PRINCE Harry admitted he would “panic” if he bumped into the Queen in the hallways of Buckingham Palace in rediscovered footage.
The Duke of Sussex joked about being scared of his grandmother just two years before packing up his bags and moving to the US with wife Meghan Markle.
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In an unearthed clip from a 2018 documentary about the Queen’s role as head of the Commonwealth, Harry made light-hearted comments about fearing bumping into Her Majesty.
He was speaking to a group of hospitality professionals from the Caribbean who were staying at the Palace when he told them “not to panic” if they spotted the Queen coming towards them in the corridors.
“You guys have spent way more time in Buckingham Palace than I ever have – and you’ve only been here two weeks,” the 36-year-old said.
“Have you bumped into the Queen yet?
“If you suddenly bump into her in the corridor, don’t panic.
“I know you will. We all do!”
Harry smirked as he made the comments, which caused an eruption of laughter from those he was talking to.
In the HBO documentary, Queen of the World, one of the group Harry addressed described the Royal household as “a fun place to work”.
Claudine Jeffrey, who was visiting from Antigua, said: “I say it’s an adventure every day because every day it is always something different.
“You never find that you are doing the same thing so that’s really amazing because I love a challenge and I don’t like to be bored.
“To find myself in Buckingham Palace, it is beyond my wildest imaginations.”
Harry’s remarks about the Queen came shortly after he married Meghan Markle in May 2018.
Less than two years later, in January 2020, the couple announced they were quitting their roles as senior royals and moving the America.
The pair, who are expecting their second child, splashed out more than £11.5million on a mansion in the Montecito neighbourhood in Santa Barbara, California, in June that year.
This year, Harry and Meghan have made a series of stinging allegations about Royal life.
In March, their tell-all chat with Oprah Winfrey aired, with a number of dramatic bombshell accusations made against their family.
Meghan claimed that Archie wasn’t allowed to be a prince after there were “concerns and conversations” about “how dark” his skin would be after he was born.
But the couple declined to reveal who had made the comments.
Meghan also said that when she was suffering with suicidal thoughts, the family didn’t allow her to get help.
Prince Harry also spoke out about how he felt “trapped” in the family and that he and his father weren’t speaking.
The Duke has remained unshy of the cameras, and in May he and Oprah teamed up to launch The Me You Can’t See – an Apple TV+ documentary series about mental health.
He opened up again with the chat show legend and accused the royals of showing “total neglect” for his mental health woes.
And he claimed Charles caused him to “suffer” and didn’t “make it right” for him after his mother’s death in 1997.
He also spoke about Meghan’s battles with mental health – and said she would sob into her pillow after ‘smears’ from The Firm.
And he said he was faced with an “element of shame” when he opened up about his struggles.
Harry and Meghan have not directly criticised The Queen, with reports suggesting Prince Charles would “close ranks” with his mother if they did.
The Queen is reportedly “deeply upset” by Harry’s “very personal” criticisms of the Royal Famil, but Charles is keen for a reconciliation.
Harry is due to return to the UK next month for his mother’s statue unveiling to honour Princess Diana on July 1 – on what would have been her 60th birthday.
But his plans are in doubt as his wife Meghan is due to give birth in the next couple of weeks, a royal expert said.
