Why The Queen Likely Disapproves Of Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Documentary

Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan Markle — Queen Elizabeth II didn't reprimand Meghan Markle for attending a lavish baby shower in NYC last month. Pictured: The Queen, Markle watch the RAF flypast on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, as members of the Royal Family attend events to mark the centenary of the RAF on July 10, 2018 in London, England. Getty Images/Chris Jackson

Queen Elizabeth II has not spoken out about how she feels about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s emotional interviews in “Harry & Meghan: An African Journey.” However, based on her feelings about a past royal family documentary, she likely doesn’t approve.

On June 21, 1969, the BBC and ITV aired a documentary that followed the royal family for a year and a half. As public support for the royals dwindled, the Queen agreed to let cameras inside of Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Sandringham and Balmoral.

“We were all a little bit nervous of showing it to the Queen because we had no idea what she would make of it,” editor Michael Bradsell told the Smithsonian Channel. “She was a little critical of the film in the sense that she thought it was too long. But Dick Cawston, the director, persuaded her that two hours was not a minute too long.”

The documentary, called "Royal Family," showed the mundane aspects of royal life. The family was shown eating together and sharing stories. They bought candy at local shops and had a barbecue. It also showed the more glamorous side, like Richard Nixon coming for a visit.

The program brought in 37 million viewers, and public opinion of the royals became more favorable. It should’ve been a win for the Windsors, but instead, they realized there was a downside to the public getting an inside look. The public wanted more. Press scrutiny became stronger than ever.

Buckingham Palace reportedly ordered the movie never to be shown again. The film and 38 hours of footage are locked away in the Royal Archives at Windsor, according to the Daily Mail. A mere 90 seconds of the documentary were released in 2011 for the Queen’s diamond jubilee.

As previously reported, royal commentators believe the Queen is “pretty horrified” by the emotional interviews where Meghan Markle and Prince Harry note that they aren’t handling the constant press scrutiny very well.

In addition to Meghan talking about not knowing how intense this process of joining the royal family would be, Prince Harry explains how he blames the media for his mother’s death and addresses rumors of a feud between himself and William.