A new royal book only available in the U.K., Queen Elizabeth II: A Personal History, written by Hugo Vickers, revealed that at a 2017 Windsor Castle Christmas party, the staff were enamored of her. They gave her the nickname “Sparkle” because she brought a sense of hope to the palace, per Page Six.

Meghan was touted as a “breath of fresh air” during that era by CNN because she brought new life into an aging monarchy, but not everyone in the family saw it that way. Vickers reported in his book that a generational war was underway ahead of the Sussexes’ wedding.

“Prince Harry would never have been allowed to marry such a girl at an earlier time in the reign for obvious reasons, but the union was welcomed by a younger, more tolerant generation,” wrote Vickers.

“Prince Philip was not taken in. He referred to her as ‘The American.’ Nor were the Royal Family entirely happy, Prince Charles taking a Mountbatten line – have fun with her, but don’t marry her. The Queen suggested that Harry should wait a year,” he continued.

After their wedding, the royal relations quickly fell apart with accusations of racism, dueling duchesses, and hogging the spotlight. It ultimately ended with Prince Harry and Meghan exited the palace and planting firm roots in California to raise their children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4.

Meghan’s time with the royal family may have dulled her “sparkle,” and she opened up about the situation in August 2025. In a segment with The Circuit‘s Emily Chang, the Duchess of Sussex talked about living inauthentically while she was a senior royal.

“It was different several years ago, I couldn’t be as vocal,” she explained while revealing the “nude pantyhose” rule “was not very myself.”

“That felt a little bit inauthentic, but that’s a silly example, but that’s an example of when you’re able to dress the way you want to dress, you’re able to say the things that are true and you’re able to show up in a space really organically and authentically, that’s being comfortable in your own skin,” she continued. “Right now, I don’t feel I need to prove anything.”

Prince Harry and Meghan are still estranged from the royal family, who are enmeshed in their own scandal, thanks to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson. The palace probably won’t ever be as united again, but it’s a reminder of what could have been had the royal family embraced the modern era that Meghan represented.