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Daily Mirror
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Meghan's secret wedding invite strategy uncovered - and bold words from guest
According to a royal insider, the high-profile celebrities who attended Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in 2018 were invited for one key reason When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married in 2018, the guest list included everyone from royal family members, close friends and a wide array of the Hollywood elite. Harry and Meghan tied the knot in St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on May 19th 2018, with thousands of people descended onto the streets of Windsor to catch a glimpse of the royal newlyweds, while millions of people from around the world watched the nuptials from home. In comparison to other royal weddings, one unique feature of Harry and Meghan's guest list stood out: the sheer amount of high-profile celebrities. Among the famous faces in the congregation were Oprah, George and Amal Clooney, Victoria and David Beckham, Kris Jenner, Idris Elba, Priyanka Chopra, Elton John, and various members from the cast of Suits, who all received gold-embossed invitations for the big day. Despite the crowd being filled with celebrities, one royal author has claimed that Meghan and Harry didn't actually know many of the A-listers invited. Instead, it is claimed those lucky enough to receive an invitation only did so Meghan could 'recruit' the celebs as new friends. In her 2022 book called The Palace Papers, royal author Tina Brown wrote: 'The celebrity guests were a portrait not of Meghan's intimate circle but of the friends she most wanted to recruit.' Ms Brown said that Meghan 'scarcely' knew Oprah Winfrey before the royal wedding, having only met once or twice. Oprah eventually went on to be the face of the infamous 2021 interview with Meghan, in which she shared her scathing thoughts on the Firm and how she was treated during her time as a working royal. The royal author also recalled an intimate conversation overheard from the church pews, with Boris Johnson 's sister Rachel alleging that Princess Diana 's former flatmate turned to George and Amal Clooney alongside her in the pew and asked how they knew Harry or Meghan, to which they responded brightly: 'We don't.' During the wedding, Mr and Mrs Clooney were given seats for the special ceremony right next to Lady Carolyn Warren, the wife of the late Queen's bloodstock adviser John Warren, and opposite Princess Margaret's son, Viscount Linley. Despite the calibre of her wedding guest list, Meghan has seemingly failed to foster lasting relationships with some the celebs after her big day, as none of her wedding guests appeared on her Netflix programme With Love, Meghan. Viewers largely expected her to bring in the likes of Oprah, tennis superstar Serena Williams and filmmaker Tyler Perry - who is godfather to Princess Lilibet - as guests on her lifestyle show. Instead, guests featured names such as Meghan's former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer, Delfina Figueras - socialite wife of Harry's polo-playing chum Nacho - and chef Roy Choi The biggest stars to appear in the show were Harry himself - who had a few minutes of airtime in the final episode in the eight-part series - and actress, writer and producer Mindy Kaling, who appears in the second episode.
Daily Mirror
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Harry and Meghan's 'drama' with royal staff in lead-up to wedding day
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have seemingly got their Happy Ever After, Meghan as an influencer while she and Harry raise their children in California, but drama that reportedly started just before their wedding will always loom large Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appear to have had their happy ending after some very turbulent years leading up to their decision to step down as senior royals - and then the almighty fallout from Megxit in 2020. They live in a beautiful mansion in Montecito with their children Archie, six and three-year-old Lilibet, who often appear with their faces hidden on their mum's social media as she promotes her Netflix show With Love, Meghan and her lifestyle brand As Ever. However, the couple experienced discord and drama long before they decided to move abroad for a new life. The months leading up to their fairytale wedding back in 2018 were reportedly less than idyllic. Outwardly, their big day on Saturday, May 19, 2018, looked nothing short of perfect family togetherness. Prince Charles walked his future daughter-in-law down the aisle, while Prince William appeared the proud big brother, as Harry's best man. But behind the scenes, royal author Tina Brown said it was a very different story. In her bestselling book 'The Palace Papers', Brown even went so far as to claim that the lead-up to the wedding was a "s*** show" and said sources told her: "Preparation for the Sussex union was all drama, all the time." According to Brown's book, aides said they had become "fed up" with Harry and Meghan's constant demands. Royal writer Tom Bower also claims Meghan was too demanding. This included a "clash" of opinion with Angela Kelly, the late Queen Elizabeth's personal advisor for her wardrobe, over her wedding tiara. Writing in his biography 'Revenge', which was about Harry and Meghan's feud with the Royal Family, Bower said: "Meghan alighted on a tiara sparkling with emeralds. Her choice was approved by Harry. Kelly suggested that its Russian origin made it unsuitable." Harry was reportedly furious, which led the Queen to put her grandson "firmly in his place" and he was warned that "Meghan cannot have whatever she wants. She gets what tiara she's given by me," The Times reported. With the emerald-encrusted headpiece no longer an option, the former Suits star opted for the £2 million Queen Mary's Diamond Bandeau. The small but mighty diamond cluster brooch features ten diamonds and was made for Her Majesty's grandmother, Queen Mary, in 1932. Like many brides-to-be, the duchess was keen to ensure all details were covered and that her hairstyle on the day would work with her headwear. Therefore, she is said to have asked for her tiara to be taken out of storage for her hairdresser from New York to have a look at. The Daily Mail reports that the request was refused as The Queen needed to give her permission. It is not understood whether Meghan was able to go to the Queen to get the permission she needed or not, but it was claimed that Harry's angry response meant that he was brought before his granny for further admonishment, according to Ingrid Seward, author of My Mother. For her book, she spoke to Lady Elizabeth Anson, Queen Elizabeth's cousin and close friend, who said that Her Majesty was not pleased with Harry. However, the biggest and most well-documented drama was that of the flower girl dresses. According to Bower, Kate allegedly believed that the bridesmaids should follow royal tradition and wear tights. However, Meghan reportedly insisted they break with this tradition. Their biggest disagreement was over the length of Charlotte's hem, which Kate believed was too short for the three-year-old princess. Meghan's assistant Melissa Toubati and dress-fitter Clare Waight Keller claimed to have "witnessed Meghan emphatically reject Kate's observation," Bower said. It was widely reported after the wedding that this caused Kate to burst into tears. Meghan was described as a "diva and a bridezilla." The Duchess of Sussex got the chance to put across her side of the story in her 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey - claiming they were her tears, not Kate's. "A few days before the wedding, she was upset about something pertaining - yes, the issue was correct - about flower-girl dresses, and it made me cry, and it really hurt my feelings," Meghan told Oprah. "What was hard to get over was being blamed for something that not only I didn't do but that happened to me. "And the people who were part of our wedding going to our comms team and saying, "I know this didn't happen". I don't have to tell them what actually happened," she added. The interview added fuel to the fire, with Meghan also implying that the royals were racist due to questions from a senior family member on how dark the couple's first son, Archie, would be. Oprah was horrified, and Meghan looked deeply hurt. Following the airing of the interview, the revelation led to reporters asking William if his family was racist while on a school visit. The race row was a shocking attack on the monarchy, and it seems that Harry realised this. Two years on in 2023, he spoke to baffled ITV journalist Tom Bradbury to clarify that Meghan never accused his family of racism in an interview. Instead, Harry called it "unconscious bias", but the clarification came too late. The damage was done, and furthermore, his 2023 memoir 'Spare' and its eye-boggling revelations - including William launching a physical attack on Harry and how Kate took umbrage to Meghan joking she had baby brain due to being pregnant with her youngest Louis - do not suggest a heartwarming reconciliation is on the cards anytime soon.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Prince Harry Reportedly Turned To 'M16 Therapists' For Help With His Mental Health
According to a royal insider, Prince Harry sought the help of an M16 therapist after his ex-girlfriend encouraged him to get therapy for his "temperament." Therapy helped the Duke of Sussex confront long-suppressed grief over his mother's death. He has previously admitted that his wife, Meghan Markle, helped him battle his emotional turmoil early in their relationship. Besides Prince Harry's issues, Meghan herself also revealed suicidal thoughts during pregnancy due to royal pressures, but claims the Palace denied her help. Harry's journey toward emotional healing reportedly began with the encouragement of his former girlfriend, Cressida Bonas, who urged him to seek therapy after witnessing what has been described as his "explosive temperament." According to the Daily Mail, royal biographer Tina Brown shared in her book "The Palace Papers" how Bonas became increasingly concerned about Harry's mental health and was instrumental in persuading him to get professional help. A family acquaintance told Brown that Bonas pushed the Duke of Sussex to "accept he has problems and see a psychoanalyst." This led Harry to Julia Samuel, a bereavement counselor with NHS experience and a close friend of his late mother, Princess Diana. Samuel had a unique connection to the intelligence community as she had reportedly worked with MI6, advising staff on mental health, which made her an ideal choice for someone in Harry's position. Her background meant she was not only qualified but also capable of the utmost discretion. "There was a need for someone who could be incredibly discreet and who understood what it's like to have a public version of your life and a private version," a person in Harry's inner circle said. "Therapists at MI6, that's what they do." It was through these therapy sessions that Harry began to confront the grief he had long suppressed since the death of Princess Diana when he was just 12 years old. Brown noted that the duke came to recognize his own coping mechanisms, ranging from reckless partying to emotionally shutting down as attempts to avoid dealing with his sorrow. "He, at last, understood his own evasion of sorrow in tactics that ranged from champagne hooliganism to 'sticking my head in the sand, refusing to ever think about my mum, because why would that help?'" she wrote. Bonas' insistence on getting help came after multiple troubling incidents, one of which occurred during a New Year's Day lunch at a pub in Kidlington, near Oxford. As described by a source familiar with the situation, Harry reacted aggressively when an older man asked for a photo. He reportedly snapped, telling the man to "get out of my way," before turning red with anger and abruptly leaving the scene. Harry has previously spoken candidly about his long-standing struggle with grief following the loss of his mother, and how it wasn't until he met his wife, Meghan Markle, that he began to seriously address his emotional wounds. In the "The Me You Can't See" docuseries, which he co-created with Oprah Winfrey, Harry revealed that it was Meghan who encouraged him to start unpacking years of unresolved trauma. During a conversation with Winfrey, she asked: "Only after meeting Meg did you start the process of trying to figure it out. You hadn't tried to before?" Harry responded by shaking his head. "Never," he said. "I quickly established that if this relationship was going to work, then I was going to have to deal with my past." Harry went on to describe the emotional weight he had been carrying, admitting that he had lived with a persistent sense of anger, particularly in connection with his mother's death. "It wasn't anger at her," he clarified, "it was just… anger." Encouraging others to take their mental health seriously, Harry emphasized that asking for help is a sign of courage, not vulnerability. "To make that decision to receive help is not a sign of weakness," he said. "In today's world, more than ever, it is a sign of strength." Meghan also previously opened up about her own struggles with mental health, revealing the profound emotional toll royal life took on her. In her 2021 explosive interview with Winfrey, Meghan shared that she experienced suicidal thoughts while five months pregnant, overwhelmed by the pressures and isolation she felt as a member of the royal family. She recalled reaching a breaking point, telling Harry that she no longer wanted to live. "I knew that if I didn't say it, that I would do it," she said. "I just didn't want to be alive anymore. And that was a very clear, real, and frightening constant thought." The Duchess of Sussex said she expressed a need to seek professional help, telling her husband, "I need to go somewhere to get help." But according to Meghan, her request was denied by Palace staff, who reportedly said "it wouldn't be good for the institution." During the interview, Meghan shared how Harry held her as she cried out for support. Despite the severity of her condition, she said she was still expected to attend a public engagement at the Royal Albert Hall that same evening in January 2019. The US-based royals have since stepped back from their roles as working royals and have had a strained relationship with the royal family.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The "Unfortunate Habit" King Charles Inherited From an Unexpected Royal Relative
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. King Charles is known for many things, from his pioneering attitudes regarding sustainability and climate change, to his sometimes messy personal life. The monarch, too, apparently inherited an "unfortunate habit" from an unexpected royal relative, which is likely to form part of his legacy. In her 2022 book The Palace Papers, former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown wrote (via Hello! magazine), "[King Charles], unfortunately, chose to emulate his big-spending grandmother, who insisted on living in Edwardian grandeur, maintaining five fully staffed homes." Brown continued, "Charles, senior courtiers felt, wanted to 'out-granny Granny' in old world elegance." As reported by Hello! magazine, the Queen Mother's influence on grandson Charles has often been noted. "The Queen Mother set the tone for several generations of royal life," the outlet reported. "She remained a powerful influence on both Charles and Queen Elizabeth II." View Deal Elaborating on why The King inherited the Queen Mother's love of opulence, Hello! magazine explained, "Charles's admiration for her was well documented. Their bond was close, and it's not surprising he might model parts of his lifestyle on hers." According to the Daily Mail, King Charles's alleged decadence was particularly evident when he visited a friend in the north of England. "It is rumored Charles sent his staff ahead a day early with a truck carrying furniture to replace the fittings in the guest rooms," the outlet reported. "The truck apparently contained Charles and Camilla's complete bedrooms, including his orthopedic bed along with his own linen... Other items included a small radio, his own lavatory seat, rolls of Kleenex Premium Comfort lavatory paper, Laphroaig whisky and bottled water, plus two landscapes of the Scottish Highlands." As reported by the Daily Mail, King Charles's lavish tastes are on full display in his wardrobe, with the monarch preferring to wear handmade shirts that retail for approximately $1,350 each. As The King is richer than Queen Elizabeth II ever was, it's perhaps unsurprising that he favors expensive products, but this particular trait is reportedly straight out of the Queen Mother's playbook.
Daily Mail
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Revealed: How Charles proved he was a 'monarch-in-waiting' when violence engulfed the country
Throughout British history it has been times of national crisis that have been the making of the royals. During World War Two, the then-Princess Elizabeth played a significant role in the war effort working as a mechanic, revealing even as a teenager she had the sense of public service which defined her reign. Likewise, her son King Charles revealed he was a true monarch-in-waiting during a time when politicians of the day were failing to step up to chaos engulfing the country. It's August 2011, as Britain basks in the summer heat simmering tensions over unemployment and spending cuts - following the 2008 financial crisis - are about to reach boiling point. The spark came when the Metropolitan Police shot and killed 29-year-old Mark Duggan in Tottenham, north London, on August 4, 2011. His death led to an eruption of looting and rioting across England, in the worst scenes of violence since the riots of 1981. They lasted for nearly a week and resulted in the deaths of five people and the arrest of over 3,000 thugs. In her bestselling book The Palace Papers, Tina Brown has revealed that it was the then-Prince of Wales who stepped up after the mayhem had ended and visited concerned locals, even after the media circus had moved on. Brown writes that when the unrest began the Royal Family were in Balmoral, while the country's politicians were 'offline in their villas'. 'By the time the ruling class had returned from their sunny vacations, the youthful fury had dissipated like a tropical storm,' she said. It was Prince Charles who was spurred into action after he left Balmoral to use programmes from his charity to help those affected. For example, the Prince's Trust pledged to work with young people in Croydon to stop them getting involved with gangs. And after politicians had travelled to the affected areas for a photo-op it was Charles who returned afterwards to the hardest hit areas. David Lammy, the MP for Tottenham said the King visited his constituency five times. 'Prince Charles also phoned. He came, he has been back five times and he doesn't just come back to look at it, he's brought all his charities. 'He hasn't done it with a fanfare, he hasn't put out press releases, he's just done it because he cares,' Lammy said. Charles and Camilla's car was attacked by protesters in December 2010 Charles was also very much in touch with the unrest of the period, having experienced it firsthand when his car was attacked by student protesters in December 2010 while he and Camilla were on their way to the Palladium. The car was kicked, rocked and hit with paint bombs by up to 20 demonstrators angry at the hike in tuition fees. The incident left the couple visibly shaken but unharmed. The potential risk to their safety raised worrying echoes of the 1974 kidnap attempt on Princess Anne. Charles's response to the 2011 crisis, according to Brown, showed that he was 'more than just a faddish dilettante'. She said: 'He [Charles] tried to show Britain that he was a worthy - and humane - monarch-in-waiting.' His response to civil unrest during his reign so far has once again demonstrated his compassion and eagerness to meet and understand communities. Indeed, in the days after the riots in August 2024, the King was reportedly frustrated at his inability to get involved in soothing the national unrest. Following the riots, which saw Muslims and migrants targeted after misinformation was spread online about the identity of a man who murdered three young girls in Southport, the King called for mutual respect and understanding. King Charles signs a book of condolence during his visit to Southport Town Hall during his visit to the area after the dust had settled and the riots were out of the headlines Charles also thanked police and emergency services for their response to the disturbances and he welcomed the way that community groups had countered 'the aggression and criminality from a few', Buckingham Palace said in a statement at the time. While the riots engineered by far-right thugs were engulfing cities and towns across the UK, Charles also asked aides to keep him updated on the chaos. After the dust had settled and the riots were out of the headlines, in scenes reminiscent of his trips to Tottenham, the King held a private audience at Clarence House with the families of those killed in the horror knife attack in Southport. The King suspended his traditional Balmoral break to meet with the families of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar. Before the meeting, Charles also visited Southport where he signed a book of condolence. During his visit, Charles spoke of his heartfelt appreciation of the way in which the local community rallied around its own as he met with emergency services personnel, faith leaders and some of those who opened their doors in acts of kindness. Indeed, in his response to the riots both before and after his reign, Charles proved that he was well suited to steer the country through a national crisis.
