Prince Harry claims he wasn’t Prince William’s best man as he opens up on ‘bare-faced lie’
Prince Harry has alleged in his memoir that he wasn't Prince William's best man for his wedding to Kate Middleton in 2011 at all!
Prince Harry has claimed that he wasn’t Prince William’s best man as he opened up in Spare on “bare-faced lie” reportedly told before the wedding.
- The Duke of Sussex has alleged in his memoir that he was never Prince William’s best man for his wedding to Kate Middleton.
- Instead he names two “civilian” friends that were the future King’s choice and suggests that he helped give them “cover” from media attention.
- This royal news comes as we revealed Princess Anne has undertaken a major appearance alongside Sir Timothy Laurence as the Royal Family mourns a great loss.
Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, has seen the King’s youngest son get candid like never before about his relationship with his older brother. In the highly-anticipated release he revealed King Charles’ heartbreaking plea to Prince William and Prince Harry following the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral and his claim that he felt Prince William was “gone forever” after he got married.
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding was watched by millions back in 2011 and few could forget the sight of the royal brothers beaming at each other at the altar as the future Queen Consort walked down the aisle. However, according to Prince Harry writing in Spare, he wasn’t actually Prince William’s best man at all.
Describing the confirmation of his role as a “bare-faced lie”, the Duke of Sussex alleged that his brother’s friends James Meade and Thomas van Straubenzee were the future King’s choice of best men.
According to Town & Country, "The public had been told that I was to be best man, but that was a bare-faced lie. The public expected me to be best man, and thus the Palace saw no choice but to say that I was. In truth, Willy didn’t want me giving a best-man speech.”
“He didn’t think it safe to hand me a live mic and put me in a position to go off script. I might say something wildly inappropriate. He wasn’t wrong,” Prince Harry continued.
He then alleged that James and Thomas were actually Prince William’s choice of best man and suggested that the choice helped to protect them from a media “onslaught”.
Sign up for the woman&home newsletter
Sign up to our free daily email for the latest royal and entertainment news, interesting opinion, expert advice on styling and beauty trends, and no-nonsense guides to the health and wellness questions you want answered.
Prince Harry continued, "Also, the lie gave cover to James and Thomas, two civilians, two innocents. Had they been outed as Willy’s best men, the rabid press would’ve chased them, tracked them, hacked them, investigated them, ruined their families’ lives. Both chaps were shy, quiet. They couldn’t handle such an onslaught, and shouldn’t be expected to.”
The royal added that “Willy” explained all of this to him, claiming he “didn’t blink” and that they’d had a “laugh about it” when they began speculating about the “inappropriate things” he could’ve said in his speech.
The Duke of Sussex is understood to have ended up giving the best man speech and it’s been reported that Kate Middleton’s dirty nickname for Prince William was revealed. Prince William is understood to have been best man at Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018. The claims in Spare come as Prince William and Kate Middleton made their first public appearance since its publication with a trip to Merseyside on January 12.
Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. Her specialist areas include the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!
-
Chloë Sevigny is one of the most stylish women in the world - and these looks prove it
She's our favourite style icon
By Lydia Swinscoe Published
-
I tried winter's trendiest mani shape and it's as classy as it is comfortable on my short nails
Squoval nails are everywhere right now and as someone with stubbornly short talons, I gave the shape a whirl...
By Naomi Jamieson Published
-
Kate Middleton proved snuggly can still be stylish in her baseball cap, padded jacket and pretty pink Fair Isle jumper look
The Princess of Wales once went to the beach in the most cosy yet chic outfit and her style combination has given us plenty of inspiration
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Kate Middleton and Prince William's divisive sleeping set-up at Adelaide Cottage won’t be for everyone
The Prince of Wales has reportedly revealed his and Kate's sleeping set-up and they've made a decision that might divide the crowd
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Kate Middleton’s cosy turtleneck, wide-leg trousers and long coat made navy and camel one of our favourite colour combinations
The Princess of Wales stepped out in 2023 wearing a navy outfit layered with a camel coat and the contrast was sensationally striking
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Kate Middleton’s favourite dessert is a decadent classic that she enjoys at cosy Berkshire pub
The Princess of Wales is said to love an indulgent British dessert and Prince William seemingly just confirmed it's her 'favourite'
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Kate Middleton's signature eye makeup look that's the 'epitome of timelessness' is so easy to recreate if you want instant accentuation
The Princess of Wales's 'timeless' eye makeup look involves a sweep of black eyeliner and she's shown how subtle and striking this can be
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Kate Middleton’s knitted Bardot dress is a cosy staple that'll take you from catch-ups over coffee to Christmas party glam
The Princess of Wales doesn't often wear Bardot necklines but her knitted white dress from 2019 was a versatile show-stopper
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Kate Middleton's high street leather Chelsea boots are the chic and sturdy winter footwear we're ready to invest in for wet season
The Princess of Wales's Thea Leather Chelsea Boots by Reiss are the perfect fit for stylish outdoor dressing
By Caitlin Elliott Published
-
Kate Middleton’s pearl drop earrings are a fast-track to elegance - these alternatives are perfect for achieving this classic style
The Princess of Wales has often been spotted wearing this stunning pair of pearl drop earrings and this look is so easy to recreate
By Emma Shacklock Published