It’s hard to believe that Prince William and Kate Middleton have been married for more than a decade. The couple’s royal wedding was naturally grand, and years later, William got to see his brother, Prince Harry, tie the knot with Meghan Markle.
The two siblings were once the greatest of friends, but we all know things have soured in recent years. It’s even said that Harry and Meghan’s marriage caused a lot of friction between the former and the future king.
The wedding of Harry and Meghan was unique for many reasons. Firstly, there was the fact that it was a former TV star from the US who was set to join the Royal Family. And remember how King Charles (then Prince Charles) walked Meghan down the aisle? It was a day to remember, that much is sure.
And yet for Prince William it reportedly wasn’t a day filled only with joy. A new bombshell claim reveals he was concerned over Meghan’s wedding attire, relating to Princess Diana.
Prince William & Meghan Markle – relationship
At that point, neither William, Kate, nor Prince Harry knew what the future would hold, or who Harry would meet just a few years later.
Harry met Meghan Markle for a blind date in 2016, and it didn’t take long before she was introduced to his family. The fact that Meghan and Kate Middleton didn’t have the best relationship has been well-documented. It’s also been claimed that Prince William and the Duchess had issues forming a good relationship, though they’re said to have gotten along well in the beginning.
In their book Finding Freedom, authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand revealed many things about William and Meghan’s relationship.
Scobie and Durand claimed that before William and Meghan’s first meeting, the Suits star was “self-aware enough” to understand that both the future king and his brother were “wary of women who were more interested in their titles than their well-being.”
Therefore, Meghan pictured her first meeting with William as being a “grilling.” However, that’s not how it turned out.
“William first said to her, ‘I was looking forward to meeting the girl who has put that silly grin on my brother’s face,’” the authors wrote.
William could see that his brother had found the one. Sadly, Meghan was subjected to harsh treatment and harassment from the press, forcing Harry to release a statement in November 2016 —less than a year after they had begun dating— outlining in no uncertain terms that it was unacceptable.
“Take as much time as you need to get to know this girl”
At the time, Prince William supported his brother and Meghan, releasing his own statement shortly after. Yet while the future king showed public support for Harry and Meghan, he simultaneously “privately voiced concerns,” according to Scobie and Durand.
He was said to be worried that Harry’s relationship with Meghan was developing too fast. The authors wrote that William even discussed this with his brother, telling him: “Don’t fell you need to rush this” and, “Take as much time as you need to get to know this girl.”
Scobie and Durand continued by saying that Harry was “pissed off” that William even asked him to take it slow, while the phrase “the girl” bothered him.
Harry had little time to get Meghan up to speed with how things worked in the royal sphere. For example, the Suits actress didn’t know how to curtsy to Queen Elizabeth II in private, and even though the family welcomed her, Meghan felt isolated.
In the now-infamous Oprah Winfrey interview from 2021, Meghan explained that she “didn’t fully understand” the job.
“There was no way to understand what the day to day was going to be like,” she said at the time.
For Harry, things quickly grew frustrating. In a 2022 interview with Fox, royal expert and author Katie Nicholl, who had just released The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown, explained that the Duke felt Prince William and Kate Middleton hadn’t done their part in helping Meghan settle in.
“It was certainly Harry’s feeling that William and Kate hadn’t rolled out the red carpet as much as they might have done,” Nicholl said. “You know, there wasn’t this sort of instant welcoming of Meghan into the royal fold.”
Prince Harry & Meghan Markle – wedding
“I say in the book that William was the first to meet Meghan. And actually, he was really thrilled that Harry had met someone who he’d really fallen for. He was overjoyed when Meghan came into his life, and he fell in love with this woman,” she added.
Moreover, a friend of Harry’s told Nicholl: “Harry felt William wasn’t rolling out the red carpet for Meghan and told him so. They had a bit of a fallout, which was only resolved when Charles stepped in and asked William to make an effort.”
No matter what had happened though, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were deeply in love. In November 2017, the couple announced that they had gotten engaged, and in 2018 they tied the knot in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
As with any royal wedding, the Duke and Duchess of Susses were celebrated with a huge, costly ceremony. But Meghan’s weeks leading up to the grand day were quite stressful.
Days before the ceremony, the Daily Mail revealed that her father, Thomas Markle, had coordinated with a paparazzi photographer to stage several photos, including one where he was getting fitted for a suit before the wedding, one where he was seen reading a book about Britain, and another as he surveyed pictures of Meghan and Harry.
The pictures reportedly sold for over £100,000 ($137,000). Meghan was furious.
Thomas then initially lied to Meghan and Harry, saying that he hadn’t been involved in the staging of the photos. Ultimately, he claimed he was too embarrassed to attend the wedding, and suffered from subsequent heart troubles.
Why King Charles led Meghan Markle down the aisle
Harry and Meghan had told him explicitly not to speak to the media before their union, but Thomas didn’t listen. In the end, Meghan stated that her father would not be in attendance because he had undergone heart surgery.
As her father wasn’t in attendance, he couldn’t lead Meghan down the aisle. That’s when then-Prince Charles stepped up.
According to royal biographer Robert Hardman, Charles asked Meghan if she wanted him to escort her down the aisle. In his book Queen of Our Times: The Life of Elizabeth II, Hardman wrote that Charles got a quick answer, but it wasn’t what he expected.
Meghan surprised the now-king, asking him to meet her halfway down the aisle. She wanted to make her big entrance into the chapel on her own.
“Feeling for his future daughter-in-law, the Prince of Wales offered to step in, saying he would be honored to escort Meghan up the aisle of St George’s Chapel to the altar. The reply, according to one friend, was not quite what he was expecting: ‘Can we meet halfway?’” Hardman wrote.
“Here was an indicator that this was no blushing bride, but a confident, independent woman determined to make a grand entrance on her own.”
In 2018, in the BBC documentary Prince, Son, and Heir, Harry spoke about his father, Charles, offering to walk his wife down the aisle. Harry initially said he had asked his father about it, and Charles immediately agreed.
Prince William had concerns over Meghan Markle’s wedding outfit
“I asked him to and I think he knew it was coming, and he immediately said, ‘Yes, of course, I’ll do whatever Meghan needs and I’m here to support you.’” Harry recalled. “For him, that’s a fantastic opportunity to step up and be that support, and you know, he’s our father, so of course, he’s going to be there for us.”
Harry proposed to Meghan with a custom three-stone ring. It featured diamonds from his late mother, Princess Diana’s jewelry collection. However, one year later, for the wedding, the fact that Meghan had already worn something from Diana’s jewelry collection left one person concerned: Prince William.
In his book, Spare, Harry recalled tensions between him and his brother when he and Meghan were planning the wedding. Moreover, in Catherine, The Princess of Wales: The Biography, author Robert Jobson claimed that the relationship between Harry and William had deteriorated, and even though William had been confirmed as the best man, the bond between them had “worsened.”
Prince William was allegedly not the only one in the Royal Family who felt Harry and Meghan’s relationship had developed too fast. William, it’s said, decided to reach out to his grandmother to ask for a very special assurance.
“I have been told that, still concerned about the match, he’d sought assurances from the Queen that Harry’s bride would not be wearing any of Princess Diana’s jewellery, even though his own wife was allowed to wear it,” Jobson wrote in Catherine, The Princess of Wales: The Biography, per the Mirror.
Meghan Markle “shocked” over Prince William & Kate Middleton’s latest move
“Despite sharp digs and thin skins on both sides, the wedding at Windsor in May 2018 was a spectacular success,” Jobson continued. “In public, the Royal Family were all smiles, though privately they were at daggers drawn.”
As we all know, the relationship between the Sussexes and the Waleses is far from great today. Harry and William don’t even speak to each other, and it’s safe to assume the same goes for William and Meghan.
The Duke and Duchess have focused on their business ventures in the US, but could soon get company across the pond.
According to OK!, Prince William and Kate Middleton have taken the first steps towards launching themselves in the United States. The Prince and Princess of Wales reportedly have submitted an official document to the United States Patent and Trademark Office as they aim to establish their Royal Foundation charity in the US.
According to documents seen by the news outlet, in May 2023, William and Kate initially bid to land a trademark – and Meghan isn’t happy.
“Meghan was quite shocked when she found out that Kate and William plan to do more work in America after trademarking their foundation’s brand with authorities,” the source told OK!.
“It just feels like another blow,”
“Although they have made a couple of trips to the US, it’s not really part of their territory, and now Meghan feels they could be moving in on her turf.”
According to the source, the Prince and Princess of Wales’s inclusion of “healthcare services relating to mental health” in their trademark application could lead to a ‘turf war’ with the Sussexes.
“For Meghan, it just feels like another blow, as Harry is making more of a life for himself in America and doing big events without her, like the one he did in New York last week,” the insider told OK!.
“And she already knows how popular Kate and William are in the US and with their own Hollywood popularity seemingly dwindling, she doesn’t feel comfortable with them making any trips across the pond right now because they will no doubt be a huge fanfare.”
Do you think Prince William and Prince Harry will ever be friends again? Please share this article on Facebook and give your thoughts!
11 years after losing his wife Liam Neeson opens up with heartrending truth about their relationship
Natasha was 29 at the time, and married to producer Robert Fox. That wasn’t enough to stop the romance from blossoming between her and Liam, though. Her marriage was falling apart, and at the same time, she “fell very much in love” with Liam.
Their chemistry was obvious for everyone present. Luckily for Liam, who was 40 at the time, Natasha’s marriage to Robert was already coming to an end.
When Natasha celebrated her 30th birthday, Liam decided to send her a card from the set of Schindler’s List.
”You’re catching up with me. Lots of love, Oskar.” (Liam played Oskar Schindler in the film.)
But Natasha didn’t find the message as romantic as intended. Instead, she decided it was time to be upfront.
She responded by saying: ”This is like a letter from a buddy. What is our relationship?”
Right then and there, Liam knew he had fallen in love with her.
”That was when I knew I really loved this person,” he said.
”I thought, ‘This is real and genuine and is something that has to be protected.’”
Not long after, in the summer of 1994, the two were married on a farm in upstate New York.
Had two sons together
In 2018, the 63-year-old Taken actor recently appeared on My Favorite Song with John Benjamin Hickey on SiriusXM channel, when he recalled a super sweet moment from his 1994 wedding to Richardson.
Neeson revealed that their wedding song was Van Morrison’s “Crazy Love.”
They had two sons together: Michael born in 1995, followed by Daniel in 1996.
Tragically, Natasha passed away in 2009 at age 45, following a skiing accident in Quebec.
Natasha was taking private skiing lessons in the Mont Tremblant resort when she fell on a beginner’s slope. As Richardson was skiing near Montreal, she fell and took a blow to the head. She was not wearing a helmet.
In the beginning, no one, including Richardson, thought it was severe.
The actress felt okay and against her instructor’s will, she decided to go ahead with her skiing lesson. After a while, the instructor called a ski patrol and wanted medical assistance and an ambulance. But Natalie refused.
However, Natalie and the ski instructor returned to her luxurious Hotel Quintessence room and did checkups to ensure she was okay.
Later, it was revealed that the paramedics who came to the room were turned away. They again recommended she should be seen by a doctor.
Approximately an hour after the incident Mrs. Richardson was not feeling good. An ambulance was called and Mrs. Richardson was brought to the Centre Hospitalier Laurentien in Ste-Agathe and was later trasferred to Hôpital du Sacre-Coeur”.
It turned out that she had suffered serious trauma and it turned out that the impact had left her brain “squashed up against the sided of her skull.”
“I was told she was brain dead. She was on life support and stuff,” Neeson recalled. “And I went in… and told her I loved her. I said, ‘Sweetie, you’re not coming back from this. You’ve banged your head. It’s – I don’t know if you can hear me, but that’s – this is what’s gone down.’”
In the end, Neeson understood that he had to remove her from life support. On 60 Minutes, he explained that the two had “made a pact” that if either one of them got into a “vegetative state,” they were to “pull the plug.”
Natasha passed away on March 18, 2009. But one comforting thing for Neeson was finding her wife’s organ donor status. He said that her heart, liver, and kidneys went to people in need.
For five years following her tragic death, grief-stricken Liam kept silent, finally opening up in a 2014 episode of 60 Minutes.
”I went in to her and I told her I loved her…”
He went on to tell Anderson Cooper that he hadn’t understood the seriousness of Natasha’s accident.
Liam recalled arriving at the hospital. ”She was on life support”, he said.
At the hospital, Liam was shown Natasha’s X-rays.
Doctors told him that his wife was alive, but was considered to be in a vegetative state. She would never recover, according to the medical professionals.
”I’ve taken a tumble in the snow..”
”I spoke to her and she said, “Oh darling. I’ve taken a tumble in the snow.”
‘That’s how she described it.”
It’s heartbreaking to hear him describe their final moments together.
”I went in to her and told her I loved her. Said, ‘Sweetie, you’re not coming back from this. You’ve banged your head. It’s – I don’t know if you can hear me, but that’s – this is what’s gone down. And we’re bringing ya back to New York. All your family and friends will come”, he said.
And five years after she passed away, Liam was understandably still struggling to come to terms with his loss.
In an interview with Loaded magazine, he said: ”Her death was never real. It still kind of isn’t.”
Looking back at their marriage, one of Liam says one of his favorite things about Natasha was her generous and infectious maternal love.
“She cared for everybody,” he said. “She has a motherly instinct. And she’d make dinners for everyone and just looked looked after us all.”
The couple had consented to be organ donors, and Liam saw that promise through after Natasha’s death.
With her passing, Natasha gave life to three people, even though she left three family members behind whose lives would never be the same again.
”Life is very short”
Now, each year, as their wedding anniversary rolls around, Liam remembers the love they shared.
In 2016, Liam shared a message with fans on social media remembering his late wife. He advised everyone to cherish their partners and make the most of each and every day together.
”We have to stop and be thankful for our spouses. Because, life is very short. Spend time with your spouses. Treat them well. Because, one day, when you look up from your phone, they won’t be there anymore. Live and love (every day) like it’s your last. Because, one day, it will be. Take chances and go live life. Tell the ones you love, that you love them every day.”
Liam could not underline enough that people should not take any moment for granted. “Life is worth living,” he said.
Very true, Liam. Very true indeed.
What beautiful memories he has to cling to, and wonderful life instructions for the rest of us to remember and guide us through our own lives!
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