Awkward moment Prince Andrew was mistaken as the Queen's assistant

Prince Andrew was mistaken as royal staff after carrying the Queen's purse, Prince Harry has claimed in his new memoir, Spare

Awkward moment Prince Andrew was mistaken as the Queen's assistant
(Image credit: Getty)

Prince Andrew was once confused for being the Queen's assistant at the Royal Lodge, Prince Harry has claimed in his new memoir, Spare


Prince Andrew was once confused for being Queen Elizabeth II's assistant at the Royal Lodge, according to Prince Harry's new memoir, Spare

In the 416-page book, the Duke of Sussex recounts the first time he brought Meghan Markle, his then-girlfriend, to meet Her Majesty. It was this visit, which reportedly occurred shortly after the A-list couple started dating in 2016, that highlighted to Harry just how little the American actress knew about the Royal Family. 

"After a moment, Meg asked me something about the Queen’s assistant. I asked who she was talking about," Harry writes in Spare, which was officially released on January 10. 

The duchess reportedly replied, "That man holding the purse. The man who walked her to the door. That wasn't her assistant? Who was that?" 

Andrew and Queen

(Image credit: Getty)

Realizing that Meghan was referring to his uncle, the Duke of York, Harry said, "That was her second son, Andrew." 

The 38-year-old added, "She definitely hadn’t googled us." 

Harry and Meghan and Andrew

(Image credit: Getty)

The hilarious confusion apparently took place at Prince Andrew's home, the Royal Lodge, which is situated on the estate of Windsor Castle. The duchess also learned an important skill en route to the Berkshire residence - how to correctly greet the Queen. 

In the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Netflix docuseries, Harry recalls having to explain to Meghan that she was expected to bow to his grandmother on arrival. 

"We were in the car, driving, and he’s like: ‘You know how to curtsy right?’ and I just thought it was a joke," the 41-year-old admitted, before reenacting how she practiced her bow 'moments before' meeting Her Majesty.

Queen

(Image credit: Getty)

 

"How do you explain that to people?" Harry chimed in. "How do you explain that you bow to your grandmother? And that you would need to curtsy, especially to an American. That’s weird." 

In the same docuseries, the duke admitted that Meghan's transition into the Royal Family's world was a "bit of a shock to the system for her." He even compared one of their formal gatherings to the family theatre shows, "Medieval Times, Dinner and Tournament," which stage old-fashioned activities, such as jousting and swording, for royal fans in the US. 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.

Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.