Blog

Celebrity chef Gregg Wallace had been accused of inappropriately sexual behaviour, jokes and remarks during the making of his television shows by a number of women

Gregg Wallace has been seen for the first time in months following his sexual misconduct investigation.

The former MasterChef host, 60, stepped down from hosting the BBC show with Jon Torode in November after multiple complaints of inappropriate behaviour on set.

The celebrity chef has vehemently denied allegations of inappropriate sexual comments, with his lawyers also strongly denying Gregg engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature. Gregg insisted via his legal team: “It is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.”

After months of keeping a low profile, Gregg was spotted out in public for the first time since the investigation into his behaviour on Thursday. In pictures obtained by Mail Online, the former Masterchef star was seen running errands close to his home in Kent. The shamed TV star looked stern and downcast as he was photographed behind the wheel of his car with his hand in front of his face.

Gregg has been seen for the first time since being dropped from MasterChef

The celebrity chef has kept a low profile since the sexual misconduct investigation ( 
Image:
Jam Press/@greggawallace)

Gregg had not been seen in public since November 28. Before choosing to lay low for a while, the celebrity chef took to Instagram to inform his followers that he would be taking a ‘step back’ from social media after his departure from Masterchef due to the allegations made against him. At the time, he told his followers: “I would like to thank all the people for getting in touch, reaching out, and sharing their support. That’s good of you. Thank you very much.”

The TV star said that he was taking a much-needed step back for his own mental health and wellbeing after the stress of the allegations made against him. Earlier this month, Gregg made is comeback to Instagram as he told his fans that he made “a promise” to himself in a cryptic post, three months on from his MasterChef scandal.

Gregg took to social media to share a post about reflection. Posting a photograph of a scenic sky view on a Sunday morning, he wrote: “Sunday can be a time for reflection. Perhaps make ourselves a promise for next week.”

It comes after a statement from the show’s production company Banijay UK siad that Wallace is “committed to fully cooperating throughout the process” during the BBC’s investigation process.

The TV star was dropped from MasterChef in November ( 
Image:
BBC /Shine TV)The statement read: “This week the BBC received complaints from individuals in relation to historical allegations of misconduct while working with presenter Gregg Wallace on one of our shows. Whilst these complainants have not raised the allegations directly with our show producers or parent company Banijay UK, we feel that it is appropriate to conduct an immediate, external review to fully and impartially investigate.

“While this review is underway, Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from his role on MasterChef and is committed to fully cooperating throughout the process. Banijay UK’s duty of care to staff is always a priority and our expectations regarding behaviour are made clear to both cast and crew on all productions, with multiple ways of raising concerns, including anonymously, clearly promoted on set.”

It continued: “Whilst these are historical allegations, incidences brought to our attention where these expectations are not met, are thoroughly investigated and addressed appropriately.”

The BBC has said it takes any issues that are raised with it “seriously” after it was announced Wallace will step away from his role on MasterChef while complaints made to the corporation from individuals about historical allegations of misconduct are investigated.

A BBC spokesperson said: “We take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them. We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated. Where an individual is contracted directly by an external production company we share any complaints or concerns with that company and we will always support them when addressing them.”

Loose Women anchor Jane Moore looked very different to how fans recognise her as she talk to the runway for London Fashion Week alongside a string of celebs

A Loose Women star looked unrecognisable as she made her fashion debut.

Jane Moore, 62, took to the catwalk during the VIN + OMI London Fashion Week on Wednesday, held at the swanky The Other House in Kensington, London. Jane, known for her short blonde hair and no-nonsense attitude turned heads as she rocked a very different look for the occasion.

The broadcaster swapped her very short hair in favour of a new dramatic look as she made her modelling debut. Her blonde tresses were styled into a rather over the top up-do, as though her hair had been electrified as she struck a pose for the cameras. While Jane often chooses to sport a minimal make-up look, this changed for fashion week.

Instead, Jane opted for dramatic heavy eye-make-up with black eyeliner pouring from her peepers. The former news correspondent also choose a dramatic tanned appearance for her catwalk as she rocked an electric blue sleeveless dress as she paraded herself for the bold fashion house.

Jane looked very different during her London Fashion Week debut ( 
Image:
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Dame Prue Leith also made an appearance ( 
Image:
PA)
Her look was completed by none-other than a pair of yellow rubber gloves as she channelled her inner Kim Woodburn. Her friend and co-star, Kaye Adams was on hand to offer support to Jane throughout the event. Jane was joined by Great British Bake Off star Dame Prue Leith, who is no stranger to fashion week

Dame Prue, 85, looked radiant for her walk as she slipped into a striking pink gown. Her dress featured bold shoulders and a corseted body before going into a wide bouffant skirt which blew in the gentle breeze as she strutted down the catwalk. Prue’s dress was neatly decorated with black floral patterns as she flashed a smile to onlookers.

The star completed her look with a pair of black sandals and striking dark sunglasses, adding a touch of mystery to her look. It wasn’t just Jane’s hair that saw heads turn as Dame Prue’s iconic grey locks were swept straight up and kept in place with lots of hairspray. Janes outing comes after she opened up about her appearance on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! last year.

The star was the first celebrity to be voted out of the show. Writing in her column for The Sun, Jane said: “Given that less than 300 people have been invited to take part since the show started in 2002, I felt privileged to be there. No one else understands how physically and mentally challenging it is, nor the intensity of the highs and lows.

“So the bond you share is unique and I know I will remain in touch with all of my 2024 campmates forever.” After exiting the show, reflecting on her time in the jungle Jane explained to hosts Ant and Dec that she had “three jobs” in the camp and “worked like a dog”.

On Thursday’s instalment of Loose Women ITV panelists Kaye Adams, Jane Moore, Nadia Sawalha and Kelly Brook were bringing viewers the latest headlines.

Loose Women host Kaye Adams interrupted the show on Thursday afternoon to deliver some breaking news to viewers.

As she built up tension, she told people watching that the show was launching, which they’d never done before.

She commented: “It is time now to share our exciting news. Something that we have never done before in the history of the show. For the first time ever…. We are very excited to announce the launch of Loose Women the podcast!”

The live audience burst into a round of applause as they cheered while confetti fell from the ceiling. The ITV host detailed that after 25 years on-screen, they were going to be getting even ‘looser’.

Loose Women halt show for breaking news as they announce ‘ITV first’

Kaye said: “We’re launching next month to celebrate International Women’s Day, and we’re going to go even deeper on the issues that matter most to you. As well as giving you the chance to find out what really happens behind the scenes. Which makes me a little bit nervous, I have to say!”

Viewers were told the podcast will have two episodes each week, with two different pairs of the Loose Women stars. Kaye revealed the podcast was inspired by their recent 24-hour talkathon.

She said: “Despite the fact that we all know each other quite well, we started to have really different conversations, deeper conversations, because we had the time!”

Loose Women are launching a podcast
Agreeing, Nadia highlighted how limited they are for time on air, whereas this will be different. She said: “I’m just so excited, also with the tour, don’t forget, we had so much fun with that.”

Nadia confessed she finds backstage and behind-the-scenes stuff on other shows interesting as she emphasised her enthusiasm. She continued: “You’re going to be able to watch the podcast on ITVX too. Up until I started doing my own podcast, I’ll be honest, I didn’t even know what a podcast was!”

Kaye joked she was “nervous” about the podcast which will launch in MarchGiving more information, Jane informed people they will be able to ask the Loose Women panel anything they want by sending in questions. Nadia shared: “Over the years, we’ve always leave the stage and we just chat on and on!”

The panel told people they’d be able to listen to the podcast on the go. She said: “Whether you’re on a walk, cooking in the kitchen or whatever, it’s a different pace. You do tend to just talk in a different way, and probably say things where you think, ‘Should I really have said that?’ I think there will be a lot of that on the Loose Women podcast!”

Nadia joked: “It’s taken 25 years for them (the bosses) to have the courage to let us do it!”

The former Corrie star has revealed she’s clearing out her closet ready for new clothes for an upcoming summer holiday, and fans can get their hands on some bargains

An actress who shot to fame on the cobbles of Coronation Street, and who lifted the Strictly Glitterball Trophy, says she’s unemployed but not letting it stop her go on holiday, and is flogging clothes on Vinted from as low as £4.

In the UK 13.4% of the working population are self-employed and anyone who has ever worked in television knows what a fickle beast she can be. Now, a former ITV soap star has revealed she’s trying to earn some cash by selling her clobber on a secondhand marketplace platform and it seems fans might be able to get themselves a bargain or two.

Ellie Leach, 23, played Faye Windass in Coronation Street for 12 years but left in 2023 when show bosses told her they could “see no future for the character”. Her final storyline saw her leaving Weatherfield with her ex-boyfriend Jackson and their daughter Miley after breaking the heart of her fiancé Craig Tinker.

Ellie played Faye Windass for 12 years on Corrie
During her time in the soap Ellie’s character Faye battled some huge storylines, including a teen pregnancy, early menopause and her adoption storyline. Giving fans an insight into what she’s up to, Ellie recently took to social media to say that she was heading on an overseas trips but was “unemployed”.

She wrote: “Working lunch (we are booking a holiday.)” Sharing a photo of her pal, she then added “she’s a student and I’m unemployed.” The Mancunian also told her followers: “Selling some bits on my Vinted if anyone fancied having a look. This picture has no relevance. I just looked cute in the Avanti West Coast toilets.”

Among the bargains to be had were a pair of black PLT heels for £8 and a green Little Mistress bodycon dress for £15. And it seems Ellie is open to offers too, welcoming shoppers to try their luck with lower bids. The 23-year-old revealed in December that her role as Miss Scarlett in the touring production of Cluedo 2 came to an end and she was on the hunt for a new challenge, adding in January that she was still on the lookout.

There are a couple of cute dresses on offer ( 
Image:
Vinted)
Ellie has previously spoken out about the “very hard” struggles of growing up with soap fame. Speaking in 2023, she said: “It’s very scary, don’t get me wrong, I’ve met some amazing people through this job. I would never have had the opportunities that I’ve had if it weren’t for Coronation Street. But it’s hard, being young.”

After leaving Corrie, Ellie took part in BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing and was paired with Vito Coppola. The duo were hailed as the best duo in the 2023 competition and ultimately won the series. Ellie and Vito triumphed in the dance contest, outperforming competitors such as EastEnders’ Bobby Brazier and Bad Education’s Layton Williams.

Their flawless American Smooth earned them their first perfect score of 40 in the series. Although their chemistry sparked speculation of a love affair among fans and on social media, both categorically denied any romantic ties. Reflecting on their journey, Ellie shared the profound impact the show had on her, stating: “The days after were very emotional.

“My time at Strictly was life-changing, and to have the bond and friendship I made with Vito was amazing. It’s the sort of friendship I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. I’m very lucky and grateful for the experience.”

Despite both getting matching bee tattoos, Ellie and Vito insist they are merely good friends. “From the moment we met, we just clicked,” she said, sharing that she now regards Vito as an extended family member and that they “message every day.”

Harvey Price has been kicked out of his residential home for being ‘too difficult’ according to his famous mum Katie Price

Katie Price has been left devastated as her eldest son Harvey has unfortunately been ‘kicked out’ of his residential care home.

The former glamour model and mum-of-five, 46, shares son Harvey with ex Dwight Yorke. Harvey, 22, lives with Prader-Willi syndrome, autism, septo-optic dysplasia, and a number of learning difficulties. Prader-Willi syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes constant hunger and can lead to obesity and diabetes.

Harvey has been kicked out of his residential home for being ‘too difficult’ according to his famous mum. The frustrated mum-of-five opened up on the unfortunate series of events on her weekly podcast, The Katie Price Show as she admitted that she felt hugely ‘let down’ by the council after they informed her that she would have to find new living arrangements for Harvey.

Katie has revealed that Harvey has been kicked out of his residential home ( 
Image:
BBC)
Filling her listeners in on the unfortunate event, Katie said: “Harvey is supposed to be moving in four-and-a-half weeks, they’ve changed management and said they won’t be able to cater for Harv, because he’s too difficult. So now I’ve got to find another placement for him… so yeah, more drama to deal with.”

Katie Price shows off latest nose job

Later in the podcast episode, she added: “We worked months and months for that and he was told four-and-a-half weeks before that he couldn’t go there, and Harvey has been doing the countdown. Well it’s stressful because you want the right thing for your child and it is a lot of time and effort to go back and do more meetings, more forms, it is very time-consuming because you want the best for your child.”

It comes after Katie emotionally revealed her concerns about her son’s weight thanks to his rare genetic condition last week. Katie said she is going to put Harvey, who weighs 28 stone, on weight-loss injections in a last-ditch attempt to save her son who is ‘always hungry’. She fears her eldest son may die if he doesn’t receive any help with his spiralling weight.

Katie is putting Harvey on weight loss injections amid his health battles ( 
Image:
@katieprice/Instagram)

Harvey now weighs 28 stone ( 
Image:
PA)
She told how top doctors have suggested using the jabs on Harvey with the hope being they can help save and improve his life. Katie confessed the situation with Harvey is “really serious” and explained how he is at risk of a heart attack.

The mum-of-five candidly shared that due to his genetic disorder, Prader-Willi syndrome, Harvey isn’t getting smaller at present. Speaking to the Sun, Katie said: “He’s putting on weight. It doesn’t matter what we do. He can’t put his shoes on without sweating. He can’t walk far because he gets out of breath.”

Katie claimed doctors advised the jabs to give him a better and longer life as well as improving his health. Harvey has a number of debilitating conditions including autism, septo-optic dysplasia, ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder.

She said she believes the injection option is a good thing as, because it’s done weekly, they can stop if there is any effect on Harvey. “We’ve tried food, he’s had ­dieticians, it’s just the way he is,” she added before saying it won’t affect any of his other medications. The reality TV star added that doctors would like Harvey to try the jab for “one or two years” while they assess him.

During a recent royal engagement, a little boy had one particular question for Prince William, and the future King quickly came back with a funny seven-word reply

If there is one thing Prince William knows how to do whilst out and about on his official royal engagements, it’s how to get the children he meets smiling.

Along with his wife, Princess Kate, William is known to be a really hands-on parent who regularly takes on the daily duties that come with having three youngsters himself.

Whilst this might be normal fare for parents up and down the country, it’s a massive break with how children have traditionally been raised within the Royal Family – and how good the future King is with children always shines through when he chats with the public.

During a recent visit to Toxteth in Liverpool, William was lucky enough to meet a seriously charming little boy, who asked him a very sweet question – to which the Prince of Wales quickly had an amusing seven-word response – and the heartwarming exchange captured the attention of royal fans online.

The pair posed for a selfie, with Mohammed instructing William to ‘say cheese’ ( 
Image:
@stnicsliv/X)

The young boy seriously charmed William ( 
Image:
@stnicsliv/X)

“Hello, are you the King?” The little boy asked William upon meeting him, and William sweetly replied: “No, I’m not, no. I’m his son!”

The Prince of Wales then quickly turned the conversation round to the little boy himself: “What’s your name? Mohammed. How are you, Mohammed? Nice to see you. Did you have a good day at school?”

The pair also posed for a sweet selfie video together which saw Mohammed instruct the future King to “Say cheese!” – a request William instantly fulfilled.

In a video of William’s seriously sweet interaction with the Year Five pupil, shared by the school the royal was visiting – St. Nicholas Catholic Academy – on X, formerly known as Twitter, saw someone off-camera swipe off Mohammed’s woollen hat as the pair chatted, which made William laugh and insist that the youngster should be allowed to keep it on.

“Don’t worry. He needs it on to keep his ears warm. It’s cold out here; it’s very cold today,” William noted, smiling and rubbing his own hands together to keep warm in the chilly air.

When Mohammed asked if William was King he had a quick response ( 
Image:
@stnicsliv/X)

Royal fans praised the little boy for his ‘boldness’ and William for his endearing manner with children ( 
Image:
@stnicsliv/X)“Something to brighten up your day!!!” The school captioned the videos they shared after the royal visit. “So… one of our amazing year 5 Children managed to not only have a chat with @KensingtonRoyal Prince William, he also managed to get a selfie!”

Royal fans were quick to respond with praise to the endearing interaction, “One of my favourite things about Prince William . . . How sweet & kind he is with children of all ages! His Mum would be so very proud of the man he’s grown up to be!” wrote one user.

Another commented: “I love this young man had the confidence to walk up, to whom he thought was the King, to ask him and have a dialog with Prince William! Love, love the braveness and boldness!”

“That moment will live with Mohammad for a life time! Well done Prince William,” commented a third user.

Another posted, “This warms my frosty old heart I tell ya,” in response to the seriously cute exchange.

A royal author has claimed that Prince Harry is ‘bored’ in California, where he moved five years ago with his wife Meghan Markle, and where they are raising their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet

Prince Harry is “bored” by some aspects of living in California, a royal author has claimed.

The duke has spoken positively about his new life in the sunshine of Montecito, where he shares a lavish mansion with his wife Duchess Meghan, and their two children – Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet three. But former friends of his in the UK have apparently admitted that Harry’s life in the States isn’t exactly what he dreamed it might be.

Tom Quinn, author of a new upcoming royal book titled Yes Ma’am, told The Sun: “He just doesn’t have anything to do: from childhood he has been trained to be a royal, attending charitable events and meeting the public and he has thrown all that away.

“Friends say he’s made a decent stab at helping around the Montecito mansion, walking the dog and looking after the children,” the author claimed. “But the truth is he is bored. He can’t leave the mansion without a security detail and the couple’s neighbours – many of whom are far more famous than the royal couple – take little notice when they spot Harry out and about.”

Harry himself has said quite the opposite about his life in California, saying that it affords him far more privacy and freedom for himself and his children allowing him to do things he “undoubtedly wouldn’t be able to do in the UK”.

Speaking at an event in December, Harry said that his new life in America is what his late mother, Princess Diana, would have “wanted” for him and when he was asked if he planned to stay in California for good, he replied that he would. “I very much enjoy living here and bringing my kids up here,” Harry said.

However, the Duke of Sussex has also made it clear that no matter how sure he is that California will always be his family’s home base, he still wants Archie and Lilibet to get to know the UK and spend time in his home country.

He is currently embroiled in an ongoing legal battle with the Home Office over the removal of his automatic police security five years ago. As it stands, Harry is offered a “bespoke” security arrangement, which means the government decides on a case-by-case basis whether or not to provide him with police security. However, Harry and his legal team have maintained that the threats against him and his family have not changed because he is no longer a working royal, so his security should be reinstated.

Harry has said he currently feels unsafe bringing Meghan and the two youngsters to the UK without assured security because private security he can employ would not have the ‘proper jurisdiction or intelligence’ to keep them safe.

The Duke lost the initial rounds of the legal case, with the High Court finding that RAVEC – the committee which decides who gets security – had acted lawfully, but Harry won the right to appeal the decision, which is currently scheduled for April.

Meghan also spoke about the couple’s two children Archie and Lilibet, who she said call Harry papa

Meghan spoke to injured veterans about Prince Harry at the Invictus Games and told them: “You are his family”.

The duchess, 43, was speaking about her husband’s commitment to the event during a behind closed doors welcome reception for competitors in Vancouver on Friday night.

She made the remarks while introducing her husband, who has suffered high-profile fall-outs with his father King Charles and his brother Prince William, on stage at the event at the competition’s main venue the Vancouver Convention Centre.

It was the couple’s first public outing together since the publication of a distressing Vanity Fair cover last month. Meghan, who was dressed in a long brown ensemble, said of Harry: “You will see him throughout this week, you will see him at the Games, you will see him probably curling with you, cheering you on. He wants to be there with you, he is in it with you.

Harry was earlier been smiling while arriving in the Canadian city following a private flight from Santa Barbara ( 
Image:
Humphrey Nemar/staff Photographer.)
“What you won’t have seen is all of the moments in the lead-up to these Games. All of the moments with, as you know, with families, the big rush in the morning and getting ready for school and packing the lunch boxes and making breakfast and my husband’s in all of that with us.

“And then he’ll be on his phone and Archie will say ‘papa, why are you on your phone?’. He’s like ‘cos it’s Invictus… I’m getting ready for Invictus’. It means so much to him.

“You are his family, just as we are his family, and I hope you recognise how much of his heart he has poured into every single beat that has gotten all of you to this week that is going to be spectacular. I need you to know that, I need you to know how much it means to him and how much each of you means to you.”

The couple are said to be planning to give a ‘show of strength’ at the Invictus Games ( 
Image:
Getty Images for W+P)
Meghan spoke at the event, which was held just hours after she and Harry touched down in Vancouver after travelling on a private plane together from Santa Barbara, close to their home in Montecito.

They were later seen arriving at Vancouver’s five-star Fairmont Pacific Rim, where they are staying, in a convoy of three large blacked-out SUVs, ahead of the start of the nine-day event, which will begin on Saturday afternoon with a star-studded opening ceremony featuring live performances by a host of stars, including Katy Perry, Chris Martin and Nelly Furtado. Harry is also set to make a speech on stage at the event in front of a sold-out audience of 40,000 people at the city’s BC Place stadium.

The couple are no strangers to the area having moved to nearby Vancouver Island immediately after they quit royal duties in what became known as ‘Megxit’ in 2020. They later moved to Montecito in Meghan’s native California, but are both known to be keen lovers of Canada after also starting their relationship with secret dates and stays in Toronto, where Meghan lived while filming the TV drama Suits, for five years.

Beginning her remarks on Friday night, Meghan said: “I was not planning on speaking tonight and we just arrived, I don’t know, a couple of hours ago and I touched Candian soil and I went ‘ohh, feels like home!’.

Meghan also told how the couple’s children Archie and Lilibet are cheering on competitors from California ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)“We are so excited. We also recognise that most of you are probably so exhausted from how much travel you’ve done, how much adrenaline you have pumping, how excited you are for what is going to be one of the most outstanding, memorable, unforgettable and connective weeks probably for you and your families.”

It comes after Meghan and Harry were reportedly left upset by a report in Vanity Fair last month, which included speculation, which has been strongly denied, about the state of the couple’s marriage, as well as anonymous allegations about Meghan’s alleged management style towards staff.

They were also hit by claims in a new book and harsh criticism following a visit to survivors of the LA fires. However, it appears they are keen to put any negativity behind them.

Organisers say this year’s Invictus Games, which comes after previous Games’ were held in London, Orlando, Toronto, Sydney, The Hague and Dusseldorf, will be the biggest ever. It will be held at eight separate venues in Vancouver and the ski resort of Whistler, which are on the traditional territories of the Four Host First Nations of Lílwat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil Waututh.

More than 1,900 volunteers have signed up to help stage the £34million event, which will see up to 550 participants from up to 25 nations compete in eleven sports, including six winter ones for the first time in Invictus Games history. They will include Alpine Skiing, Snowboarding, Biathlon, Cross Country Skiing, Skeleton and Wheelchair Curling, as well as Indoor Rowing, Sitting Volleyball, Swimming, Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Rugby.

Speaking on Friday night, Meghan added: “We are just thrilled to be here and I would be remiss if I didn’t take the opportunity to introduce somebody who means a lot to me and I know means quite a lot to all of you.

“So it is my entire pleasure and complete honour to introduce to the stage, my husband, the father of our very sweet excited children, who are cheering you on from California… Prince Harry, founder of the Invictus Games, the Duke of Sussex.”

As Meghan looked on lovingly, Harry joked with the audience asking if anyone was tired, to which there were shouts of ‘no!’ from the audience.

He laughed before adding: “Well, obviously team Canada is not tired, everybody else had to travel half way round the world to be here!”.

Meghan Markle struggled to build relationships with her new family members after marrying Prince Harry in 2018, and her unusual approach to greeting the Royal Family left her feeling hurt

Meghan Markle was said to have had her feelings hurt after some members of the Royal Family “flinched” at her hugs. Insiders claim her “touchy-feeliness” caused some tension after she married Prince Harry in 2018.

Both Meghan and Harry have stated that Prince William and Kate found her love of hugging “jarring”, but now a royal expert has said it went even deeper in creating a “tense atmosphere”. Writing in his new book, Yes Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants – which has been excerpted in The Times – Tom Quinn said: “Tension developed between William and Harry as a result of Meghan’s warm, friendly, hug-everyone approach. Kate, William and Charles tended to flinch when she moved in for a hug.

“Meghan was understandably hurt, as everyone apparently hugs everyone in California. Meghan even tried to hug a singularly stiff Old Etonian equerry. He too flinched as if she’d tried to poke him in the eye, as another member of staff put it.”

William was said to have ‘flinched’ at Meghan’s hugs ( 
Image:
PA)

Tensions rose with Meghan and the rest of the Royal Family ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
The couple previously opened up about Meghan’s hugging in their Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan. Meghan said she did not know the Royal Family’s “formality” carries through behind closed doors and that she is a “hugger” – which she did not realise was “jarring for some Brits”.

She said: “Even when Will and Kate came over and I was meeting her for the first time I remember I was in ripped jeans, I was barefoot. Like I was a hugger, I have always been a hugger. I didn’t realise that is really jarring for a lot of Brits.

“I started to understand that the formality on the outside carried through on the inside, that there is a forward facing way of being and then you close the door and think, ‘OK we can relax now’. But that formality carries over on both sides and that was surprising to me.’”

Harry also recalled the somewhat awkward first meeting between his now wife and his brother and sister-in-law in his bombshell memoir Spare. He claimed William “recoiled” from Meghan’s hug and described the moment he introduced his sibling to his then girlfriend as a “classic collision of cultures”.

“[It] completely freaked him out,” Harry wrote. “He recoiled. Willy didn’t hug many strangers. Whereas Meg hugged most strangers. Will had hoped that she would greet him with standard reverence per the protocol,” he added, “[but] she didn’t know it and I hadn’t told her.”

Traditionally, hugging is considered inappropriate for royals during official events, with a bow or curtsey being the preferred greeting. Harry has openly discussed his experience of limited physical affection within the Royal Family, including a lack of hugs during his childhood.

But it appears King Charles is leading the way in breaking this old-fashioned protocol. In September, Charles broke with tradition when he met the New Zealand Women Rugby Team, who made an unusual request.

“Yeah, we all wanted a hug,” Ayesha Leti-I’iga told the monarch, adding, “but only if it’s okay with you.” To the team’s surprise and delight, the King accepted, replying: “A hug? Why not!”

After the group embrace, which he joked was like being “flattened by a scrum”, Charles thanked the team for their “warm hug”, which he described as “very healing”.

Yes Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants by Tom Quinn is out on February 18.

During Meghan Markle’s time as a working royal, she crossed paths with dozens of servants and staff, but not everyone warmed to the modern-day duchess, a new book claims

While many royal servants warmed to Meghan Markle, others reportedly found day-to-day challenges with the duchess.

Royal staff who waited on Prince Harry and his wife Meghan during their time as working royals have shared a glimpse into their lives within the four walls of royal palace. A brand new book, by author Tom Quinn, titled Yes Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants, lifts the lid on what many insiders observed during their time waiting on the Sussexes.

In the explosive book, which has been excerpted in The Times, life is shed on Meghan’s very American mannerisms fuelling a shock rumour and claims she thought the Royal Family acted like ‘babies’ and were ‘belittling Harry’. Here, the Mirror takes a look inside the royal bubble and what allegedly went on behind the scenes…

Meghan thought the royals ‘behaved like babies’, a former staff member claims ( 
Image:
PA)

Meghan thought royals ‘behaved like babies’

The new book says that Meghan’s American upbringing made her sheltered from the realities of British royal life. Quinn writes that when Meghan discovered that Harry was only worth about £20million, she “quickly realised” that she needed to “reassess other assumptions she’d made about this strange new family”.

As one royal staff member put it, “She expected a billionaire and she got a millionaire.” A member of her former team is also quoted as saying that the actress “really disliked the hierarchy”. Giving an example of senior royals getting jealous of each other’s materialistic goods, the ex-staff member said: “Meghan thought they behaved like babies.”

Meghan initially tried to ‘run the show’

Before joining the Royal Family, Meghan was used to being far more independent and in control. But she soon realised that it wasn’t traditional royal protocol to ‘grab the bull by the horns’, according to the book. In early meetings with the new duchess and members of staff, Meghan was “so confident” that it seemed as though she wanted to run the meetings rather than listen and learn, one of her former team claimed.

Meghan thought royals were ‘belittling Harry’

Meghan was less than impressed by her first royal residence, according to the book. Quinn writes that Meghan felt the size of Nottingham Cottage, a two-bedroom cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace, “must be a reflection of how the royal family were belittling her husband”, as a member of staff told him.

He claims Meghan didn’t understand how Kensington Palace, where William and Kate lived with teams of live-in servants, seemed the “equivalent” of Nottingham Cottage. It’s not the first time the residence has come up in conversation, with Harry writing in his memoir Spare: “I was excited to welcome Meg to my home, but also embarrassed. Nott Cott was no palace.”

Meghan has always been a hugger and found it difficult to accept the royal formal way ( 
Image:
PA)

Quinn claims that Meghan’s tactile manner made William feel uncomfortable ( 
Image:
PA)

Meghan’s sweet dancing with William

Before their close bond crumbled, William and Kate were incredibly excited to welcome Meghan into the fold, Quinn says. The author recounts a surprisingly lighthearted moment between Meghan and William, allegedly witnessed by a junior staffer who saw them “doing a jokey parody of the Fifties jiving together”. One staffer recalled the Waleses thinking Meghan was a “breath of fresh air” at the beginning.

William and Kate weren’t the only ones to initially welcome Meghan with open arms. A courtier previously told the Daily Mail’s royal reporter Richard Eden that “the Queen believed that Meghan would be a breath of fresh air and a great asset to the Monarchy.”

They said: “The Queen fast-tracked her entry into the Royal Family, inviting Meghan to join her at a service to mark Commonwealth Day – her first official engagement with the Queen – two months before the wedding. It was another clear indication that Her Majesty valued Meghan and wanted her to be seen as a part of the family without delay.”

Meghan’s affection ‘fuelled flirting rumour’

Meghan’s affectionate side has always stood out in stark contrast to the Royal Family’s formalities. But her hugging and cheek kissing was wrongly misinterpreted by staff as her ‘flirting’ with William, according to insiders quoted in the book. Quinn writes that her tactile manner made William feel “uncomfortable”, as Meghan would allegedly hug him almost every time they saw each other.

The hugging and cheek-kissing fuelled gossip among staff “that Meghan was flirting with William, which she was obviously not, but the tense atmosphere caused by all the touchy-feeliness (and the resultant gossip) deepened the rift between the brothers”, the book claims. Both Meghan and Harry have previously stated that William and Kate found her love of hugging ‘jarring’.

In their Netflix docuseries, Meghan said she did not know the royals’ formal way carries through behind closed doors. She said: “I started to understand that the formality on the outside carried through on the inside, that there is a forward-facing way of being and then you close the door and think, ‘OK, we can relax now’. But that formality carries over on both sides and that was surprising to me.”

Meghan was given a number of nicknames by staff, including the Duchess of Difficult and Mystic Meg ( 
Image:
PA)

The book claims that Meghan’s “warm, friendly hug-everyone approach”, caused tension to develop between William and Harry, with problems arising “fairly early on”. Quinn claims Kate, William and Charles “tended to flinch when she moved in for a hug”, as they weren’t used to so much affection between royals. He says California native Meghan was “understandably hurt”.

Meghan given nicknames by staff

Meghan, whose birth name is Rachel, chose to go by her middle name long ago. While Harry publicly calls his wife Meg and M, staffers had many nicknames for the duchess. According to Quinn, “her nickname for a while was the Duchess of Difficult, but she had other, friendlier nicknames, including Mystic Meg, while came about because she was so new agey, so woke, about so many things”.

It was previously revealed that Charles had his own nickname for Meghan during her time as a working royal, with the King recognising her resilience. He affectionately called her Tungten, due to her being ‘tough and unbending’, it was claimed. Tungsten refers to a metal in the periodic table, which is known for its high melting point and core strength.