into Queen's lap' says expert

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The Royal Family has received a barrage of bad press since Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey aired on ITV last week. The Palace is said to be in a state of turmoil behind closed doors, while the war of words with the Sussexes continues to escalate. In addition to the couple’s messy royal exit last year and Prince Andrew’s early retirement after his “car-crash” BBC Newsnight interview in 2019, the Royal Family has undoubtedly struggled with its image in recent years.

Some royal watchers trace the disasters back to the departure of the Queen’s “most trusted” private secretary.

Now known as Lord Geidt, he was the main channel of communication between Downing Street and Buckingham Palace between 2007 and 2017.

Back in 2017, The Times claimed: “The Queen’s most senior courtier was forced out in a power struggle between Buckingham Palace and the Prince of Wales.

“The unprecedented ousting — the first time the Queen has got rid of her private secretary — was the climax of increasing tensions between the two royal households.

“It came amid differences over how to manage the transition of power between the Queen, who is 91, and her eldest son.”

The report claimed the peer denied “he was forced out but is said to feel bruised over his treatment and to think that the Queen failed to support him”.

The fallout reportedly started after Lord Geidt gave a speech to 500 members of royal staff announcing the retirement of the Duke of Edinburgh, when he called for all of the households to unite in support of the Queen.

Charles reportedly saw this as “presumptuous”, and he complained.

The Times claimed: “The message was: This is just not possible, and Geidt has got to go.”

This had a knock-on effect for how the Palace was managed, according to an article from Royal Central which was first published just days after the Sussexes’ announced their departure.

The report explained: “He was known to be straight talking, often telling members of the Royal Family things they wouldn’t like to hear, but should listen to.”

It continued: “Since his departure, the Queen has appeared weak.

“It is almost as if she cannot control her family.”

Commenting on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to step back from royal life, and Andrew’s early retirement, the report added: “The past few years have been a nightmare for Her Majesty.”

It suggested that the Palace may now be “lacking a courtier with the same straight talking confidence” as Lord Geidt.

Other reports claim he stepped down over a different row, over plans centred around Charles’ 70th birthday.

The Prince of Wales allegedly wanted “a much greater role in preparation for becoming king”, only for Lord Geidt to intervene, sources told Royal Central.

Charles’ younger brother Prince Andrew then supported him, reportedly having his own grievances towards Lord Geidt.

Other insiders claimed that the two royal brothers shared a dislike towards their mother’s private secretary.

The Duke of York was said to be frustrated at how Lord Geidt controlled his expenditure.

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Regardless of why he left the Palace, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Express.co.uk that without her former private secretary, the Queen was less aware of what was happening within the Firm.

He explained: “With the Duke of Edinburgh standing down in 2017 and the Queen having lost her private secretary Sir Christopher (now Lord Geidt) in the same year, the Queen had few close aides and could not have known what was to happen when access was granted for the interview to take place at the Palace.

“It has been an acknowledged train wreck of Krakatoan proportions.”

Mr Fitzwilliams was referring to Andrew’s Newsnight interview, which took place at Buckingham Palace, and triggered the Duke of York’s early retirement.

The Palace tried to nip the reports about Lord Geidt being “ousted” in the bud by releasing a statement back in 2017.

It explained that he “commended the support offered to Her Majesty by other members of the Royal Family”.

It continued: “The Prince of Wales and the entire Royal Family are committed to supporting the Queen in whatever way they can at Her Majesty’s request.

“Beyond that, we are not going to engage with a story based on rumours from unnamed sources.”

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