As
Prince Harry approaches his 40th birthday on September 15, and prepares to celebrate with his family, reports suggest that Princess Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, had previously warned him about his relationship with
Meghan Markle.
According to Royal commentator Tom Bower's book Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War between the Windsors, Earl Spencer was asked to counsel his nephew on the difficulties Meghan might face in adjusting to royal life.
The book details how, by late 2017, Harry introduced Meghan to Diana's two sisters, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Baroness Jane Fellowes, as well as her best friend, Julia Samuel. According to Bower, Harry expected his family to see similarities between his late mother, Diana, and Meghan, but was left disappointed. “No one agreed that his vulnerable mother had anything in common with his girlfriend. More discomforting for him, they thought Meghan would not fit in with the Royal Family,” Bower wrote. As Mirror.co.uk reports, this sentiment was voiced by Charles Spencer, Diana's brother, who, at the request of Prince William, weighed in on the matter.
Also read: Man claims to be 'secret son' of King Charles, demands 4-way paternity testSpencer, who had been married three times, reportedly urged his nephew to reconsider rushing into marriage. His words, however, provoked a strong reaction from Harry, who later reflected on how difficult it was to establish Meghan’s place in the family.
Earl Spencer wasn’t the only person to express doubts about Harry and Meghan’s relationship. According to Bower, Meghan's former talent agent, Gina Nelthorpe-Cowne, also cautioned the former actress that Royal life would mean giving up her career. Meghan, however, did not take this advice well and reportedly reacted with “hard fury” at the notion she would have to stop acting.
Also read:‘If Prince Harry got an ounce of brain, he won’t risk marriage to Meghan Markle on 40th birthday’Despite these 'warnings', Harry and Meghan went on to marry in 2018. However, tensions within the Royal Family have been well-documented, and the couple stepped back from their Royal duties in 2020.