Prince Harry and Meghan: Duchess's brutal snub that ended in 'revenge'
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's relationship with one of Britain's leading celebrity couples has become the subject of a new book.
Meghan Markle allegedly told Prince Harry to avoid being photographed with David Beckham at the 2018 Invictus Games, leading the football legend to seek "revenge" against the couple, a royal author claimed.
Tom Bower detailed the couple's relationship with Beckham and his wife Victoria in his new book, “The House of Beckham: Money, Sex and Power," noting the Duke of Sussex and the former England midfielder had been friendly for years before his wedding to Meghan.
But within six months everything appeared to have changed, with Beckham finding "himself alone at the Invictus Games stadium."
Beckham was then allegedly told that "the prince had ordered that under no circumstances was the footballer to be allowed near him.” Mr Bower wrote: "Photographs of the two together were forbidden. (...)
"The exclusion order, it later transpired, was issued by Meghan. She did not want any competition in the media from Beckham, and especially not from his wife Victoria.”
The author claimed the snub then pushed Beckham to go all-out for Prince William and Kate, the Princess of Wales during their 2022 visit to Boston, helping them overshadow a parallel event with Harry and Meghan. Mr Bower added: "Beckham had got his revenge for the Sydney snub."
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KEY EVENTS
Prince Harry 'overworked and overthinking' so set to take 'major step back' from plans
Prince Harry will shortly be needing to take a "step back" as he is "overworked and overthinking" and could be suffering from "burnout", according to astrologist Inbaal Honigman.
She believes there seems to be good things on the cards for Meghan Markle, who has "luck and success" on her side as she lands a "great deal".
Prince William too has been "busy", but is able to make sure he has "time to enjoy his family" and "avoid burnout" like his younger brother.
Speaking on behalf of Spin Genie, Ms Honigman predicted for Harry: "Burnout. The Prince is overworked and overthinking, so he takes a step back and tries to commit to resting and recuperating.
"Harry desires to be independent and successful. He is spending this year coming up with directions and contacts that can get him there."
Prince Harry’s children are being ‘written out of the narrative’ growing up in US
Prince Harry’s children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are at risk of being written out of the Royal Family narrative, according to experts.
King Charles recently referred to his grandchildren in a speech - and royal editor Kate Mansey believes the public automatically think of Waleses Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six.
Mansey discussed the topic with Roya Nikkhah during a recent episode of Royal Confidential.
But, there's also Archie, five, and Lilibet, three, who live in the US and do not see their extended family often.
Mansey said: “You think of Charles talking about his grandchildren, the first thing you think of is the Waleses, because he doesn’t have that connection to the Sussex grandchildren.”
She wondered if the the Sussexes are so far removed, that “it’s just so written out of the narrative,” that it’s understood Charles is taking about his UK-based grandchildren.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle won't be welcomed back as working royals 'for key reason'
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not shown any interest in being working royals, but if that were to change, it would take a lot of work to win over the public.
It seems like things have quieted down when it comes to Spare and the six-part Netflix series - which led to their popularity plummeting in the UK - but there are still hurt feelings.
GB News presenter Cameron Walker talked about the possibility of Harry and Meghan making their return to the Royal Family as working royals and that it would go beyond King Charles because Harry and Meghan “consistently poll at the bottom.”
He said: “That’s a big problem, because if they become working members of the Royal Family again, it’s taxpayers, it’s us, it’s the public who would have to pay for their security, the staff travel and all the rest of it.”
Harry and Meghan resigned stepped back from their positions as senior working royals in 2020.
Harry and Meghan currently live in Montecito, California with their two small children: Archie, five, and Lilibet, three.
They seem to be keeping busy with their growing family and numerous ventures like Invictus Games, Archewell and their forthcoming "his and hers" Netflix series, focusing on cookery and polo, respectively.
Walker revisited the past, saying: “I don’t think Meghan wants to be a working member of the Royal Family again, because clearly she disliked it so much the last time.
“I don’t see this happening, but I just think it’s very sad that he [Prince Harry] has lost, effectively, physical contact with his nearest and dearest.”
What really caused Prince Harry to fallout with David Beckham revealed in bombshell book
The story behind Prince Harry and David Beckham's rift has been exposed in royal author Tom Bower's latest book 'House of Beckham'.
The former footballer has had a close relationship with many members of the Royal Family, including Prince William and Prince Harry, attending both of their weddings with his wife Victoria Beckham.
However, in 2022, Harry and Meghan Markle were absent from the nuptials of David and Victoria's eldest son Brooklyn and his wife Nicola Peltz.
Mr Bower claims that at the Invictus Games in Sydney back in 2018, David was left "perplexed" after he showed up to support Harry's initiative, only for the Prince to leave him alone.
The author wrote that Harry "had ordered that under no circumstances was the footballer to be allowed near him," and that, "Photographs of the two together were forbidden. The royal snub was brutal."
'No chance' Prince Harry will make peace with Royal family and latest moves prove it
While rumours swirl about Prince Harry's potential return to the UK to reconcile with the Royal Family, scepticism remains high among experts due to his track record of missed opportunities.
The Duke has faced a barrage of perceived snubs, from being left off the Trooping the Colour invitation list in June, to missing out on a meeting with King Charles in May and not being included in the guest list for the wedding of his good friend, the Duke of Westminster, casting doubt over his reconciliation efforts.
Jennie Bond, a seasoned Royal commentator and ex-BBC Royal correspondent, expressed her doubts: "If Harry had really wanted to confront his family and patch things up, he would surely have allotted more time to his recent visits so that his father at least could make arrangements to see him."
She further speculated on the likelihood of Prince William extending an olive branch: "I don't think there's any chance of William wanting to do so, particularly with all he has on his plate right now. So, I'll believe this when I see it, but it will be lovely if he could indeed spend some time, perhaps at Balmoral, during the summer and make peace with his father."
Meghan Markle's dad Thomas 'sad' that Archie and Lilibet are being 'denied' royal life
Meghan Markle's dad, Thomas, says he is "saddened" that Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are being "denied" a royal lifestyle.
Ahead of his 80th birthday, Thomas, who is estranged from his daughter, says he wants nothing more than to finally meet his grandchildren.
Thomas, who lives in Rosarito, Mexico, some 400km away from Prince Harry and Meghan, says he cannot believe that he has never met his son-in-law, reports New Zealand Woman's Weekly.
He is also keen to connect with King Charles, to discuss how the pair feel about never seeing their grandchildren, with Thomas saying even a picture would make him happy.
It was the recent Trooping the Colour ceremony, where Prince William's children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six, stood proudly alongside their family on the Buckingham Palace balcony that made Thomas feel sorry for his own grandchildren.
Speaking to New Zealand Woman's Weekly, he said: "It struck me as very sad that Meghan and Harry's kids are being denied the right to know their cousins, who look like fantastic children, or take part in things like Trooping the Colour, which is their birthright.
"They are getting to the age where they will start to ask questions, as all kids do. I find myself wondering how Archie and Lilbet will feel in a few years' time when they realise all the things they have missed out on."
King Charles 'in discussions' to visit Prince Harry in US
King Charles is reportedly eager to patch things up with Prince Harry by visiting him in America, despite Prince William and Queen Camilla's reservations about the idea.
Royal commentator Tom Quinn has revealed that Charles is determined to be a "friendly grandfather" to Archie and Lilibet, which would require him to make the journey to Montecito.
New Idea magazine suggests there's an opening in the King's diary next month that could allow for such a trip.
The same source indicates Harry is reluctant to bring his kids back to the UK. Tom has previously stated that Meghan Markle, Harry's wife, is unlikely to set foot on British soil again.
Mr Quinn said "discussions" are underway for Charles to make a "private visit" to the States.
He said: "He is desperate to see his them and hates the idea that Archie and Lilibet will not remember him as the warm, friendly grandfather he wants to be."
Disaster for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after latest move
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been accused of unsuccessfully "sucking up to Hollywood royalty" after a selfie of Taylor Swift, Prince William, Prince George and Princess Charlotte made headlines all over the world.
On June 21, also the date of William's 42nd birthday, he took his two eldest children to see the pop superstar perform on tour at Wembley Stadium, with them also getting to meet Taylor before the show.
Meghan previously reached out to Taylor via a "personal letter" to ask her to appear on her podcast Archetypes, but the offer was declined.
The Daily Mail's Richard Eden explained the disparities between the Royal Family's approach to celebrity networking and Harry and Meghan's.
He said: "It's a very different relationship because, essentially, Taylor Swift is here and she wants to show her respect for the Royal Family.
"In a way, you could say [she is] paying court to Prince William - whereas with Harry and Meghan, it's the other way round. They're the ones who seem to be always sucking up to Hollywood royalty.
"They thought when they moved to California, 'we'll be at the centre of this sort of royal court and everyone will come to see us.' But it never seems to be working out like that."
Meghan Markle's podcast rebrand is 'recipe for failure' as expert spots key changes needed
Meghan Markle's new podcast is a "recipe for failure" unless her new team makes key changes to its existing format, a celebrity PR specialist has warned.
The Duchess of Sussex secured a partnership with Lemonada Media after Spotify's exclusive deal with Prince Harry and Meghan's Archewell Productions ended mid-2023 after just one 12-episode series.
Under the new deal, Lemonada will distribute the first season of Markle’s Archetypes series for all audio platforms and then develop a new, currently untitled, original podcast series hosted by the Duchess.
Speaking on behalf of Betfred, celebrity PR specialist Kayley Cornelius exclusively told Express.co.uk: "For Meghan Markle’s new podcast to see more success than Archetypes, she and her team are going to have to bring something seriously fresh to the table."
Prince Harry's latest move shows he has 'no wish to patch things up' with Royal Family
Prince Harry's potential trip to the UK to patch things up with the Royal Family has been questioned by a royal expert, as a number of recent opportunities have been missed.
The Duke of Sussex travelled to the UK in May for the 10th anniversary commemorative service for the Invictus Games at St Paul's Cathedral, but did not stay at a royal residence while he was in London and did not see any family members from his father's side.
He also chose not to attend his close friend Hugh Grosvenor's wedding to Olivia Henson and was once again not invited to Trooping the Colour on June 15.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond explained to OK! magazine that if Harry really were so desperate to make things right with the royals, he would have set aside time to do so.
She said: "If Harry had really wanted to confront his family and patch things up, he would surely have allotted more time to his recent visits so that his father – at least – could make arrangements to see him."
Prince Andrew could secretly benefit from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's latest feud
Prince Andrew may benefit from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's ongoing royal feud as the 64-year-old could move into their former UK residence, Frogmore Cottage.
Harry and Harry were told to vacate the property last March, three years after stepping down as senior working royals and moving to the US.
A source told the Mirror that King Charles told his youngest son and daughter-in-law that he wanted to evict them from the property to "allow someone else to move in".
It was later reported that Andrew was the royal at the top of his list to move into the five-bedroom property - due to the ongoing dispute over Royal Lodge where he currently resides.
Prince William and Prince Harry will not inherit Princess Diana's home but this actor will
The Althorp Estate, an illustrious and historic property in Northamptonshire holds a significant place in British history as the childhood home of Princess Diana - but neither Prince William nor Prince Harry are set to inherit it.
This grand estate, spanning over 13,000 acres, has been the ancestral seat of the Spencer family for more than five centuries, and it will go to their cousin Louis, son of Earl Spencer, Diana's brother.
Although he has three older sisters, 30-year-old Viscount Althorp, Louis, will inherit the estate due to the aristocracy's system of primogeniture, meaning titles are passed down to the oldest boy, not the firstborn child.
Meghan Markle set for desperate move to help latest new venture
Meghan Markle reportedly has a "smaller pool" of friends to rely on as guests for her upcoming podcast with Lemonada Media, a PR expert has claimed.
Speaking on behalf of Betfred, PR expert Kayley Cornelius recently exclusively told Express.co.uk that Meghan has another list of potential guests - particularly ones that didn't feature on her first podcast series, Archetypes.
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Prince Harry recalls heartbreaking King Charles moment after Princess Diana accident
Prince Harry recalled the moment King Charles informed him that his mother Princess Diana had been involved in a car crash in Paris, which tragically led to her death.
On August 31, 1997 Harry and his older brother William, who was just 15 at the time, learned that Diana, Dodi Al Fayed and their driver Henri Paul had been killed in an accident.
In his memoir Spare the Duke of Sussex opened up about Charles sitting on the edge of the bed, telling him the news with phrases that remain with him "like bullets in a dart board".
He recalled that his father "looked at me in a funny way, a way he'd never looked at me before", before explaining that he initially hoped Diana would recover.
Harry said of his thought process at the time: "She's been taken to hospital, they'll fix her head, and we'll go and see her. Today. Tonight at the latest."
Huge blow to Prince Harry as petition launched after 'incredibly hurtful' decision
A petition has been set up to prevent Prince Harry being awarded the Pat Tillman Award for Service at a ceremony in Hollywood next month over concerns he is not a "suitable" candidate.
Pat Tillman was an American NFL player who then enlisted in the US Army in 2002, serving in Iraq and Afghanistan before he was killed by friendly fire in 2004.
The award was set up in his name to honour "given to a person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy" of Mr Tillman.
Pat Tillman's mother Mary criticised the decision to award Harry, saying: "I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award."
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle UK return hopes dashed as expert pinpoints key reason
Hopes for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s UK return have been dashed, with a Royal Family expert pinpointing one key reason.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly have fears of bringing their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to the UK while they don’t have their security.
Harry has been fighting for taxpayer-funded security when he visits the UK for several months - despite no longer being a working royal.
'No chance' Prince Harry will make peace with Royal family and latest moves prove it
While rumours swirl about Prince Harry's potential return to the UK to reconcile with the Royal Family, scepticism remains high among experts due to his track record of missed opportunities.
The Duke has faced a barrage of perceived snubs, from being left off the Trooping the Colour invitation list in June, to missing out on a meeting with King Charles in May and not being included in the guest list for the wedding of his good friend, the Duke of Westminster, casting doubt over his reconciliation efforts.
Jennie Bond, a seasoned Royal commentator and ex-BBC Royal correspondent, expressed her doubts: "If Harry had really wanted to confront his family and patch things up, he would surely have allotted more time to his recent visits so that his father at least could make arrangements to see him."
She further speculated on the likelihood of Prince William extending an olive branch: "I don't think there's any chance of William wanting to do so, particularly with all he has on his plate right now. So, I'll believe this when I see it, but it will be lovely if he could indeed spend some time, perhaps at Balmoral, during the summer and make peace with his father."
Good morning
Good morning from London. I’m Aurora Bosotti, I’ll be bringing you all the latest developments on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Please feel free to get in touch with me as I work if you have a story or tips to share! Your thoughts are always welcome.
Email: aurora.bosotti@reachplc.com
