Latest news with #Spare
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Harry Hates the Royals So Much He Nearly Changed His Name
Prince Harry's family feud takes a new twist In a stunning sign of the depth of the estrangement between Prince Harry and the Royal Family, it has emerged that the Duke of Sussex seriously considered dropping his royal surname in favor of his late mother's maiden name, Spencer. Sources told the Daily Mail that Harry raised the idea during a trip last year to the United Kingdom for the funeral of his uncle, Robert Fellowes. During the visit, Harry stayed at the Althorp Estate with his maternal uncle, Charles Spencer, the ninth Earl Spencer and brother of the late Princess Diana. Spencer famously delivered a confrontational speech condemning the royals at her funeral in which he referred to Harry and William as her 'blood family.' According to the Daily Mail's well-connected social columnist, Richard Eden, Harry reportedly sought advice on legally changing his surname from Mountbatten-Windsor to Spencer, a move that would have amounted to a very symbolic severing of ties with the House of Windsor. While the report says that Spencer talked Harry down and the idea is not expected to go any further, the fact that Harry seriously explored it underscores the ongoing toxicity of his relationship with the royal family, particularly his father, King Charles; his brother, Prince William; and his stepmother, Queen Camilla. According to a friend of the duke cited by the Mail, 'They had a very amicable conversation and Spencer advised him against taking such a step.' The friend added that Earl Spencer pointed out the legal and symbolic hurdles, warning that such a move would not only be complex but would likely deepen already raw tensions with Harry's family of origin. Had the change gone through, it could have affected not only Harry's public identity but also the names of his children, Archie and Lilibet, both of whom currently use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor—a hybrid of the Queen's family name and that of Prince Philip, who adopted the Mountbatten name upon becoming a British subject in 1947. Had Harry moved forward with a surname change, his daughter, Princess Lilibet, whose middle name honors Diana, would have become Princess Lilibet Diana Spencer. Such a gesture would have been particularly painful to King Charles, who holds the Mountbatten legacy in high regard. Louis Mountbatten, the first Earl Mountbatten of Burma, was a beloved mentor to Prince Philip. The Queen and Prince Philip decided in 1960 to designate Mountbatten-Windsor as the family name for their direct descendants. In his memoir Spare, and in numerous high-profile interviews since, Harry has laid bare what he sees as the coldness and dysfunction at the heart of the royal household. His allegations have included neglect, press manipulation, and emotional cruelty—claims that have harmed the Windsors' carefully curated public image and fractured personal relationships behind palace doors. Names and titles are a fraught issue for Harry and Meghan Markle. The couple were granted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles by Queen Elizabeth on their wedding day in 2018, and their children were officially recognized as Prince and Princess following Charles's accession to the throne. But their ongoing use of royal titles has often been called hypocritical. Harry's office has been approached for comment. Markle 'steps back' from her weird jam business The unfathomable and chaotic progress of Meghan Markle's branding empire continued this week with a bizarre interview with Fast Company magazine in which she implied she might not restock her online As Ever store anytime soon. Fast Company makes much of the fact that As Ever products such as jam and flower sprinkles sold out in 45 minutes, without making the very obvious point that a) this is an easy outcome to engineer by not having much stock and b) not having anything available for your customers to buy when you have momentum is generally considered bad business. Incredibly, it appears Meghan now 'wants to take a step back' from the logistically complex business of actually selling stuff. Already? Why, yes! Fast Company says her plan during this stepped-back phase is to 'gather data from the launch and figure out exactly what As Ever could be,' adding, 'She says she's planning to announce new products in the first quarter of 2026.' What? Meghan is quoted as saying, mysteriously: 'I want to really focus on the hospitality angle of As Ever, but as we take the learnings, we can understand what the customer's needs are seasonally.' Clears as mud? Good.
Edinburgh Live
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Prince William 'grieved' after losing brother Harry in 'secret summit' decision
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info When Prince Harry and Meghan declared their intention to step back from Royal duties, the nation was taken aback. The couple found life under Royal scrutiny too much to bear, issuing a bombshell statement about their desire to relinquish their roles as full-time royals. Initially, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had wished to serve the monarchy in a part-time capacity, forgoing the public funds associated with their full-time Royal status, while gaining the freedom to earn independently. A swift response led to an emergency meeting, famously known as the 'Sandringham Summit', convened by the late Queen Elizabeth II. This pivotal gathering brought together King Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry, the late Queen, and her private secretary to deliberate on the future path of the Sussexes within the Royal family. READ MORE - Meghan Markle's honest one-word response when asked about meeting Kate Middleton READ MORE - Kate Middleton's brutal response when told she's lucky to have Prince William Channel 5's new documentary, 'Megxit: Inside The Sandringham Summit', delves into the details of what transpired during this crucial meeting. Featuring insights from experts and commentators, the programme explores the negotiations that ultimately led to Harry and Meghan's complete departure from the monarchy. The documentary discloses that following the summit's conclusion, Prince William felt "completely broken", deeply affected by the separation from his brother, reports the Mirror. Royal commentator Charlotte Griffiths shed light on the personal toll the Royal split took on Prince William, saying, "William must have felt such a sense of relief, but also great sadness because he was really, officially losing his brother." She further shared intimate details heard at the time: "What I heard at the time was that William started grieving for his brother at that point, really grieving, like he'd lost, not only his mother, years ago, but his brother as well and I think he was just genuinely quite sad, and completely broken". While key discussions unfolded at the Sandringham Summit, Meghan was noticeably absent, stationed back in Canada without the possibility of remote participation – leaving Harry to negotiate with his family alone. Following the intense meeting which led to an unprecedented parting of ways, reports suggest Harry also forfeited his police protection—an issue he profoundly addressed in his memoir 'Spare', expressing a continued, unsuccessful struggle to regain this security for UK visits. Post-summit, Royal insiders reveal that the brothers sought refuge in the privacy of Sandringham's gardens. The event was portrayed differently by various Royal specialists in a documentary. "Harry expected to be treated by a harangue from his brother," claimed Royal biographer Andrew Morton. Yet another perspective was provided by Royal journalist Jack Royston from Newsweek, who disclosed, "Harry got the chance to do what he wanted to do, which was explain himself to his brother," adding insight into Harry's eagerness to clarify his actions to William. "William didn't argue back, he listened," the expert continued, "I think it was important for Harry to feel like he had a chance to say his piece, and it was important for William to come away from it feeling like he didn't turn it into a big argument or shut it down." The frosty relationship between Princes William and Harry is no secret, with the brothers having become virtually estranged in recent years. Although William may have initially felt sorrow over Harry's departure from Royal duties in 2020, the situation deteriorated further following Meghan and Harry's explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, where they explained their reasons for leaving the UK. In the Netflix documentary series titled after themselves, Harry and Meghan included a scene showing Harry receiving a text from William post-interview. While the contents of the message were not disclosed, Harry appeared visibly moved to the brink of tears upon reading it. The Sussexes have been quite vocal about their issues with the Royal Family, with Harry even admitting in a BBC interview after losing a security appeal that King Charles "won't speak" to him and expressing uncertainty about how much time the monarch has left. Despite Harry's hopes for mending ties with his family, Royal commentator Jennie Bond expressed her doubts on Sky News, stating she "doesn't know where he goes from here". "He's bristling with anger and resentment and mistrust of the royal household, and despair over his father's attitude, I suppose. It's just such a sad and sorry saga. I would hope there might be some kind of reconciliation but although Harry says he wants reconciliation, he doesn't think he can do that now."
Edinburgh Live
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Meghan Markle's honest one-word response when asked about meeting Kate Middleton
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Meeting the in-laws can be nerve-wracking, and for Meghan Markle, that meant getting to know Royal relatives when her romance with Harry bloomed. The Duchess of Sussex shared her initial thoughts on Kate after a private dinner hosted by Kate and her then soon-to-be husband. Harry first noticed Meghan on Instagram in 2016, leading to that fateful dinner at Soho House in London. Their relationship quickly progressed with more dates and a week spent in the great outdoors together. Following their engagement in 2017, they sat down with BBC's Mishal Hussein to reminisce about Meghan's introductory encounter with Kate. During the conversation, Harry enthused, "It was exciting I mean I've - you know I'd been seeing her for a period of time when I literally didn't tell anybody at all." He added, "And then William was longing to meet her and so was Catherine, so you know, being our neighbours, we managed to get that in a couple of - well quite a few times now and Catherine has been absolutely..." To which Meghan succinctly interjected: "Wonderful.", reports the Mirror. Meghan fondly remembered how the Royal Family had extended a warm welcome to her, and she also harked back to the memorable occasion when she met the late Queen for the first time. Meghan reflected on her admiration for the Queen, saying: "I think, you know, to be able to meet her through his lens, not just with his honour and respect for her as the monarch, but the love that he has for her as his grandmother, all of those layers have been so important for me so that when I met her I had such a deep understanding and of course incredible respect for being able to have that time with her. And we've had a really - she's - she's an incredible woman." Initially, there were expectations that Meghan and Kate might form a close bond due to their similar experiences of marrying into the Royal Family. However, it appears that their differing personalities prevented a strong connection, and Meghan later described experiencing a 'jarring' moment upon first encountering Kate. In the second episode of the six-part Netflix series 'Harry and Meghan', Meghan recounted her first meeting with William and Kate: "When Will and Kate came over, and I met her for the first time, they came over for dinner, I remember I was in ripped jeans and I was barefoot. I was a hugger. I've always been a hugger, I didn't realise that that is really jarring for a lot of Brits." She went on to express her surprise at the persistence of formality within Royal life: "I guess I started to understand very quickly that the formality on the outside carried through on the inside. There is a forward-facing way of being, and then you close the door and go 'You can relax now', but that formality carries over on both sides. And that was surprising to me." In his revealing memoir 'Spare', Prince Harry delves into the complex dynamics between his wife, Meghan, and his sister-in-law, Kate. He shares anecdotes of the early stages of tension, including a dispute over bridesmaid dresses before his wedding that reportedly left Meghan in tears and a moment where Kate "grimaced" at the borrowing of her lip gloss. Additionally, Harry recounts an instance when Kate demanded an apology from Meghan after being accused of having "baby brain" in the aftermath of Prince Louis's birth. Harry also describes a particular dinner where he sensed a potential mismatch between Meghan and Kate. In 'Spare', he notes how Meghan prepared the meal and the conversation flowed smoothly, covering topics like Wimbledon and 'Suits'. He observes: "The only possibly discordant note I could think of was the marked difference in how the two women dressed, which both of them seemed to notice. Meg: ripped jeans, barefoot. Kate: done up to the nines. No big deal, I thought."
Daily Record
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Prince William 'left in state of grief' after Prince Harry's explosive move with Meghan
Prince William was said to be 'completely broken' after the Sandringham Summit in 2020, during which the royal family discussed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's future. When Prince Harry and Meghan announced their intention to step back as senior members of the Royal Family, the entire nation was left reeling from the revelation. The couple found life under Royal scrutiny too much to handle, issuing a bombshell statement about relinquishing their roles as full-time royals. Originally, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex desired to continue serving the monarchy in a reduced capacity, forgoing the public funds they received as full-time working royals to earn a private income. A crisis meeting was swiftly convened, bringing together senior members of the Royal Family at what would come to be called the 'Sandringham Summit'. The late Queen Elizabeth summoned King Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry, alongside her private secretary, to resolve the future of the Sussexes. Channel 5's new programme, 'Megxit: Inside The Sandringham Summit', delves deep into the private negotiations of this pivotal meeting, offering fresh perspectives from experts and commentators on the talks that led to the couple's complete departure from monarchical duties. The documentary discloses, through a Royal expert, that following the conclusion of these discussions, Prince William was left profoundly affected and "completely broken" by his brother's decision, reports the Mirror. Royal commentator Charlotte Griffiths shared insights, saying, "William must have felt such a sense of relief, but also great sadness because he was really, officially losing his brother. "What I heard at the time was that William started grieving for his brother at that point, really grieving, like he'd lost, not only his mother, years ago, but his brother as well and I think he was just genuinely quite sad, and completely broken". Meghan's absence from the Sandringham Summit was noted, with her in Canada and unable to participate remotely, leaving Harry to confront his family alone. Following the summit, which resulted in a complete severance of Royal ties, Harry lost his police protection - a provision he has long sought to regain for UK visits, as detailed in his memoir 'Spare'. Post-summit, Harry and William took a moment for private reflection in the Sandringham gardens, as disclosed in the documentary. Royal biographer Andrew Morton mentioned, "Harry expected to be treated by a harangue from his brother," but instead, "Harry got the chance to do what he wanted to do, which was explain himself to his brother," according to Jack Royston, Newsweek's Royal correspondent. "William didn't argue back, he listened," the specialist remarked, "I think it was important for Harry to feel like he had a chance to say his piece, and it was important for William to come away from it feeling like he didn't turn it into a big argument or shut it down." The frosty rapport between William and Harry is well known, with the siblings becoming rather distant over recent years. While William was probably mourning the loss of his brother from Royal duties in 2020, the situation deteriorated further after Meghan and Harry's explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, where they explained their decision to leave the UK. In the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Netflix documentary series, a poignant scene showed Harry receiving a text from William post-interview. Although the content of the message wasn't revealed, Harry appeared on the brink of tears upon reading it. The Sussexes have been quite vocal about their issues with the Royal Family. Notably, Harry disclosed in an interview with the BBC following his lost police security appeal, that King Charles refuses to speak to him and shared concerns about the monarch's remaining time. Despite Harry's wishes for familial reconciliation, Royal commentator Jennie Bond expressed uncertainty about his future on Sky News, confessing she "doesn't know where he goes from here". "He's bristling with anger and resentment and mistrust of the royal household, and despair over his father's attitude, I suppose. It's just such a sad and sorry saga. I would hope there might be some kind of reconciliation but although Harry says he wants reconciliation, he doesn't think he can do that now."
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
William 'left in state of grief' after Harry's explosive move with Meghan
Royal experts have claimed that when Prince Harry made a particularly explosive move with his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, his elder brother Prince William felt like he was "grieving" When Prince Harry and Meghan announced they would be stepping back as working royals, the country was left stunned by the news. For the couple, things in the royal spotlight had become unmanageable, and they sent out a shock statement revealing that they wanted to give up being full-time royals. Initially, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had hoped to continue representing the monarchy, but on a part-time basis, relinquishing the public funding they received as full-time working royals, and instead becoming free to make their own money. Rapidly, a crisis meeting was called, with the senior royals gathered by the late Queen Elizabeth as what is now known as the 'Sandringham Summit' - which saw King Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry, the late Queen, and her private secretary meet to discuss the Sussex family's future. A new documentary on Channel 5 - Megxit: Inside The Sandringham Summit - dives into exactly what went on behind closed doors at the high-stakes discussion, with experts and commentators providing new insight into the meeting that would come to determine a total split of the couple from the institution of the monarchy. One royal expert revealed in the documentary that after the discussions were completed, Prince William was left "completely broken" and devastated at the loss of his brother. Royal expert Charlotte Griffiths explained, "William must have felt such a sense of relief, but also great sadness because he was really, officially losing his brother. "What I heard at the time was that William started grieving for his brother at that point, really grieving, like he'd lost, not only his mother, years ago, but his brother as well and I think he was just genuinely quite sad, and completely broken". There was one notable absence from the Sandringham Summit, however, with Meghan back in Canada, unable to join the meeting remotely - Harry had been left to face his family, and fight for what he wanted, solo. In the end, Harry even lost his police security - something he said in his memoir Spare he was desperate to keep and has tried and failed for years to have returned to him when he is visiting the UK. After the meeting, which saw the royals go for the "nuclear" option of a total break, Harry and William retreated to the gardens of Sandringham to spend some time together by themselves, the experts explain the documentary. "Harry expected to be treated by a harangue from his brother," said royal author Andrew Morton, but in fact, "Harry got the chance to do what he wanted to do, which was explain himself to his brother," revealed another expert, Jack Royston - royal correspondent at Newsweek - "and say this is why I'm doing what I'm doing. "William didn't argue back, he listened," the expert continued, "I think it was important for Harry to feel like he had a chance to say his piece, and it was important for William to come away from it feeling like he didn't turn it into a big argument or shut it down." Relations between William and Harry are well known to be icy, with the brother pretty much estranged over recent years. Whilst William might have felt grief that his brother was leaving life in the Firm behind in 2020, the following year when Meghan and Harry sat down for their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, during which they detailed their reasons for leaving the UK - things went from bad to worse. In Harry and Meghan's self-titled documentary series for Netflix, the moment in which Harry receives a text message from his brother in the aftermath of the interview was captured, and whilst the couple didn't show what the message said, Harry looked close to tears after reading it. Get Royal Family updates straight to your WhatsApp! As the royals get back to their normal duties after a difficult year, the Mirror has launched its very own Royal WhatsApp community where you'll get all the latest news on the UK's most famous family. We'll send you the latest breaking updates and exclusives all directly to your phone. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in. All you have to do to join is click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group. We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. The Sussexes have not been shy when it comes to opening up about their grievances with the Royal Family - with Harry even sitting down with the BBC after losing the latest appeal over his police security and admitting that his father King Charles "won't speak" to him and that he "doesn't know how long" the monarch has left. Whilst Harry expressed his desire for reconciliation with his family, royal expert Jennie Bond told Sky News she "doesn't know where he goes from here". "He's bristling with anger and resentment and mistrust of the royal household, and despair over his father's attitude, I suppose. It's just such a sad and sorry saga. I would hope there might be some kind of reconciliation but although Harry says he wants reconciliation, he doesn't think he can do that now." Megxit: Inside the Sandringham Summit, Saturday 31 st May, 8pm. Watch | Stream on 5.
