‘He didn’t want to be following another coffin’: Friend of Prince Harry says he had no choice but to support Meghan

A friend of Prince Harry has said that he had no choice but to support Meghan Markle after the experience of his mother, the late Diana Princess of Wales.

“In the interview [with Oprah Winfrey], he talks about the parallels between his mother and Meghan ... he saw history repeating itself and he doesn’t want to be following another coffin, so he took action,” Dean Stott told Sky News.

In 1997, at the age of 12, Harry joined his brother Prince William, father Prince Charles, grandfather Prince Philip, and uncle Earl Spencer, walking behind his mother’s coffin through the streets of London before her funeral.

During her marriage to Charles, Diana had suffered from mental health problems and an eating disorder and found it difficult to get help from within the palace.

Mr Stott said it was difficult to hear some elements of the interview, including Meghan’s experience with race at the palace and in the tabloids, and her struggles with mental health.

He said one takeaway from the interview was that there is a big distinction between the royal family and the institution of the monarchy.

“Meghan and Harry are very respectful of the royal family and talked highly of the Queen and other members of the family,” said Mr Stott. It was a very different situation when it came to the institution through which Meghan had failed to get help when she asked.

In a separate interview with Channel 4 News, Mr Stott was asked by anchor Jon Snow if he thought the Duke and Duchess of Sussex wanted to continue to have a relationship with the royal family at all.

Mr Stott believes they do, as shown by the couple saying that they have a close relationship with the Queen and are in contact with her more than ever before.

Harry also spoke of how he would like to reconcile with his brother and his father who he says are “trapped” by their place in the institution.

The duke is scheduled to return to London for the unveiling of a statue to his mother in Kensington Gardens on 1 July — what would have been her 60th birthday. Mr Stott said he believed that would play a role in the process of reconciliation.

In the interview, Harry confirmed rumours of a significant rift with his brother saying that they were giving each other space.

Speaking about his father he said there was a time when he would not take his calls but they are speaking again.