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Why Sasha Walpole revealed herself
The woman with whom Prince Harry had first-time sex in a field behind a pub—as recounted in his memoir Spare—has said she felt forced to identify herself to stop the “hunt” and to take back control of the situation. She added that she had kept the secret for over 20 years and would never have said anything had Harry not publicly recounted the episode.
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Sasha Walpole, 40, who was a royal groom at King Charles’ home, Highgrove, when she had sex with Harry but now works as digger driver and landscaper, told her story to U.K. newspapers The Sun on Sunday and The Mail on Sunday.
She said: “At first I thought I could hide and that it would blow over. But as the names of different women, some of whom I know, became public I realized that to make the speculation stop, I needed to tell the truth.
“At least now I can tell my story, in my words, with the correct context and detail, and without panicking. I can stop looking over my shoulder. I wanted to take control of the situation before it took control of me…I would never have spoken out if Harry hadn’t. I’m not that sort of person. If I was going to talk about it, I could have done so a long time ago. He has brought it to my door by writing about it.”
Walpole added: “I kept this a secret for 21 years. I did it because Harry was a friend, regardless of whether he’s a prince or not. I didn’t invite any of this attention, but I know the hunt would have kept going until people found me. I don’t understand why he went into such detail. He could have said he lost his virginity and left it at that. But he described how it happened, in a field behind a pub. That’s fine if you’re not the other person involved. But if you’re me, then you suddenly feel as if your world is getting a little bit smaller.”
Walpole said that she began to panic and worry that she would, “wake up one morning and find a barrage of cameras outside my house.” In his book, Harry described the “inglorious” encounter as “a quick ride, after which she’d smacked my rump and sent me off to graze.”
Walpole said: “I don’t mind him saying that because it isn’t really very glorious, is it? We were drunk and having sex in a field. It’s his sense of humor. [We were part of] a massive horse scene, and the slap happened in a horsey context, the book is a funny interpretation of that. His description is accurate—the real shock when I saw what he’d written was how true it was. That’s what took me back the most. I’m not offended. Afterwards I did grab his bum and give him a slap. I gave him a little squeeze as well. He had a peachy bum.”
She added: “I don’t think people will be amazed about me and Harry having sex in a field, but they are usually astonished by a woman driving a digger.”
Harry’s 48-hour Coronation visit
Prince Harry may be whisked in and out of Britain for King Charles’ coronation, according to the Mail on Sunday. Meghan Markle will likely not attend the event (staying behind in Montecito to celebrate Archie’s 4th birthday on May 6), and the whole thing is being dubbed “Harry in a hurry.” Who knows; it was also recently reported that Meghan and Harry would be invited to the ceremony, but because of the to-do around his memoir, it’s unclear if either of them will go.
Meanwhile, the paper also reported that cutting the guest list down to 2,000 was proving to be a “nightmare”—because these ghastly snobs have been tasked with making the guestlist more diverse than the usual royal roster of toffs and more toffs. A source told the Mail that “cutting the guest list so radically while also making it more diverse is proving to be a total nightmare,” proving once again how utterly out of touch the palace is. One person involved in the planning added: “We need Wembley Stadium, not Westminster Abbey.”
Britain's Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank leave the St George's Chapel after their wedding at Windsor Castle, Windsor, Britain October 12, 2018.
REUTERS/Toby MelvilleCould Eugenie be heading to California?
Princess Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank may be following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to California, the Mail on Sunday reports. The Sussexes have been sending the couple details of homes in Montecito, the paper says. But Eugenie and Brooksbank—who may be planning the transatlantic move after the birth of their second child—are apparently more focused on West Hollywood as a favored neighborhood, which means they can head to Fiesta Cantina for margs. Eugenie and Jack are allowed one learning wheels’ visit to the Abbey, but after that: strike out! The Chamberlain West Hollywood is a great place to stay if they need a base for recces—quiet yet near enough to “the strip” to mean you can just wander down to Santa Monica Boulevard, no car needed. You’re welcome!
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Kate gets ‘colorful’ chief aide
If the words “excitement” and “Kate Middleton” do not seem obvious bedfellows, prepare to be moderately surprised. The Sunday Times reports that Kate is looking to “shake things up” at Kensington Palace with the appointment of Alison Corfield at her most senior aide. Corfield has variously been described as “loud…persuasive…a breath of fresh air,” with Kate keen to appoint a “different kind of courtier.”
The announcement came as Kate seeks to carve out her own royal patch for her child developmental work. She even released a picture of herself as a little girl this week, with a bunch of British celebs following suit.
A source who worked with Corfield on chef Jamie Oliver’s free school meal campaigns, told the Times: “She’s a ball-breaker, a real straight-talker, very passionate, dynamic and genuinely funny. She makes things happen and will really push things forward at the palace.”
Britain's Charles, Prince of Wales, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, arrive to meet Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and First Lady Entissar Amer at Al-Ittihadiya Palace, on the third day of their tour of the Middle East, in Cairo, Egypt November 18, 2021.
Joe Giddens/Pool via REUTERSCharles and Camilla get new thrones
Getting new furniture is always exciting—especially when it is his and hers thronage. The Mail on Sunday reports that two new thrones are being knocked up for the king and queen in readiness for their May 6 coronation.
A palace source said: “There is always a new throne for a new monarch and this will be no exception.” Charles will also park his derriere on the Coronation Chair for part of the ceremony. This little beauty was made in 1296 by King Edward I, making it, the Mail says “the oldest piece of furniture in the United Kingdom still used for its original purpose.”
Harry sought for deposition by Samantha Markle
Meghan Markle’s sister came in for a serious bashing by Meghan in her Netflix film. Now Samantha is hitting back, launching a defamation case against Meghan. And according to the Sunday Mirror, Samantha is seeking a video deposition from none other than Prince Harry.
Samantha is suing Meghan, claiming her reputation was ruined by “malicious lies” told by Meghan in the 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey. Samantha says she has been the victim of “demonstrably false and malicious statements” which subjected her to “humiliation and hatred.” The case could go to a jury trial in Tampa, Florida, next year.
This week in royal history
Queen Elizabeth was proclaimed queen on February 8, 1952.
Unanswered questions
How much more detail on Harry’s lost virginity can there be left to tell? We have the feeling a lot. Also: the Coronation/Harry/Meghan drama looks set to become even more complicated, and a test of power dynamics within the palace. What role or invite will they get, and will they accept it?
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