Royals

Prince Harry reveals shocking Queen Elizabeth II private room he was never allowed to visit

Prince Harry opened up about the only time his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, let him enter her private room

Published July 12, 2026
Prince Harry reveals shocking Queen Elizabeth II private room he was never allowed to visit
Prince Harry reveals shocking Queen Elizabeth II private room he was never allowed to visit

The stunning Buckingham Palace boasts a whopping 775 rooms, ranging from grand spaces like the Throne Room and the Ballroom to more humble rooms like staff quarters.

But there was one particular room that the late Queen Elizabeth II kept private, even from most of her family, until one special day when Prince Harry was granted access. He revealed all in his memoir, Spare…

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Quite shockingly, the Duke of Sussex never got to see inside his grandmother's dressing room until he was 33 years old.

In the lead-up to his wedding day, Prince Harry joined Meghan Markle for a tiara try-on session at the palace following an invite by Her Majesty.

He penned, "Shortly before the wedding, however, Granny reached out. She offered us access to her collection of tiaras. She even invited us to Buckingham Palace to try them on. Do come over, I remember her saying.”

"Extraordinary morning. We walked into Granny’s private dressing room, right next to her bedroom, a space I’d never been in. Along with Granny was a jewelry expert, an eminent historian who knew the lineage of each stone in the royal collection. Also present was Granny’s dresser and confidante, Angela. Five tiaras were arrayed on a table, and Granny directed Meg to try on each one before a full-length mirror. I stood behind, watching,” Prince Harry recalled in his book.

While it may seem unusual to some that a grandchild wouldn't have seen this space, Prince Harry has been keen to point out that his grandmother was still very much the head of the monarchy to him too.

This was a concept that Prince Harry struggled to explain to his American actress fiancée, Meghan, at the time.

Elsewhere in the book, he wrote: "I asked if she knew how to curtsy. She said she thought so. But she also couldn’t tell if I was serious. 'You’re about to meet the Queen.' 'I know, but it’s your grandma.' 'But she’s the Queen.'"

Sadaf Naushad
Sadaf Naushad is a Journalist and Neurochemistry master's graduate with over four years of experience. Leveraging her scientific background, she specialises in celebrity wellness, mental health, and the psychology of lifestyle trends, bridging the gap between science and pop culture to provide expert insight into global icons' well-being.