I was Meghan Markle’s etiquette teacher and taught her how to take tea with the Queen… here’s what I think of her now
THE man who taught Meghan Markle British etiquette rules at his world-famous Los Angeles tearoom says his customers are now "appalled" with the Duke and Duchess Of Sussex.
Proprietor and Royal supporter Edmund Fry told The Sun that the couple have "tainted" their royal links and that the “majority of people were appalled” by how they attacked the royal family in the media, earning them millions of dollars.
Customers at Rose Tree Cottage in Pasadena, California, do not discuss Markle and Prince Harry because they are such huge supporters of King Charles III, Fry said.
American and expat clients feel let down at how the Duke And Duchess attacked the British Royal family on Oprah Winfrey’s TV special, their Netflix series and in Harry’s memoir Spare, he added.
Even Fry says he is disappointed with Markle, who he says he supported for several years after meeting her to show her how to take tea with the Queen and teach her royal protocols in 2017.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun, he said: “I mean the majority of people were appalled. They were appalled with the business of what was said and of talking about his family.
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"Ordinary and poor people wouldn't talk about their next-door neighbor like that [as Harry spoke about his family]."
Fry too says he is "disappointed" claiming The Sussexes have upset The Firm, earned a fortune from media deals and not fulfilled their early desires to serve Harry’s homeland.
“When they were first talking [about Megxit], they were talking about being ambassadors to the world, helping out the Commonwealth, being involved with disabled people. They had a great opportunity," he said.
“There's not really been much heard from them on anything like that.
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“Ever since the Netflix thing came up and the Oprah interview and things were being mentioned about racism in the royal family and so on, it tainted it.”
He added how “heartbroken” he was that the Royal family was fractured at the coronation, as Harry made a flying visit to the ceremony before jetting home to Meghan, who skipped the event and stayed in Montecito to celebrate son Archie's fourth birthday.
Fry said: “Every single one of us, royal or not, has a choice. And if you look at the choices that Charles has made, he's done a tremendous amount of things with British youth and he's very much of an environmentalist. How simple is it.
You couldn't give a book away on Meghan anymore. Not here.
Edmund Fry, Meghan Markle's former etiquette teacher
“It’s like people can smile at you and you can get a smile and they say something friendly or they can growl at you and break all the rules in the book."
Rose Tree’s customers have made it clear to Fry and his wife Mary that they support King Charles.
He said: “Most customers do not even mention Meghan or Harry. They don't even want to talk about it. And you couldn't give a book away on Meghan anymore. Not here.
“Yeah, it's a different story now to how things were. Totally.
“It is a done deal. Positive comments on Harry and Meghan are out the window now; gone completely. It's all about Charles.
"Customers want to know what's Camilla going to do now and how she's going to be as Queen Consort. They are talking about the King."
Fry made headlines around the world when LA-based actress Markle, who then was secretly dating Harry, popped into his venue for afternoon tea in summer 2017.
Markle tucked into a traditional afternoon tea of cucumber and roast beef finger sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, before asking about Royal protocol ahead of her first meeting with The Queen.
It comes after reports that Meghan is leaving Prince Harry at home as she parties in LA and has sent desperate texts asking pals to "hang out";.
The Duchess of Sussex has been regularly seen out and about without her husband in the City of Angels, according to society journalist Petronella Wyatt.
Fry hopes that tensions will calm down between the Sussexes and King Charles and Duke and Duchess Of Edinburgh - but has no idea when.
“I think eventually it all come back and things will settle down," he said.
“They're getting on with their life and that's wonderful. And they've made a tremendous amount of money and the success with it. So I hope they can use that money like my wife Mary and I have to start a school for just 12 children in Kenya, which now has 800.”
While Fry has not had an order from Harry, Meghan or their staff for any of his best-selling home made traditional English treats such as pork pies, sausage rolls or scones, he says demand is enormous from other Californians.
“Every day I'm dealing with people that have said they are doing breakfast and afternoon tea," he said.
“And they call up and want us to load up trucks, going to places like Big Sur, with ‘every piece of bacon you've got or haddock’
“The Americans have embraced the Coronation and are totally on board.”
In 2020, Fry, 83, had a far more positive outlook on Markle joining the Royal family as Harry’s wife.
“Meghan is a very special woman and someone who will change the world and achieve many good things," he said.
“And this a great country with very generous people and I am sure Harry will be a huge success with him and Meghan. It is a country full of opportunities and things to do.”
Fry, who has advised many actors and actresses on British etiquette, sees himself as a cross between a ‘footman’ and ‘butler’ as he serves the rounds of food and pours tea from silver pots into bone china cups.
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Fry and his American wife Mary have run Rose Tree Cottage in Pasadena for over 40 years.
The west Londoner fell in love with Oklahoma-raised Mary, who adored Britain and wanted to create a classic English tea spot and country house hotel in LA
