'Gobsmacked': How Meghan Markle shocked royals days after wedding

The floral arrangements had all but withered outside St Georges Chapel, the bride's dress was likely still being dry-cleaned, but just days after Meghan Markle officially joined the royal family by way of wedding Prince Harry, she managed to render his family "gobsmacked" by her actions.

That's according to author Lady Colin Campbell who is releasing a new book "Meghan and Harry: The Real Story."

Markle had only just slipped her wedding ring on her finger when it became apparent things weren't going to go as the royal family had planned. Photo / Getty Images

Speaking to British newspaper the Daily Star, Campbell revealed: "I knew the tremendous amount of hope the royal family invested in Meghan being a success ...

"Hundreds of millions of people of colour were rooting for Meghan, I was rooting for Meghan, being a Jamaican, I was emotionally invested in Meghan's success. Virtually everybody I know, including my royal friends, the wider aristocracy, wanted Meghan to be a success. But it quickly became apparent the ride may not be as smooth as everybody had hoped it would be, and it would not be as quite as positive as everybody had hoped it would be."

Harry and Meghan lost their chance to become popular again amid the coronavirus crisis, a royal author claims. Photo / Getty Images

Campbell claims it was made clear as quickly as the next big royal engagement - Prince Charles' 70th birthday party - when newlywed Meghan did something that "astonished" an attendee with "impeccable palace connections."

"I can't repeat it exactly," said Campbell, but assures "it's in the book.'

"... what I can say is, something happened at the very first garden party at Buckingham Palace…we were all absolutely gobsmacked and astonished, we all thought this doesn't bode well."

Meanwhile, Prince Harry's close friend, Dr Jane Goodall, has previously claimed the new royal dad told her a year before Megxit that he and his wife were determined not to raise their son in a royal household.

"I made Archie do the Queen's wave, saying, 'I suppose he'll have to learn this.'" Goodall allegedly said. "Harry said, 'No, he's not growing up like that.'"