There was a falling out with Prince William in the weeks leading up to Harry’s wedding, the Duke of Sussex claims in his memoir.
They even argued about whether he could keep his beard.
Discussions about the place and date also caused concern at the palace.
Harry suggests he and Meghan even eloped to a ‘Barefoot Botswana’ ceremony, adding: “We wanted to get married quickly. But the palace couldn’t seem to pick a date. Or a venue.”
In his book Spare, Harry said: “We wanted to get married quickly. But the palace couldn’t seem to pick a date. Or a venue’
After returning from an “engagement tour” for which Meghan and Harry traveled to the four home countries, he said he discussed the plans with his brother William.
Harry told William that he and Meghan were thinking of one of the grander venues in London.
Describing the exchange, he writes, “I told him we were thinking of Westminster Abbey.”
‘Not good. We did it there.’
‘Right right. St Paul’s?’
“Too great. Besides, mum and dad did it there.’
‘Hm. Yes. Good point. He suggested Tetbury. I snorted. Tetbury? The chapel near Highgrove? Seriously Willy? How many does this place have?’
The Prince and Princess of Wales were married at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011
It has been claimed that the Prince of Wales said St Paul’s was “too grand” to host Harry and Meghan’s wedding
“Isn’t that what you said – a small, quiet wedding?”
Harry claims that he and Meghan really wanted to escape Britain altogether, adding: “In fact, we wanted to escape. Barefoot in Botswana, maybe with a friend at the desk, that was our dream. But we were expected to share this moment with other people. It wasn’t up to us.”
However, palace insiders have denied the claims, saying the decisions surrounding the wedding, including which family members to invite, were up to the couple.
In his book, Harry goes on to say, “They have finally accepted our request for the location – St. George’s Chapel.”
When a date was set for May 19, 2018, the groom faced another hurdle.
“After all the stress of asking Grandma for permission to marry Meg, I thought I would never have the courage to ask her anything else.
“And yet I dared to ask another question – grandma, can I keep my beard for my wedding?”
When Harry said he had already received permission from her grandmother to keep the facial hair for the event, William “went inflamed,” it said
‘Not even a small request. Some considered a beard a clear violation of protocol and established norms, especially since I married in my army uniform. Beards were banned in the British Army.’
In the memoir, written by Pulitzer Prize winner JR Moehringer, Harry philosophizes about whether his beard was “Freudian – beard as a comforter” or “Jungian – beard as a mask”.
Regardless, he says the beard made him feel “calmer” and the Queen understood him.
“Yes, she said, you can keep your beard. But then I explained it to my brother and he… got angry?
“Not the finished thing,” he said. Military rules and so on.”
Harry said he gave his older brother “a quick history lesson” with the help of Google – and showed William pictures of royal ancestors who were bearded and in uniform, such as Edward VII and George V.
Harry adds that William “wouldn’t let it go” and that the facial hair argument has been going on “in person, on the phone, for well over a week.”
When Harry said that he had already been granted permission by her grandmother to keep the facial hair, William got angry.
Harry reports that his brother said, “You put her in an awkward position, Harold! She had no choice but to say yes.’
Harry adds that William “wouldn’t let it go” and that the argument lasted “in person, on the phone, for more than a week”.
According to Harry, it culminated in William ordering him to shave off his beard.
Harry says he replied, “For heaven’s sake, Willy, why is that so important to you?”
“Because I wasn’t allowed to keep my beard.”
Harry concludes, “Ah, there it was. After he got back from a tour of the Special Forces, Willy had a full beard and someone told him to be a good boy, run and shave it. He hated the idea of me enjoying a benefit he had been denied.”
Kensington Palace declined to comment.