Kate Middleton warned Prince Harry not to rush into marrying 'completely different' Meghan Markle according to explosive new book - which claims the Duke's lavish spending sparked his rift from Prince William
- Prince Harry’s spending apparently helped spark rift with brother Prince William
- Duke of Sussex, 35, married former American actress Meghan, 38, in May 2018
- Thought to have increased spending further when near Meghan’s 2019 due date
The royal family were so concerned about Prince Harry rushing into marriage with Meghan Markle that even his sister-in-law Kate Middleton took him aside to warn him, an explosive new book has claimed.
In Royal At War, published today on Kindle, investigative journalists Dylan Howard and Andy Tillett claim that Kate urged Prince Harry to take things slowly, because it would take 'time, care and attention' for Meghan to integrate with the family.
The Duke of Sussex, 35, who married the former American actress, 38, in May 2018, enjoyed a close relationship with Kate who he referred to as 'the big sister I never had'.
However, his relationship with Kate and his brother William remains fractured, after he relocated to LA with his wife and their son, Archie, one, amid a feud with his brother and rumours that Kate and Meghan did not get on.
Here, FEMAIL reveals the shocking claims made in the book, including reports that part of the reason for the rift between the brothers was Harry's lavish spending in the wake of his wedding.
He reportedly forked out more than £6,000 within months for acupuncture 'as part of a health drive' and enjoyed a 'babymoon' with the Duchess of Sussex at Heckfield Place, a luxury spa in Hampshire - the three-night stay is said to have cost up to £33,000.
The Duches sof Cambridge reportedly advised Prince Harry not to rush into marriage with Meghan Markle because she would need time to integrate, due to her 'completely different' life before they met. Pictured: Harry and Kate at the ANZAX Day service in 2019
The Duke of Sussex, 35, who married the former American actress (pictured together), 38, in May 2018, with the pair currently living in LA with their son, Archie, one, is thought to have ditched his modest budget further when nearing Meghan’s due date a year later
Prince William ‘had concerns over Prince Harry’s romance with Meghan Markle - and the Duchess of Cambridge warned he should take things slowly’
Prince William apparently had concerns over Prince Harry’s romance with Meghan Markle and took his brother aside to ask ‘Is she the right one?’ shortly after meeting her, according to insiders.
Royals At War say the well-intentioned intervention didn’t go down well with the Duke of Sussex who took it as a deliberate slight.
The authors suggest Prince Harry was drawn to his future wife’s ‘confidence, commitment, drive and ambition’ because ‘subconsciously he was seeking a figure to replace the mother so cruelly torn from him at a vulnerable age’.
But while he was quickly smitten after first dating Meghan in 2016, his sister-in-law Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, urged him to take things slowly.
‘She gently reminded him that he was dating someone with a completely different life, past, and career and it would take time, care and attention for them to integrate,’ the authors write.
But the concerns resulted in Prince Harry becoming convinced that the Royal family and even Palace aides were against him and his new partner.
Yet Howard and Tillett suggest that Harry’s misgivings were unfounded. Indeed, many Royal officials were fans of Meghan.
After a meeting of senior Royals that the mother-of-one attended, one well-placed aide remarked: ‘All their IQs put together would not equal hers.’
Another source explained: ‘It’s my opinion that Harry feels he couldn’t protect his mother, so he’s going all out to protect his wife. He is so sensitive he often sees criticism or negativity where there isn’t any.’
As Howard and Tillett conclude: ‘The rifts that eventually opened up in the Royal family after Meghan arrived could have been avoided if Harry was able to empathise and take his brother’s concerns in the spirit they were intended.’
Kensington Palace and a representative for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been contacted for comment.
Prince Harry’s increased spending habits following his wedding to Meghan Markle helped spark rift with Prince William (pictured left with his brother in March), a new book has claimed
Prince Harry's spending leads to rift with senior members of the Royal family
Royal At War authors and investigative journalists Dylan Howard and Andy Tillett said: 'Harry’s [spending] transformation is revealed as one of the fundamental factors behind the deep fissure that opened between him and his brother, Prince William.'
In the book, insiders suggest Prince Harry first got the spending bug after leaving the Kensington Palace household which he shared with his brother and his wife, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, both 38.
The Royals At War (above) authors look at how Meghan’s arrival into the Royal family unintentionally led to the split of the loved ones
He moved into Frogmore Cottage on the grounds of Windsor Castle with Meghan following their Windsor-based wedding and spent £2.4million of taxpayers’ money to refurbish the cottage, which they vowed to repay under the terms of Megxit.
The cost of the modernisation works on the Grade II listed property sparked controversy, with the Queen reported to be ‘privately unhappy’ over the expenditure.
Meanwhile, Meghan topped up Prince Harry's wellness spending splurge with aromatherapy as well as massages, and was estimated to have spent over £478,920 on maternity clothes.
In the book, sources claim that the eye-watering spree led to concerns at the very top of the Royal household, since the Queen is well-known for her modest tastes.
'The fact that Meghan splashed so much cash rang alarm bells with the traditionally conservative Queen Elizabeth,' said the authors.
'Growing up in the war left the monarch with a built-in sense of frugality and economy, despite being one of the richest women in the world.'
Prince Harry and Meghan are now reportedly paying just shy of £18,000 a month to keep Frogmore as their official British base while they stay at Tyler Perry's $18 million, 12-bedroom villa in Hollywood.
The Frogmore arrangement is being described as a 'rental-plus' agreement in which they pay more than what the commercial rate would be, enabling them to pay down the building costs with the excess.
Elsewhere, Prince Harry and Meghan were also criticised for using private jets last year, including four trips in just 11 days in August, despite their eco credentials.
The duke later defended his repeated use of private jets, claiming he needs them for his family's safety. Speaking at an event, he refused to apologise for private flights to Italy, France and Spain, saying: 'I spend 99 per cent of my life travelling the world by commercial.
'Occasionally there needs to be an opportunity [to fly privately] based on a unique circumstance to ensure that my family are safe - it's as simple as that.'
Prince Harry dismissed concerns over his carbon footprint by insisting that he 'offsets' his emissions by donating to renewable energy incentives and planting trees.
Sir Elton John said he did this on the prince's behalf when he provided a private plane to fly him and Meghan to his home in the south of France last August.
No comments: