PRINCE William was “very unhappy” that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry used an image of Princess Diana to promote their website, a royal expert has claimed.
In late 2020, The Duke of Sussex, 36, included a photo of himself perched on his mum’s shoulders and described himself as his “mother’s son” on the website of their non-profit organisation Archewell.
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The site also featured a photo of Meghan Markle as a girl with her mum Doria Ragland.
The couple wrote in A Letter for 2021: “I am my mother’s son. And I am our son’s mother. Together we bring you Archewell.
“We believe in the best of humanity,” the statement said. “Because we have seen the best of humanity. We have experienced compassion and kindness. From our mothers and strangers alike.”
The co-founder and editor-in-chief of True Royalty TV Nick Bullen told Fox News Prince William was allegedly displeased his younger brother had featured a photo of their late mum to promote Archewell.
Bullen is an award-winning documentary maker and has been making programmes about the royal family for nearly 20 years and has worked closely with William and Harry’s father, Prince Charles, for eight years.
Bullen told the US news channel: “I think that both William and Harry feel they are carrying on the unfinished work of their mother, but I’m told that William was very unhappy that Harry and Meghan used Diana’s imagery to promote their work when Harry claimed to be ‘his mother’s son’ on their website.
“Harry knows the power that the Diana legacy carries in America and he’s definitely utilizing that, but it’s something he needs to be careful about.
“He doesn’t own the legacy; he shares it with his brother.”
Prince Harry has also invoked the memory of the Princess of Wales in the interview with Oprah Winfrey which is due to air in Britain on Monday.
He noted how Diana had to find her way alone after she and Prince Charles were divorced.
“I’m just really relieved and happy to be sitting here talking to you with my wife by my side because I can’t begin to imagine what it must have been like for her going through this process by herself all those years ago,” said Harry, adding, “because it’s been unbelievably tough for the two of us.”
“But at least we have each other,” said Harry in a clip from the interview, which also showed Diana holding toddler Harry as he made the comments.
Diana died in 1997 at age 36 of injuries suffered in a car crash in Paris.
On Feb. 15, CBS announced Harry and Markle, 39, would be interviewed by Winfrey, 67.
The two-hour special called Oprah With Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special, will air in the US on March 7.
It will the couple’s first sit-down interview since their engagement.
The interview is set to be explosive with clips from the show having been released.
In the latest trailer, the Duchess of Sussex accuses Buckingham Palace of “perpetuating falsehoods”.
Meghan, 39, even seems to issue a challenge to the Queen to strip her and husband Prince Harry, 36, of their HRH titles.
Presenter Oprah is shown asking Meghan: “How do you feel about the Palace hearing you speak your truth today?”
A clearly angry Meghan says: “I don’t know how they could expect that after all of this time we would still just be silent if there is an active role that The Firm is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us.
“And if that comes with risk of losing things, there is a lot that has been lost already.”
The clip was released hours before it was revealed Prince Philip had successfully undergone surgery, which sources said may have been to have a second stent fitted.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced on Valentine’s Day they were expecting their second child.
On the same day in 1984 Diana had also announced she was expecting her second child, Harry.
Bullen said: “They are speaking now because they are trying to build Brand Sussex for a US audience, as was seen in the James Corden interview and now in this interview with Oprah.”
The Queen is to address the nation on March 7 to mark Commonwealth Day in a TV special.
Other senior members of the royal family are expected to participate, including William, Kate Middleton and Charles.
Plans to mark the day with a service at Westminster Abbey had to be shelved due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Bullen said he did not expect the palace or any senior royals to speak out about the Winfrey interview.
Harry and Meghan, who live in Montecito, CA, are neighbours of the media mogul.
On Tuesday The Times published a report a former aide had made bullying allegations against Meghan during her time as a working royal at Kensington Palace.
The adviser alleged that Markle drove out two personal assistants and left staff feeling “humiliated.”
An official complaint to the HR department was made by Jason Knauf, who had served as the couple’s communications secretary but now works for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
The Palace said it was “clearly very concerned” about the allegations.
A spokesperson for Markle said she was “saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex deny all the claims.
Bullen said: “I would love for them to address what the truth is behind the bullying allegations made against Meghan.
“Why is she saying that the palace is trying to discredit her? Meghan positions herself as a great advocate of compassion and yet there are people saying that she drove them to tears. It would be good to try and understand those two narratives.”
Harry and Meghan stepped down from full-time royal life in March 2020 after agreeing the situation would be reviewed a year later.
On February 19 Buckingham Palace confirmed that the couple would not be returning to royal duties and Harry would give up his honorary military titles.
A spokesperson for the couple hit back at suggestions that Meghan and Harry were not devoted to duty.
“As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organisations they have represented regardless of official role,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace declined to comment when approached by The Celeb Report Online.
