Royal expert claims Prince Harry and Prince William may have clashed over Meghan Markle
Prince William’s concerns for his younger brother Harry may have caused a rift that still continues today, claims one royal expert.
Princess Diana’s former butler Paul Burrell claimed Prince William won’t be thrilled to hear that his sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, had a star-studded baby shower across the pond.
The 60-year-old previously served as a footman to William’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, before he began working for his mother, Diana, the late princess of Wales.
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“I think Prince William will be angered by all of Meghan’s lavish extravagance this week and the fact her baby shower looked so ‘celebrity’ rather than ‘royal,’” he wrote for The Sun Friday. “He has spent years working with the press to give them what they want but also gets what he wants in return — privacy. Meghan is doing exactly what he doesn’t — courting attention all for her and her baby.”
Burrell pointed out that while William’s wife, Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, had a baby shower for their firstborn, Prince George, that celebration “was [a] very private and contained affair.”
“I think William, as well as Kate Middleton, will be totally bewildered by why Meghan is doing all this, as there’s no excuse for over-indulgence or excess and that’s what it seems to me,” claimed Burrell. “Although William mixes with A-list celebrities, he doesn’t take them home with him, they aren’t his friends. They are people he works with. The celebrity world in which Meghan was submerged seems to be where all her friends are, and that can only spell disaster.”
Burrell insisted that the lines between Markle’s former life as a Hollywood star and her new one as a member of the British royal family “are getting blurred.”
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“There is a clear line between the two, and Meghan doesn’t know the difference,” he claimed. “The baby shower was obviously arranged to be in the spotlight. Why would you invite a CBS anchor to your event if it was private?”
Meghan Markle (left) with Kate Middleton during happier times. (Getty)
Burrell claimed that when it comes to public life, the royals fiercely protect their privacy and put duty first before fame. While they are seen and photographed by the public at events or while supporting their causes, the royals prefer to keep their lives behind palace doors. And while Markle, 37, is an American and a newcomer, she must learn the ways of royal life.
As for William, 36, who is second in line to the throne, Burrell said he is focusing on the role destiny has in store for him.
“The two different families… are drifting further and further apart, and that may be a good thing because Kate and William have to remain spotless,” said Burrell. “They never have put a foot wrong. Kate is an exemplary example of a queen in waiting and that’s what she has to be in our eyes. She can’t get involved in all of this. I’m glad she didn’t go to New York because if she had it would have reflected on her too. And again, why was there no family at the baby shower? Why wasn’t her mother there? It all seems very odd to me.”
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“Prince William tries to keep his family out of the spotlight, so the fact Meghan’s baby shower was so flaunted will be frustrating for me, and it is causing a rift in the family,” added Burrell. “…. I think there are more surprises to come where Meghan is concerned and she will buck against royal tradition. With the baby coming, she’s got the ideal platform to do this. She’s going to do it Meghan’s way and not the royal way.”
Kate Middle and Prince William pose for a photo with their three children, George (right), Charlotte (middle) and Louis. (AP)
However, not everyone agrees with Burrell’s analysis.
British royal expert Katie Nicholl told Fox News that while some critics are worried Markle is spending taxpayer funds for the extravagant getaway, it was her friends who footed the bill. Therefore, Markle isn’t flaunting her wealth as the newest member of the British royal family.
“A lot has been made of how much the shower has cost, but this is not being paid for by the taxpayers, but by her friends, so I really don’t see why anyone should have a problem with it,” said Nicholl. “It is the case that a baby shower is more of an American phenomenon than a British one and I am told Meghan was very keen to have a shower and thrilled that her friends Serena Williams and Amal Clooney offered to host the party. They really pulled out all the stops and made it a fabulous celebration for Meghan.”
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Meghan Markle in New York City. (Getty)
And when it comes to the royal family, royal expert Marlene Koenig said they wouldn’t want Markle to give up her American traditions or close circle of friends, despite her title. And when it comes to allegedly flaunting her wealth, she said Prince William and his wife head to tropical island Mustique, “a private island for the very well-heeled,” nearly every winter for sunshine.
“[The British royal family] knows that Meghan had a life and career before marrying,” said Koenig. “She has adapted to royal duties quite well, but she has friends who live in the U.S. — friends who are well connected, well-educated and professional women.”
“I think personally, the queen and [Prince] Charles may be impressed with Meghan’s friends because most have achieved their successes on their own merits — as has Meghan,” she continued. “The only negatives and gripes will come from the British tabloid press. They thrive on negativity.”
Markle is due to give birth this spring.
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