The Duchess of Cambridge, pictured, has been defended by her uncle Gary Goldsmith over the Oprah Winfrey interview with Harry and Meghan
It was one of the most incendiary claims in Meghan’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey – that she had been reduced to tears by the Duchess of Cambridge during an emotional row in the run-up to her wedding.
Now, Kate’s uncle has stepped in to defend his niece, saying bluntly: ‘I don’t believe for a moment that Kate made Meghan cry.’
Speaking for the first time since the allegations aired, Gary Goldsmith told The Mail on Sunday: ‘I’ve known Kate since she was born and she doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. It’s just simply not in her nature.
‘She’s even lovelier on the inside than on the outside. If anyone had a hissy fit, it must have been Meghan. Kate would have been trying to make the peace. I would fight for Kate’s honour until the day I die. She is the most spectacular person I’ve ever met.’
Meghan’s comments came after Oprah asked her about reports that she had made Kate cry in a row over bridesmaids’ dresses for her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry. The Duchess of Sussex responded: ‘The reverse happened. I don’t say that to be disparaging to anyone’, adding that Kate later apologised.
But Mr Goldsmith, the 55-year-old brother of Kate’s mother Carole, says he ‘doesn’t believe a word’ that Meghan said.
‘When Meghan first entered the Royal Family, I was made up for Harry,’ he said. ‘Like the rest of the country, it seemed she was the real deal and it was a marriage made in heaven. But what has happened is heartbreaking.
‘I don’t blame Meghan – she’s a Hollywood starlet. You can’t blame a tiger for biting the head off a sheep. But I don’t believe a word that comes out of her mouth. She’s an actress and knows how to manipulate her audience.
‘I don’t believe for a second she had to Google the words to the National Anthem. Harry has been singing it since the age of five.’
He also questioned Harry’s response to the effects that joining the Royal Family had on Meghan’s state of mind.
The Duchess of Cambridge has announced a new book with the National Portrait Gallery
Speaking for the first time since the allegations aired, Gary Goldsmith told The Mail on Sunday: ‘I’ve known Kate since she was born and she doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. It’s just simply not in her nature’
Meghan’s comments came after Oprah asked her about reports that she had made Kate cry in a row over bridesmaids’ dresses for her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry. The Duchess of Sussex responded: ‘The reverse happened. I don’t say that to be disparaging to anyone’, adding that Kate later apologised’
‘The last time I checked, he was the face of a mental wellbeing charity,’ Mr Goldsmith said: ‘Where was he in all this? Surely as her husband, he should have been able to give her the help and support she needed.
‘He’s a senior Army officer who has been in a war zone. He should be able to stand up for himself and his wife. He shouldn’t claim to be family-centric when he has hurt everyone who loves him. You don’t ask for anonymity and take a step back from public life to then throw your family and your grandmother under a bus on TV. Why would you do that? The Royal Family is not racist, it’s not sexist, it’s not ageist. They are a moral compass.’
Mr Goldsmith, a recruitment consultant, contrasted the Sussexes’ attitude to that of his niece and her husband. Speaking ahead of his first TV interview next month, in an ITV documentary to mark William and Kate’s tenth anniversary, he said: ‘Both William and Kate understand they are being paid by the taxpayer to do a job. They smash it.
‘It’s a tough gig. It’s relentless. But it’s also a position of privilege. If you have that privilege, don’t throw it back in people’s faces. In all the years Kate has been in the public eye, she has never put a foot wrong. She was born for the role. She has risen above the criticism and just got on with the job.’
Mr Goldsmith has had a rollercoaster ride with the media himself. He was caught in a drugs sting by the now-defunct News Of The World. He denied taking drugs and reporter Mazher Mahmood was later jailed for perverting the course of justice.
The Duchess of Cambridge has said a book of 100 photographs illustrating the past year of the pandemic will serve as a ‘lasting record of what we were all experiencing’.
Launched by Kate and the National Portrait Gallery, Hold Still: A Portrait Of Our Nation in 2020, features images of key workers and people isolated from family and friends, as well as moments of joy.
Its publication follows the anniversary of the first national coronavirus lockdown on March 23, and it will be available from bookshops and online from May 7.
The Hold Still initiative was launched by the duchess and the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) last year and invited people of all ages from across the UK to submit a portrait they had taken during the first lockdown.
From more than 31,000 images submitted, 100 portraits were selected and shown in a digital exhibition before being displayed across the UK in communities
From more than 31,000 images submitted, 100 portraits were selected and shown in a digital exhibition before being displayed across the UK in communities.
Writing in the introduction, Kate said the portraits illustrate a collection of ‘poignant and personal stories’ from the past year.
The duchess said: ‘Through Hold Still, I wanted to use the power of photography to create a lasting record of what we were all experiencing – to capture individuals’ stories and document significant moments for families and communities as we lived through the pandemic.’
She added: ‘For me, the power of the images is in the poignant and personal stories that sit behind them.
‘I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak to some of the photographers and sitters, to hear their stories first-hand – from moments of joy, love and community spirit, to deep sadness, pain, isolation and loss.
‘A common theme of those conversations was how lockdown reminded us about the importance of human connection and the huge value we place on the relationships we have with the people around us.
Dr Nicholas Cullinan, director of the NPG, said the images have created ‘a unifying and cathartic portrait of life in lockdown’
‘Although we were physically apart, these images remind us that, as families, communities and a nation we need each other more than we had ever realised.’
Dr Nicholas Cullinan, director of the NPG, said the images have created ‘a unifying and cathartic portrait of life in lockdown’.
He said: ‘The public response to Hold Still, which was spearheaded by our patron, Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cambridge, has been phenomenal.
‘The photographs submitted have helped to create a unifying and cathartic portrait of life in lockdown.’
He added: ‘Hold Still is an important record of this extraordinary moment in our history – expressed through the faces of the nation – and we hope will remain so for generations to come.’
Proceeds from sales will help support mental health and arts projects around the UK, and will be split between mental health charity Mind and the gallery.
Mind chief executive Paul Farmer thanked the duchess for supporting the charity, and those who submitted photographs
Mind chief executive Paul Farmer thanked the duchess for supporting the charity, and those who submitted photographs.
He said: ‘The coronavirus pandemic is a mental health emergency as well as a physical one.
‘The devastating loss of life, the impact of lockdown, and any recession that lies ahead means there has never been a more crucial time to prioritise our mental health.
‘This inspiring collection of portraits illustrates the impact of the pandemic in all its complexity, but also how creativity, art and human connection can help us find meaning in unprecedented challenges.’
- The Day Will And Kate Got Married is on ITV on April 7 at 9pm.