One such reconstruction featured a moment that reportedly took place between William and Harry, when the future king implored him to slow down in the relationship. It was based on Harry’s own account of the interaction, and the show claimed Harry was furious and “very biased” towards his then-girlfriend. One of the experts said: “She’s an American actress, as though something like that made her more of a flibbertigibbet [to William]. Anything might happen. It was quite a whirlwind relationship, as I understood it.
“Harry was furious. He was very biased, as far as he [William] was concerned, I think he probably already felt that he’d found the one.
“He thought that he was in fantasyland, and here William was telling him, actually, you might not be able to trust this woman.”
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond has previously discussed the incident, telling The Sun: “He [William] was correct to guide or warn Harry ‘are you sure you’re not going a bit fast?’ I think it came from a good place.”
The royal commentator explained that the marriages that have “survived” within the Royal Family so far have had long courtships, such as with Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and Prince Edward. She said: “That is one of the most delightfully happy marriages in the Royal Family.”
Despite his brother’s cautions, Harry proposed to Meghan in 2017, just over a year into their long-distance relationship.
Since stepping away from royal duties in a move dubbed “Megxit” in February 2020, neither Harry nor Meghan have shied away from sharing their side of the story regarding interactions with William and Catherine.
The Duchess said: “I was in ripped jeans, and I was barefoot. I was a hugger, always been a hugger. I didn’t realise that that is really jarring for a lot of Brits.
“I guess I started to understand very quickly that the formality on the outside carried through on the inside. That there is a forward-facing way of being. And then you close the door, and you’re like, ‘oh, great. Okay, we can relax now’. But that formality carries over on both sides. And that was surprising to me.”