An explosive new biography by royal author Rob Jobson claims that Prince William prohibited Meghan Markle from wearing Princess Diana's jewelry at her wedding. According to a report in the Independent, William, who proposed to Kate Middleton with his mother's engagement ring, was apprehensive about Prince Harry's decision to marry Meghan Markle early in their relationship.
Jobson's book, "Catherine, the Princess of Wales," details how William asked his younger brother, then 39, to slow down his relationship with Meghan to allow her to acclimate to royal life before making a full commitment. This plea, as the book reveals, occurred before Meghan officially joined the royal family in 2018 and contributed to existing tensions between the Sussexes and the Waleses.
William reportedly sought assurances from the Queen that Meghan would not wear any of Diana's jewelry, a privilege afforded to his wife, Catherine, due to her rank. Jobson writes that the friction between the brothers began before Meghan's entry into the royal family, with William and Kate expressing concerns over the rapid pace of Harry and Meghan's relationship, exacerbating the strained ties when Meghan was introduced to the family.
In the biography, Jobson recounts, "Harry claimed that the goodwill from William and Catherine disappeared long before the build-up to his wedding. William had confided to his brother that he believed it would be better to give Meghan more time to adjust to the royal way of life and suggested he cool the relationship." This advice was reportedly received poorly by Harry, who felt insulted and judged, leading to a swift deterioration in their relationship. Harry's memoir "Spare" later disclosed an alleged physical altercation between the brothers.
Jobson's book also reveals that Meghan's relationship with Prince William and Catherine got off to a rocky start because she "ignored the royal hierarchy." He recounts an incident where Meghan, having forgotten her lip gloss, asked to borrow Catherine's, who was taken aback but handed it over reluctantly. According to Harry, Catherine "grimaced" as Meghan applied the gloss.
These revelations follow the release of Prince Harry's memoir "Spare," which exposed deep divisions within the royal family, including an alleged physical confrontation with William in 2019 and their joint persuasion of their father not to marry Queen Consort Camilla.