He later reflected: “But maybe, you know, maybe he predicted what the British press’s reaction was going to be.”

Claims of Manipulation and a “Stepping Stone”

Earlier this year, royal biographer and commentator Phil Dampier weighed in on William’s worries during an appearance on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive Show. Dampier put forward a more intense interpretation, alleging that Meghan viewed Harry as a vehicle for something bigger.

He claimed that Meghan saw Prince Harry as a “stepping stone”, and suggested that Queen Elizabeth II thought Harry was being influenced in the run-up to the wedding. According to Dampier, those concerns were shared with him by Lady Elizabeth Anson, a cousin and trusted confidante of the late Queen.

Dampier said: “I think, unfortunately, that confirms what I’ve been saying or thought for the last few years that, sadly, Meghan never really had any intention of staying in the royal family.”

“She saw as a stepping stone getting married to Harry to new fame and fortune,” he continued.

“And I think that’s what initially Prince William was concerned about. That’s why they fell out. And now we are where we are. But to have this confirmed by somebody so close to the Queen is really dynamite.”

At the time, Royal Insider reached out to representatives for Kensington Palace and the Sussexes for comment, but no public statement followed.