Prince Harry has reportedly not been invited to cousin Peter Phillips’ wedding as Palace sources claim the Duke of Sussex has been left out in the cold, while Meghan focuses on building her lifestyle brand
Harry and Meghan are reportedly at odds as royal sources claim she wants to steer clear of her husband’s family “chaos” and focus on her business.
Prince Harry is said to be trying to mend his relationship with his father King Charles ahead of next year’s Invictus Games. Despite his efforts, rumours claim he’s been left off the guest list for his cousin Peter Phillips’ wedding.
On top of this, sources claim his wife Meghan is increasingly eager to avoid any royal family drama as she focuses on developing her lifestyle brand. One royal insider speaking to the Mirror said she wants to avoid Harry’s family “chaos.”
Peter Phillips is set to wed NHS nurse Harriet Sperling in the Cotswolds on 6 June, with high-ranking royals including Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales in attendance. But Palace insiders suggest the Duke of Sussex, 41, has once again been left out in the cold, as his decision to step back from royal duties continues to linger.
Royal author Duncan Larcombe claims even if Harry had been invited, he would likely have declined due to his ongoing feud with his brother, Prince William, who is expected to attend alongside Peter’s mother, Princess Anne, and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.
Duncan said: “The sticking point is William’s attendance. Harry’s not going to agree to go to an event where he’s going to be forced to come face to face with his brother, who is absolutely still livid with him.”
And while groom Peter may harbour no personal “grievances” with his cousin, Duncan reckons even if he had sent an invitation to Harry and Meghan, “it would have been in the full knowledge that he wouldn’t turn up,” the Mirror reports.
There’s also fears Harry’s attendance at the nuptials would steal focus from the bride and groom. Last week, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond cautioned it would be “the biggest no-no” for Harry and Meghan to eclipse the occasion.
She said: “That’s undoubtedly what would happen if Harry, with or without Meghan, went to the wedding. She added: “So it seems they have taken the most sensible course, which is to leave the Sussexes off the guest list, along with Peter’s uncle, Andrew, and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.”
The to-be-wed couple may not want Harry to cast a shadow over their special day, but Meghan is now reportedly growing weary of the drama surrounding her husband and his family too.
Duncan also says Harry’s apparent adoption of a celebrity-style life is completely contrary to his previous claims about despising life in the limelight as a youth.
Duncan said: “Meghan’s keeping very busy building her brand, while Harry’s busy coping with his worst nightmare – living life as a pseudo-celebrity royal, which brings with it all the things he hated growing up.” He added: “He’s stuck in the world of red carpets and camera flashes, which as a child never sat easy with him.”
“Whereas with Meghan, the red carpets and cameras are part of her brand building, so she needs to protect herself from Harry’s chaos in order to achieve what she wants. The fallout with Harry’s family has, without doubt, caused drama throughout their marriage.”
Harry has previously said: “I was like, ‘I don’t want this job. I don’t want this role. Wherever this is headed, I don’t like it.’ It killed my mum. I was very much against it, and I stuck my head in the sand for years, fingers in the eyes.”
According to Duncan, his remarks are unlikely to have mended relations with his family back in the UK. He said: “Whenever Harry delivers a speech at an event, like he did in Australia, it morphs into a sort of soap opera, with everyone discussing his familial disputes and his relationship with his father and brother.”
Ducan added: “But of course, he keeps dragging his family into virtually everything he does, because that’s literally the only thing about Harry that’s significant.
“He’s only noteworthy because he’s a member of the royal family, but his relationships with them are so fraught that any time he mentions them, it stirs speculation and further chatter of rifts and quarrels.”
As Meghan concentrates on launching her lifestyle brand, As Ever, it’s thought the drama surrounding Harry and his family conflicts with the aspirational image she wants her products to convey.
Duncan claims: “Meghan is very determined, very ambitious, very focused and very driven in her pursuit of building her brand and businesses.” He added: “So I’m not surprised that she is perhaps trying to forge her own path.”
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