Exclusive:
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex cut ties with their old royal life when they stepped back from the royal family in 2020, including letting some of Prince Harry’s old friendships fade
Prince Harry’s new life in the US and away from his “pheasant shooting friends” is welcomed by his wife Meghan Markle, who “doesn’t get on” with his old group of pals, claims a royal expert.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who wed in 2018, moved over to the US in 2020 and with it, they cut ties with their old royal life and many of Harry’s friendship circle at the time. The loss of friends isn’t thought to have bothered the couple as a royal expert explains they are ‘happy to forget’ their previous life. Hugh Grosvenor, the 7th Duke of Westminster, was a close friend of Prince Harry, with his wedding due to take place in a matter of days – but Harry won’t be attending.
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, royal expert and author Tom Quinn said: “Missing the wedding and increasingly losing touch with his old friends isn’t all bad for Harry. He knows that Meghan loathes many of his old woke-hating, pheasant-shooting friends and those old friendships are still inextricably mixed with a past that in many respects Harry is happy to forget.”
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He continued: “The truth is that many of Harry‘s old friends – especially from the military and Eton – just don’t get on with Meghan. Hugh van Cutsem’s decision to work with Jeremy Clarkson – famous for his savage attacks on Meghan – is seen by Harry as an unforgiveable betrayal. The only thing that makes it bearable is that Harry knows Meghan dislikes van Cutsem and his one claim to fame: his ability to shoot deer.”
He added: “For Harry the end of his friendship with van Cutsem is just cutting one of the last few ties with his old life; a life he never much enjoyed anyway.”
Harry’s old pal Hugh van Cutsem is also a close pal of Prince William and is thought to have strong links to King Charles through his father. The banker and businessman is also friends with outspoken broadcaster Jeremy Clarkson, even appearing on his TV show ‘Clarkson’s Farm’, which has been seen as a huge betrayal by Harry after Clarkson’s outspoken and controversial comments in a newspaper calling for Meghan to be mocked.
The rift between Harry and Hugh appears to have been happening over the past couple of years, with Hugh’s wife Rosie Astor appearing to mock Harry and Meghan over their ‘stepping back from the royal family’ announcement in 2020. At the time, Rosie wrote on social media: “I am standing back as a senior member of my tax return, because I’d rather drink coffee, see my friends, love my family and do yoga.”
Harry also revealed their was tension between himself and Hugh in his 2023 autobiography ‘Spare’. In his memoir, he wrote that Hugh’s mother, Emilie, and one of her four sons had contacted him to voice their fury after his explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey.. Harry wrote: “Several close mates and beloved figures in my life, including one of Hugh and Emilie’s sons, Emilie herself, and even Tiggy [Pettifer, his former nanny], had chastised me for Oprah. How could you reveal such things? About your family”
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