THE Queen shows she’s in fine fettle as she celebrates her 96th birthday today.
Despite health worries, Her Maj posed with two fell ponies and flew by helicopter to Sandringham for her special day.
Prince Harry has sparked a fresh row by announcing on US TV that he is “protecting” the Queen.
The Duke of Sussex — who had not seen his gran for more than a year until last week — claimed on NBC Today he was ensuring she has “got the right people around her”.
In comments beamed around the world, Harry, 37, said he was not sure whether or not he would take up the invitation to attend Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in June — blaming “security issues” and “everything else” for his indecision.
The father of two also revealed private details of his and Meghan’s secret “clear the air” conversation with the Queen and Prince Charles at Windsor Castle last Thursday in the interview with presenter Hoda Kotb at his Invictus Games.
Read more on Prince Harry
It was the first time the Sussexes had seen Her Majesty together in more than two years since they left the UK for a new life in California.
During the interview, and despite missing last month’s thanksgiving service for his grandfather Prince Philip, Harry bragged about his “really special relationship” with Her Majesty, who is 96 today.
He said: “We talk about things that she can’t talk about with anybody else, so that is always a nice peace to her.”
Harry implied criticism of Royal Household staff who looked after the Queen during Covid in what was jokingly dubbed “HMS Bubble”, when he said: “I’m just making sure she’s protected and has got the right people around her.”
He dodged a question on whether or not he misses Prince Charles, 73, and 39-year-old Prince William, adding: “When I leave here, I get back and my focus is on my family who I miss massively.”
Harry risked widening his gulf with William by saying, in a comment about their mum, Diana: “It’s almost as though she’s done her bit with my brother and now she’s very much, like, helping me.”
He also said that he wants son Archie, two, and ten-month-old daughter Lilibet to meet the Queen and revealed he has photos of Di at his £11million Montecito mansion.
Speaking about mum Diana, he added: “I feel her presence in almost everything that I do now.
“But definitely more so in the last two years than ever before. Without question. So she’s watching over us.”
Palace insiders, however, were stunned that Harry had a dig at those close to the monarch and shared details of their recent rendezvous for a US TV audience.
One royal expert described Harry as a “loose cannon” regarding the interview, details of which were not cleared with Buckingham Palace.
An insider said: “It beggars belief that you’d criticise devoted Royal Household staff who left their loved ones for three weeks at a time during Covid to carry out HMS Bubble and protect the Queen from Covid.
“Charles, William, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Prince Andrew regularly see the Queen and often stay over at Windsor Castle.
“Harry is talking to American breakfast television about one short meeting for tea with the Queen — which was the first time in more than two years that both him and Meghan have seen her together.
“The Royal Family will need serious assurances that if he does come back for the Platinum Jubilee that his and Meghan’s appearance will be for the right reasons, to celebrate the Queen’s 70 years on the throne, and not to just boost his profile in America.”
Royal expert Penny Junor said of Harry: “He’s a loose cannon. He was a loose cannon as a teenager and a young man. He came spectacularly good when he was in the Army and with his charity work.
“Then, after his marriage, things seemed to go to pot again and he is unpredictable in the things he has said and done.
“He might think his Oprah Winfrey interview was a huge triumph because he is probably surrounded by people who say so. I think he has shown himself to be pretty untrustworthy.”
She added: “When he had a conversation with his father and William after Prince Philip’s funeral that was leaked and then reported by Gayle King on CBS in America days later so I think the family should be wary of him if he comes to the Platinum Jubilee.
“He is under contract to Netflix for a lot of money and they are going to get their money’s worth.
“I fear he has slightly sold his soul to the devil. Any network is hungry for news and gossip about the Royal Family and the closer you can get to the real deal the better.
“And he is the real deal. You can’t have a situation where Netflix or any other US channel is going to be reporting private conversations. I fear no good can come of this.”
Harry, meanwhile, was followed by a large entourage yesterday as he rode his bike while his interview was aired in the US.
Read More on The Celeb Report
He watched indoor rowing at the Games at The Hague in the Netherlands. The Celeb Report understands he is due to mark the Queen’s birthday today in some fashion.
Her Majesty, meanwhile, flew by helicopter to her Sandringham estate in Norfolk where she will stay at Wood Farm Cottage where her beloved husband spent a great deal of time in his later years.
