Prince Harry’s jibe to James Corden at raucous soiree that meant David Beckham needed to play peacemaker. Secret row is speak of showbiz elites – and the story’s so good I am unable to not spill the beans: KATIE HIND

It was over lunch with one of the most entertaining movers and shakers in the showbusiness industry that they let slip such an amusing story about some of the world’s best known male stars that I almost choked – from laughter – on my fishcake.

We were discussing last month’s forthcoming Gavin And Stacey Christmas Special and moved on to swap stories about its creator and superstar James Corden.

There are, of course, many hilarious anecdotes about him, some funny, some pretty unpleasant but it’s not often you hear something involving him, a member of the Royal Family and a globally famous footballer. For 14 years, it has been told among a small circle of very famous people but it is simply too good not to share.

And, it can be revealed it was the beginning of a special friendship between Corden and Prince Harry.

It was on a rainy night in 2011, just before Christmas, at the exclusive members venue the Arts Club in London’s Mayfair. Corden was starring in his highly praised West End show One Man, Two Guvnors and wasn’t able to join his A-list friends Prince Harry – four years before he met Meghan Markle – David Beckham and his best friend, the producer Ben Winston for what was described to me as a ‘pre-Christmas boys’ p*** up’.

Instead, he promised he would be at the party as soon as he came off stage. He duly arrived much later after his pals had been drinking for several hours.

While the greetings were typically laddish – hugs and fist pumps – a tipsy Harry made a blokey joke about the actor’s appearance that left Corden ‘absolutely raging’. My source tells me: ‘James had arrived straight from the theatre and was obviously stone cold sober.

He walked in to find a group of drunken men. You can only imagine what he must have thought. It is pretty tedious when you turn up somewhere having not had a drink but James had been grafting on stage for hours.

‘There was rapture when he arrived. He was a much-loved part of the group and there were hugs and giggles. The group was pretty large. There were some of Harry’s friends, some of James’ friends and some of David’s gang and they all intertwined.

‘Then it all kicked off, James was furious. It quickly emerged that Harry had told a joke and James definitely did not find it funny.

‘To an outsider, it would have looked like there was a right carry on taking place.’

Corden, who is known for not always having the most relaxed sense of humour, was on a ‘different level’ to his inebriated friends.

So who should jump to the rescue but David Beckham, then a close friend of both parties. Ever the peacemaker, he talked to both sides and reassured Corden that no harm was meant by the cruel comment – which this newspaper has decided not to share.

‘It fell to David to smooth things over,’ said the source. ‘He is loved by everyone, I mean, who wouldn’t want to do as they were asked by a legend like him?

‘He did a great job and managed to talk everyone round. Eventually, James calmed down and the night carried on. In fact, some of them went on from the Arts Club for another drink at the Savoy.’

At the time, the Arts Club, which is situated just yards from Victoria Beckham’s clothing store on Dover Street, was one of the hottest venues in Britain.

Gwyneth Paltrow, Kim Cattrall and Ronnie Wood were said to have been members and for two years running it was where Sony music had its post-Brits party, playing host to the likes of One Direction, Simon Cowell and Justin Timberlake. It was also one of Harry’s regular haunts at a time when he was partying with friends after splitting from Chelsy Davy but before he met Cressida Bonas.

Until now, the raucous A-list soiree has been kept a secret, apart from a brief report in The Sun newspaper at the time which missed the story of the night.

It praised Harry for ‘chatting to anyone who approached him’, with an insider adding: ‘Harry was the life and soul of the party. He kept his table entertained with loads of banter and random tricks.

‘His best trick is playing the drums with drinks mixers on glasses. James had been on stage for his hit West End play One Man, Two Guvnors. But there was no way he was missing out on a night with these lads.’

While Corden’s upset at the jibe was clear for all present to see, the secret row led to a very happy ending. As a result of the furore, a bromance was formed between the ever impressive networker Corden and Prince Harry. In fact, the two men became so close that Corden had hosting duties at Meghan and Harry’s 2018 wedding reception at Frogmore Cottage.

Two years later, the men became even closer when the Sussexes moved to California – where Corden was hosting The Late Late Show – amid rifts with brother William and father Charles. Meghan and Corden’s wife, Julia Carey, also formed a friendship.

In 2021, Harry appeared on The Late Late Show where the pair rode a double decker bus around Los Angeles and sang The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air theme song.

Corden and the Prince stopped off on their open-top bus tour at the house that was used in the show.

After Harry proved he was a true fan of the Nineties sitcom by rapping the theme tune while walking up the drive, Corden tried to persuade him to buy the property. Corden then FaceTimed Meghan on Harry’s phone in a bid to convince her – she demurred, saying, ‘I think we’ve done enough moving.’

Later that year, Corden told how his children had playdates with Meghan and Harry’s son Archie and daughter Lilibet.

‘You have to wonder whether they ever talked about the incident at the Arts Club ever again,’ mused my source. There are claims that Corden and Harry are no longer as close, though neither party has commented.

As for Beckham and the Prince, there is an irony to the row.

On the night in question, he defended Harry who he had known since he was a teenager. David was also – and still is – friends with Prince William and surely would have felt something of a paternal figure to a then 26-year-old Harry.

Today, though, the two men have little contact after a fall-out said to be over an accusation made by the Sussexes that he and wife Victoria had leaked stories about them.

And as for Beckham and Corden, who were once regularly seen together, their friendship is not what it once was.

‘A lot has changed in the last 14 years, it was pre-Meghan and when Harry loved a party,’ added the source.