Prince Harry is returning to Britain more than six years after stepping back from royal life, with tentative signs of reconciliation raising hopes that some broken family relationships could eventually be repaired. But the Duke of Sussex, 41, has made a series of public claims about the Princess of Wales, 44, that remain part of the record.
Once pictured laughing alongside Prince William and Princess Catherine at engagements, Harry later exposed deeply private moments to a global audience. From the bridesmaid row to Meghan Markle's allegations about being denied a hug, and Harry's account of private text messages between the two women, moments that would normally stay behind Palace doors were shared publicly.
Bridesmaid row and 'sobbing' allegation
In his memoir Spare, Harry revisited the bridesmaid-dress dispute, claiming Princess Catherine said her daughter Princess Charlotte had "cried" because her dress was "too big, long and baggy." He said he later found Meghan "on the floor sobbing," though he acknowledged his sister-in-law arrived with flowers and a card the following day to apologise.
The Sussexes also described an awkward encounter in their Netflix documentary, with Meghan recalling greeting William and Catherine barefoot and in ripped jeans. She said her instinct to hug them proved "jarring," concluding that royal formality "carried through on the inside."
Personal disputes made public
Harry disclosed a disagreement involving Catherine shortly after she gave birth to Prince Louis. According to Spare, Meghan suggested Catherine had "baby brain" due to hormones, prompting the future Queen to object that they were not close enough for such a discussion. Harry detailed the tense confrontation that followed with Prince William and his wife.
The Duke also claimed in Spare that he asked William and Catherine whether to attend a 2005 fancy-dress party as a pilot or in a Nazi uniform, alleging the pair encouraged the latter and laughed when they saw him wearing it. Harry had previously apologised for the costume.
Lip gloss, comparisons, and stereotyping
Harry recalled Meghan asking to borrow Catherine's lip gloss before their 2018 Royal Foundation Forum appearance, describing it as "an American thing." He claimed the Princess was "taken aback," handed it over reluctantly, and "grimaced" as Meghan applied it.
In Spare, Harry speculated that Catherine was "on edge" because Meghan's arrival meant she would be "compared to, and forced to compete with, Meg." Speaking to ITV's Tom Bradby, he also claimed there had been "a lot of stereotyping" around Meghan and suggested William and Catherine had not expected him to enter a relationship with someone like her.
The Princess of Wales, as a working royal, largely remained silent while Harry and Meghan had the microphone. Harry's return to British soil does not erase what was said while he was away.
