Prince Philip was known far and wide for his no-nonsense humour and quick wit during his tenure in Buckingham Palace.
So it comes as no surprise the late Duke of Edinburgh reportedly issued a stark warning to his grandson, Prince Harry, when he announced his engagement to Suits alum Meghan Markle.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their engagement in 2017, and according to a recent biography by historian Andrew Lownie, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, Prince Philip was hesitant to offer his felicitations.
The Duke of Edinburgh reportedly disapproved of Prince Harry’s romance with Meghan Markle.
It is alleged in the biography, which delves into the lives of palace pariahs Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, that Queen Elizabeth’s husband was reluctant at the idea of Meghan entering the royal fold.
Upon learning of the pair’s plans to wed, Prince Philip reportedly went as far as warning his youngest grandson off the actress, bluntly advising Prince Harry “one steps out with actresses, one doesn’t marry them.”
Reports first emerged that Prince Phillip disapproved of the union in 2019, when The Sun alluded to his blunt warning.
And the Duke of Edinburgh, who died in 2021 aged 99, was reportedly not the only member of the royal family to express concern.
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The Duke of Edinburgh allegedly told his grandson “one steps out with actresses, one doesn’t marry them.” (Karwai Tang/WireImage)
Prince Harry and Meghan went on to wed in 2018. (WireImage)
It has previously been reported by People that Prince William cautioned his younger brother – who met Meghan in 2016 before popping the question in 2017 – against “moving too fast.”
In the Duke of Sussex’s explosive 2023 memoir Spare, he claimed during a disagreement between the brothers, Prince William called Meghan “rude,” “abrasive” and “difficult.”
Prince Harry later clarified in an ITV interview that his brother “had never tried to dissuade him from marrying Meghan.”
“But he aired some concerns, very early on and said, you know, ‘This is gonna be really hard for you’,” the Duke of Sussex recounted.
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The pair faced intense media scrutiny both prior to and after their lavish 2018 wedding, held at Windsor Castle.
They later chose to step back from royal duties in 2021, – in a move that would come to be known by Brits as ‘Megxit’ – citing media intrusion as one of the driving factors.
All of Harry and Meghan’s royal engagements through the years
The pair then moved to Montecito, California, where they now live with their red-headed brood consisting of Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4.
They’ve since embarked on a number of media ventures, from Prince Harry’s memoir and the pair’s 2022 Netflix show Harry & Meghan, to the duchess’ solo offering With Love, Meghan.
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