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Prince William “bullying” claim resurfaces
Here we go again. It was all Harry and Meghan’s fault. Nope, it was all William and Kate’s.
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Andrew Morton has added six new chapters to his 2019 book, Meghan: A Hollywood Princess, allegedly with the dish on Harry and Meghan’s exit from the royal family. But, as ever, it really depends on who you talk to and who you believe. It’s serialized in the Mail on Sunday; Morton, as royal family saga followers will recall, was the author of the explosive Diana: Her True Story, which nearly 30 years ago revealed the state of Charles and Diana’s deteriorating marriage in devastating detail.
“The Duchess of Cambridge’s coolness towards Meghan, and William’s alleged bullying contributed to a devastating ‘Cain and Abel’ fallout between the brothers,” Morton writes.
Morton also alleges that contrary to Meghan’s claims she had been left abandoned by the palace, a “formidable backroom staff” was made available to her to help her adjust to palace life, including a team which spent “hundreds of hours monitoring social media accounts” to make sure that “violent threats” were reported to police.
Last year, when the Times of London reported that the Sussexes felt pushed out and “constantly bullied” by William, Harry and William issued a strongly worded joint statement: “Despite clear denials, a false story ran in a U.K. newspaper today speculating about the relationship between the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of Cambridge. For brothers who care so deeply about the issues surrounding mental health, the use of inflammatory language in this way is offensive and potentially harmful.”
A royal source reiterated the denials of bullying by William to the Mail this weekend, and insisted Meghan had been supported by the royals.
Royal expert Robert Lacey alleged William “threw Harry out” in a blistering row over claims that Meghan had bullied staff (still supposedly the subject of investigation). Morton writes: “Harry was the ‘prime mover’ in souring relations between the Sussexes and the Royal Family, but it was Meghan who ‘took the hit.’”
The Mail also reported that Morton writes (deep breath): “The couple lobbied Prince Charles to change the rules so their son Archie would not become a Prince—not the other way around, as they have suggested; Harry had acupuncture in the run up to his wedding; Prince William did not agree with Meghan and Harry’s decision to keep the names of Archie’s godparents a secret.”
Rumors of reconciliation, or a forum for reconciliation at least, may be at hand. Royal author Katie Nicholl told Closer: “Christmas is being looked at as an opportunity. There may be a softening, which could pave the way for a healing of the family rift. It’s certainly what the queen wants. Prince Charles would like to see his grandchildren. A meet-up suggests they hope to move on and sort things out.” The Daily Mail also reported the brothers could come face to face at an award set up to honor their mother in December.
Palace “nervous” after Harry and Meghan’s New York City trip
After Harry and Meghan’s New York trip, culminating in their appearance at Global Citizen Live in Central Park, expect more globe-trotting in the name of advocacy for issues they feel strongly about. A source told the Sun on Sunday the couple want more tours promoting their Archewell Foundation and charity causes: “This will be a regular thing and not just in the U.S.”
The source added: “There are going to be some very nervous glances from the Palace because Harry and Meghan are effectively following the royal model. The Palace will be anxious the causes they support and people they hang around with does nothing to embarrass the queen.”
And, as ever, it’s the potential for William and Kate conflict that looms large. “Kate and Wills show how the job of working royals is done,” the source continued. “They won’t be impressed with Harry and Meghan acting as quasi-royals and courting publicity after claiming they quit for privacy.”
Meghan and Harry on global vaccine equity
As noted above, Meghan and Harry’s New York City experience came to a conclusion amidst the roar of the crowd in Central Park Saturday as Harry and Meghan spoke in favor of vaccine equity. The couple received a rapturous reception as they delivered a concise attack on two reliable targets: greedy Westerners and pharmaceutical companies.
Meghan kicked off proceedings saying: “We know that it feels like this pandemic has been going on forever. We get it. It’s been a lot, and some people are just over it.
“But if everyone is over it, it’s never going to be over with. There’s so much we can do today that can get us closer to ending this pandemic, and that’s why we’re all here.”
Harry said: “We’re battling more than the virus. This is a battle of misinformation, bureaucracy, lack of transparency and lack of access.”
Meghan described access to the vaccine as a human right and said that “much of the vaccine supply has only gone to 10 wealthy nations so far and not everyone else.”
Harry then said: “Guys, we have what we need to vaccinate the world, but the experts told us this is what’s getting in the way.
“They said, ‘Many countries are ready to produce vaccines at home, yet they aren’t allowed to because ultra-wealthy pharmaceutical companies are not sharing the recipes to make them.’
“These countries have the means, the ability and the workers to start manufacturing. All they’re waiting for is the vaccine intellectual property to be waived and for the vaccine technology to be transferred over.”
Handy for Andy
Prince Andrew has rather a lot on his plate, legally speaking, with the ongoing drama around Virginia Roberts Guiffre’s lawsuit. So one assumes he is delighted that a lawsuit suing him and his ex-wife for several million dollars they allegedly owe for a chalet they bought in the exclusive ski resort of Verbier, Switzerland, has gone away.
Andrew and Fergie were being sued by French socialite Isabelle de Rouvre who alleged that the couple did not pay a final installment of $9 million on the property last year.
The Sunday Times reports that Prince Andrew is now selling the property for $23.6 million and adds that de Rouvre has “dropped her case against the couple…the Yorks intend to repay their debt to her once the sale has gone through.”
The Yorks bought the seven-bedroom Chalet Helora from de Rouvre in 2014 for $22.7 million.
A source told The Sunday Times: “Court action has been withdrawn and the matter is close to being resolved to everybody’s mutual satisfaction.”
The tabloids are concerned about Meghan’s coats
It has been warm in New York, and so there has been much comment about Meghan’s choice of overcoats for her public appearances there.
On Saturday, the Daily Mail reports, she wore a $4,000 cashmere Max Mara coat, on Friday she was in a $5,840 Loro Piana cashmere coat and on Thursday, she wore another heavy black overcoat to the top of One World Trade. The Mail seemed to be actively relieved when Meghan wore a coat and then took it off at Global Citizen to reveal a white Valentino shift minidress.
David Boies feels bad for the queen
Attorney David Boies, who is representing Virginia Giuffre in her civil suit against Andrew, has said he feels for Her Majesty over her son’s woes. Interviewed by The London Times, Boise said: “When it’s a member of your family it’s always hard, I know. I sympathize very much with the queen, in the same sense that I sympathize with any mother whose child ends up in the kind of trouble Prince Andrew’s had.”
Boies also gives his opinion on Andrew’s disastrous BBC Newsnight interview, saying: “It was inexplicable to me why his advisers would permit him to do it. The interview simply drew more attention to him and more attention to the fact that he had no credible explanation. In addition, it put on display a level of arrogance and lack of remorse that was the opposite of what I would at least think he should have been conveying.”
The interviewer says he can imagine Boies “watching it and rubbing his hands,” to which Boies replies: “Oh yes, obviously. No question about that.”
This week in royal history
Four years ago this week, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had their first public date, and kiss, at the Invictus Games in Toronto. Ah, such happy, innocent times.
Unanswered questions
Who really did the bad things between Harry, Meghan, Kate, and William? Do they themselves even remember at this point? Where next for Harry and Meghan’s global advocacy roadshow?
