Princess Diana's Brother Allegedly Warned Harry Not to Rush Into Marriage with Meghan Markle

A 2022 book revealed that Prince Harry was warned by his uncle not to rush his marriage to Meghan Markle. Charles Spencer, Princess Diana's brother, reportedly cautioned Harry about how fast his relationship was moving. Tom Bower's book, Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War between the Windsors, cited that by the fall of 2017, Harry had introduced Markle to Diana's sisters and best friend, hoping they'd see similarities between Markle and his late mother.

But things didn't go as planned. Bower wrote, "Harry assumed that Diana's family and friends would see a similarity between Diana and his fiancee. Both, he said, shared the same problems. He was disappointed. No one agreed that his vulnerable mother had anything in common with his girlfriend." The author claimed that Diana's family instead didn't think Markle would fit in with the royals. Earl Spencer, who had been married three times, reportedly spoke up at the time. Bower penned, "At William's request, Spencer weighed in. Three times married, Spencer cautioned his nephew to reconsider his haste towards marriage. His advice provoked a bitter reaction." Harry reportedly found this difficult to hear.

It wasn't just family members who had doubts. Markle's former agent, Gina Nelthorpe-Cowne, also warned her that royal life would mean the end of her acting career. Bower says Markle reacted with "hard fury" to this idea, as per The Mirror. Harry and Markle's romance moved quickly despite these warnings. They married in 2018, at Windsor Castle. Looking back on their early days, Harry once said, "There was one photo. We just wanted to capture the feeling of just sitting in that little restaurant and going, 'Oh my gosh. We were going to give it a go.' That was when it just hit me. I was like, 'Okay, this girl, this woman, is amazing, is everything that I've been looking for.'"

The couple now lives in California with their two children after stepping back from royal duties. Harry, who celebrated his 40th birthday on September 15, seems content with his choices. In a recent statement to the BBC, he said, "I was anxious about 30 [but] I'm excited about 40. Whatever the age, my mission is to continue showing up and doing good in the world."

Harry added that being a father has changed his outlook. "Becoming a father of two incredibly kind and funny kids has given me a fresh perspective on life, as well as sharpening my focus in all my work. Being a dad is one of life's greatest joys and has only made me more driven and more committed to making this world a better place." He's also deemed his children "the best gift" he had ever been given. Harry told People magazine, "I enjoy watching them grow every single day and I love being their dad."