Prince William 'Didn't Want Diana's Memory Used as U.K. Relaunch Pad for Meghan Markle' as Planned Awards Bash Falls Apart
Prince William reportedly didn't want Meghan Markle to use The Diana Award as a U.K. 'relaunch pad.'
Sept. 10 2026, Published 4:54 p.m. ET
Prince William allegedly stepped in and put the brakes on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 's planned appearance at The Diana Award gala dinner, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The humanitarian award honoring the late Princess Diana is the only charity the estranged brothers still jointly support, and the 44-year-old future king reportedly didn't want Markle, 45, using it as her U.K. "launching pad" following her and Harry's return to Britain.
Inside Diana Award Cancelation
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shot down reports that they were attending The Diana Award's gala dinner.
The gala dinner scheduled for September 18 at London's fashionable Raffles Hotel was canceled on short notice after Harry and Markle released a statement on September 2 that they were "not scheduled to attend," despite reports that the Duke of Sussex was to be a featured guest.
"After a lengthy consultation with our lawyers, I am able to say that it's my understanding that an event organized by the Diana Awards was indeed booked," royal insider Tom Sykes revealed on his Wednesday, September 9, The Royalist podcast.
He went on to allege that "plans had been made for" a particular musician to perform at the event and "key people involved in it had been asked about their availability and if they would be available."
Meghan Markle Was Reportedly 'Reaching Out to British Designers to Dress Her'
Meghan Markle reportedly was reaching out to designers for a gown to wear to the gala dinner.
"But why is it no longer going ahead? I think it speaks to what you're saying about the difficulty of the relationship, the difficulty of the situation that Harry is putting William into," Sykes explained during the discussion with TalkTV's Samara Gill.
The royal insider also claimed Markle had been "very keen to go to the event" and "had apparently even got to the stage of reaching out to British designers to dress her."
The Diana Award Still Enjoys the Joint Support of William and Harry
Both Prince Wiliiam and Prince Harry still actively support The Diana Award.
The Diana Award may be in a sensitive spot amid Harry and William's estrangement. Sykes explained that while the brothers "are not actually patrons of it," the organization still "enjoys the support of both of the princes."
"And I wouldn't be surprised, let's put it this way, if William felt that he didn't want his mother's memory used as a kind of relaunch pad for Meghan in the U.K," Sykes added.
The Mail on Sunday reported the Sussexes planned to attend The Diana Award dinner after landing back in the U.K. on August 26, one week after their surprise decision to ditch Montecito, California, after six years and relocate to Britain.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Prince William and Prince Harry's Recent Support of The Diana Award
Prince William recently supported The Diana Award inPrince at a June event in London.
"Despite the Daily Mail’s reporting to the contrary, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not scheduled to attend a Diana Award event at Raffles Hotel, OWO London, on September 18," a statement from their spokesperson read. "Facts matter. Accuracy matters. Apparently, neither made the guest list for this particular story."
Both brothers have been active with The Diana Award despite their estrangement.
Harry attended a Diana Award event during a U.K. trip in September 2025, while William appeared virtually at the charity's 2023 gala dinner rather than attending in person.
The future king also joined a Diana Award event at SXSW London in June, where he met Legacy Award recipients, posed for photos and selfies and heard about their visions for a brighter future.
