London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Mar 15, 2026

Palace staff nicknamed Prince Harry 'the hostage', insiders claim

Palace staff nicknamed Prince Harry 'the hostage', insiders claim

Prince Harry was nicknamed ‘the hostage’ by Buckingham Palace staff in the run-up to their wedding, it has been reported.

A wave of claims about Meghan’s behaviour have emerged in recent days, which representatives of the Sussexes argue are part of an attempt to discredit her ahead of their interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Some involve alleged incidents dating as far back as the planning stages of their 2018 wedding, with insiders suggesting Megan was ‘constantly looking for reasons to say she had been deprived’ despite having all her demands met.

Many of the incidents have been widely reported in the years since, but Harry is now said to have attracted pity from staff at the time.

According to the Daily Telegraph, insiders revealed he was referred to as Meghan’s ‘hostage’.

One claimed: ‘They insisted that they had the same inflation-adjusted budget for the wedding as William and Kate – she got the choir she wanted, the dress, the carriage procession, the tiara – she got everything she wanted but it still wasn’t enough.

A former royal aide is said to have confirmed allegations that Harry furiously dressed down a senior member of the Queen’s entourage who resisted some of Meghan’s demands during planning for their 2018 wedding.

The incident, dubbed ‘Tiaragate’, was sparked when the monarch’s personal dresser Angela Kelly temporarily resisted handing over Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau Tiara at short notice for an unscheduled hair appointment.

The couple say the claims are part of a smear campaign


This allegedly prompted Harry to shout: ‘What Meghan wants, Meghan gets.’

Buckingham Palace has vowed to investigate claims that the Duchess of Sussex left humiliated staff ‘in tears’ during her brief time as a working royal.

Representatives of the Sussexes have previously claimed the pair are victims of a deliberate smear campaign based on misleading information.

A spokesperson for the pair said they have ‘nothing further to say on these ridiculous allegations’.

The couple are due to appear in a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey


The Oprah interview will air in the US at 1am UK time on Monday morning, before being shown by ITV at 9pm that evening.

Teasers released so far show the 67-year-old American TV host suggesting Meghan’s time in the UK was ‘almost unsurvivable’, as she faced tensions within the palace and a war with the British press.

The Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William have all reportedly agreed to ‘reserve judgement’ until they have seen the interview in full.

Buckingham Palace has not officially commented on the interview’s content and said it will decide whether to issue a statement after it airs.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Visit Draws Mixed Reaction From Local Communities
Trump Calls on France and UK to Help Safeguard Strait of Hormuz Shipping Route
Boris Johnson Labels Bitcoin a ‘Ponzi Scheme’, Sparking Debate in Crypto World
UK Considers Targeted Aid for Vulnerable Households as Energy Costs Rise
Stellantis Urges Immediate Review of UK Electric Vehicle Sales Targets
Home Office Reverses Course to Allow Some Dual Nationals to Enter UK Using EU Passports
Reform UK Proposes Replacing Top Civil Servants With Officials Aligned to Government Agenda
Netflix Adds Critically Acclaimed ‘Best Film of 2025’ With Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score
‘The Sums Don’t Add Up’: UK Farmers Hit by Soaring Costs as Iran War Disrupts Global Supplies
Confidential UK Biobank Health Records Found Online After Researchers Accidentally Expose Data
Trump Urges Britain and Allies to Deploy Warships to Safeguard Strait of Hormuz
Trump Urges Britain and Allies to Deploy Warships to Safeguard Strait of Hormuz
Middle East War Highlights Strategic Importance of Strong UK–Ireland Cooperation
Weak Growth Signals UK Economy Was Faltering Even Before Middle East Energy Shock
Marks & Spencer Tops UK Fashion Retail Rankings as Most Considered Brand
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Royal Navy to Acquire Twenty Uncrewed Surface Vessels for Autonomous Warfare Testing
Russia Summons British and French Envoys After Ukrainian Storm Shadow Strike on Strategic Facility
Starmer Confirms Britain Will Maintain Sanctions on Russia Despite U.S. Policy Shift
UK Moves to Refine AI Definition in Investment Security Reform
UK Economy Stalls in January as Growth Unexpectedly Falls to Zero
Asian Energy Security Tested as Strait of Hormuz Disruption Threatens Oil Supplies
Iran Sets Three Conditions for Ending Regional War as Diplomatic Efforts Intensify
Tesla Secures Approval to Supply Electricity Directly to Homes Across Britain
Prince William Delivers Tribute to Australia’s Naval Alliance Amid Renewed Royal Spotlight on the Country
UK Foreign Secretary Travels to Saudi Arabia to Reinforce Support for Regional Allies
Putin’s ‘Hidden Hand’ May Be Assisting Iran in Conflict With Trump, UK Defence Secretary Warns
UK Sets April Deadline for Tech Platforms to Strengthen Online Protections for Children
Elon Musk Moves Into Britain’s Energy Market as Tesla Wins Licence to Supply Power
UK Watchdog Warns Fuel Retailers Against Profiteering Amid Iran War Price Surge
Report Claims Iran Used UK Charity Network to Expand Influence
United States and United Kingdom Establish Joint Standards for Counter-Drone Technology
Iran May Be Laying Naval Mines in Strait of Hormuz, UK Warns Amid Escalating Gulf Tensions
US Deploys Bunker-Buster Bombs to UK Airbase as Iran Conflict Intensifies
British Troops in Iraq Intercept Iranian Drones Targeting Coalition Base
Release of Mandelson Files Raises Tensions as UK Seeks Stable Relations With Donald Trump
UK Documents Reveal Starmer Was Warned About Mandelson’s Epstein Links Before Ambassador Appointment
Nearly Five Hundred UK Mortgage Deals Withdrawn in Two Days as Market Volatility Forces Lenders to Reprice
Three Cargo Ships Hit Near Iran as Attacks Spread to Strategic Strait of Hormuz
Why British Police Repeatedly Declined to Investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s UK Links
UK Parliament Ends Hereditary Seats in House of Lords, Closing Chapter on Centuries of Aristocratic Lawmaking
EU and UK Urge Israel to Act Against Rising West Bank Settler Violence Amid Regional Tensions
US Senator John Kennedy Says Keir Starmer Should Not Be Trusted for Military Advice Amid Iran War Debate
UK High Court Rejects Attempt to Revive Terrorism Charge Against Kneecap Rapper
Revolut Secures Full UK Banking Licence After Multi-Year Regulatory Wait
Kentucky’s Bench Boost Powers Wildcats Past LSU in SEC Tournament Opener
British Couple Die After Being Pulled From Water at Australian Beach During Family Visit
×