However, the palace denied her request. St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle was a place of historical beauty, deeply entwined with the royal family's legacy. Despite its historical charm, it seemed that the chapel's aged aroma didn't align with the Duchess of Sussex's preferences. Reports from royal sources revealed that the chapel's musty scent didn't sit well with the soon-to-be Duchess, and she had requested air fresheners to be deployed before her guests arrived.
Megan also inquired about using a nebulizer, but Buckingham Palace promptly reminded her that this chapel was a place of regular worship for the Queen, just as it had been for successive monarchs for centuries. If it met their approval, it should suffice for her.
These weren't the only requests Megan was denied during the wedding preparations. She wasn't granted the privilege of wearing the precious Royal Emerald Crown, as she may not have fully grasped the significance of adhering to royal protocol. Consequently, she must have been taken aback when she learned that access to the royal jewelry vault was not an open invitation, whenever she pleased.
Sources had previously mentioned Angela Kelly as the person who thwarted Megan's attempts to view the crown. Angela adhered to the Queen's instructions, but, in reality, another influential woman played a part in advising the late Queen due to her knowledge of Megan's intentions.
From the beginning, there was Jackie Mein, Queen Camilla's dresser. Jackie had been serving the royal family for a longer duration than Angela Kelly and was regarded as a personal favorite of the late Queen. It was unlikely that Megan would ever have unfettered access to the Royal Jewelers, particularly because she hadn't consistently adhered to royal conventions. There were even rumors that she assisted Harry in taking certain pieces of jewelry which she might not have returned if Angela Kelly had been more assertive. It appears that Jackie Mein was even stricter in her loyalty to the royal family.
Jackie thwarted Megan from taking, notably, the Queen's Maori Bandeau Tiara, which Megan had reportedly borrowed. The Cartier bracelet that she wore in St. George's Chapel holds several versions, with the most approximate value at the time being $296,000. The Cartier earrings that she donned on the same day of the reception were valued at approximately $74,000 at the time. Neither the bracelet nor the earrings have been seen since.
It was speculated that these items were wedding gifts from Harry or others, but no concrete evidence was established. Nonetheless, a source close to the royal family asserted that Megan retained them after the wedding and may have considered selling them without informing the palace, which resulted in a considerable loss.
While such behavior was deemed unacceptable, Jackie Mein had the foresight to only provide fake jewelry, such as earrings and synthetic bracelets, which Megan had taken, and they weren't as valuable as the authentic items.
There were also speculations that Megan had sold some high-end clothing items from her remarkable wardrobe and received them from Prince Charles. Her clothing expenditures were one of the aspects that the royal family was relieved to see depart along with her.
