We may have seen big names such as Kate Hudson, Cate Blanchett and Janelle Monáe at the star-studded BAFTA Tea Party at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills on Saturday, January 14th, but we didn’t see Prince Harry, 38, and Meghan Markle, 41, there. And there’s a very interesting reason for that: they weren’t invited! Ouch!
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Were Purposefully Snubbed at the BAFTAs Tea Party Over Potential “PR Disaster” https://t.co/AuYJjs6UcY
— rosa maria sanchez (@336sevilla) January 16, 2023
Prince Harry And Meghan Markle ‘Not Welcome’ Due To Potential ‘PR Disaster’
According to reports, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were “not welcome” at the event following the backlash from Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, which hit shelves on January 10th, as well as their Harry & Meghan six-part Netflix docuseries which premiered on the streaming platform the month before.
Reports are suggesting that US “PR advisors” were actually “keen” to invite the Sussexes, as they felt it would be good publicity following the huge interest their Netflix docuseries got, however, those on the other side of the pond didn’t feel the same way.
"BAFTA decided it was a terrible idea [to invite them]," a consultant told The Sun. "They thought it would be a PR disaster," they added, which definitely makes sense considering Prince Harry's older brother, Prince William, 40, who he described as his "arch nemesis" has been the President of BAFTA since 2010, and Prince Harry did not have many kind words to say about him in the memoir.
"Prince Harry, in his book and docuseries, has roundly attacked the royal family," the source continued. "For them to roll out the red carpet to Harry and his wife would be like setting off a nuclear bomb. It’s a no go."
Negative Comments About BAFTA President Prince William 'Would Be Devastating'
"Any interviews he or Meghan gave would go viral. Anything negative on William would be devastating," the source added, as we assume the royal family is still reeling from some of the allegations in the memoir, particularly the fact that the brothers had a physical fight about Meghan just a few years ago.
Although a spokesperson for the Prince of Wales has yet to comment on whether the Sussexes were snubbed, a BAFTA spokesperson reportedly told Page Six that the Sussexes' attendance "was not discussed whatsoever."
Harry: The Interview, an exclusive in-depth discussion with Tom Bradby. Watch on ITV1 or stream on ITVX at 9pm on Jan 8. @tombradby #ITV #ITVX pic.twitter.com/MrFjLSCb9o
— ITV (@ITV) January 2, 2023
Prince Harry Reportedly Wants To Reconcile With His Brother And Father
Despite everything Prince Harry has alleged in his memoir, as well as his and Meghan's docuseries, he reportedly *does* still want to patch things up with his family members, in particular, his father, King Charles, and his brother the Prince of Wales.
"I would like to get my father back. I would like to get my brother back," Prince Harry told ITV's Tom Bradby in an interview promoting his memoir. However, it might not be that easy, as the father-of-two claimed, "They've shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile," adding that in his opinion, they prefer to continue the narrative that he and his wife are the "villains," saying, "They feel as though it's better to keep us somewhat, as the villains."
