Prince Harry’s pal James Haskell has thoughts about the British monarchy.
The retired professional rugby player, 39, spoke to the Times in an interview published Tuesday about his experiences — good and bad — with the royal family.
“Some aren’t as great as others,” he said. “They do amazing work — but they’re also a modern family that’s very dysfunctional.”
Haskell noted that he attended Harry, 40, and Meghan Markle’s wedding in May 2018, as well as Harry’s cousin Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall’s wedding in July 2011, which is where he met the Duke of Sussex.
“To those who want to get rid of the monarchy — once they’re gone, they’re gone,” said Haskell. “There’s no way back from that, so remember that they serve an important role. I love what they do.”
Haskell is good friends with Mike, 46, and they co-host the podcast “The Good, The Bad & The Rugby.” They were teammates on England’s rugby union team.
In the Times interview, Haskell said that he told an “inappropriate” joke about Harry’s disgraced uncle, Prince Andrew, at the Tindall wedding.
“Prince Andrew was sweating up a storm on the dancefloor, but then he realised that everyone was over 18 so he left. It was inappropriate, but it was funny,” he recalled.
The disgraced royal was famously stripped of his royal and military honors by his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, over his previous ties with late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
“Mike and Zara’s wedding was full of rugby players,” Haskell added about the 2011 nuptials. “It was the perfect combination of ceremony and romance, coupled with the fact that both of them like to enjoy themselves. Did I wake up the next morning on my bed still in my black tie thinking, ‘Jesus, what did I do last night?’ Potentially, yes.”
In 2018, Haskell attended Harry and Meghan’s wedding with his then-wife, Chloe Madeley. The couple, who have a 2-year-old daughter, split in October 2023 after five years of marriage.
“I never intended to get separated and we tried very hard to ensure that didn’t happen,” Haskell told the Times. “Chloe is utterly brilliant — she’s intelligent and she’s a fantastic mum. Our differences have to be put to one side.”
Aside from Harry, Haskell also has a relationship with Prince William and Kate Middleton. He and Mike welcomed the Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as William’s aunt and Mike’s mother-in-law, Princess Anne, on their podcast in September 2023.
William, 42, did not mention his estranged relationship with brother Harry on the episode, which was filmed at Windsor Castle.
Instead, the future king and his wife talked about their history with sports and how they’ve passed down their competitive camaraderie to their three children.
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