Best man to Harry is sweet revenge, says proud Duke
WHEN he got married in 2011, a mischievous Prince Harry was in charge of his brother’s stag do, a teasing speech and a lively after party which has gone down in Royal wedding history.
As the Duke of Cambridge prepares to return the best man favour for his younger brother’s wedding, it is little wonder he has only one thing in mind: sweet revenge.
The Duke, who was yesterday announced as the best man for Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle, said he was “thrilled and delighted” at being asked, saying he would be “looking forward” to all of his duties. Saying it “feels great,” he added: “Revenge is sweet.”
The brothers made an unexpected appearance together last night at the opening of a sports centre for young people in London, working side by side in a touching show of solidarity after news of the Duke’s best man role was confirmed.
The Duke, President of the Football Association, will not attend the FA Cup final on May 19, the day of the wedding.
The Duke and Prince spoke as they arrived together at the Greenhouse Centre, which provides sports coaching and safe social spaces for young people.
The brothers went on to play table tennis against one another, in a neat showcase of their friendly rivalry.
Asked how he felt about being asked to be Prince Harry’s best man, the Duke said: “It feels great.
Thrilled delighted and obviously. Revenge is sweet. I’ll be looking forward to it.”
The Duke’s stag do is reported to have been held on a Devon estate, Hartland Abbey, where he and close friends indulged in drinking, clay pigeon shooting, surfing and games.
Prince Harry went on to tease his brother during a heartfelt best man’s speech at the wedding reception, allegedly wearing a fez, mimicking the lovestruck conversations between a young Kate and William, and ridiculing his bald spot.
Royal men have traditionally had “supporters” by their side at their wedding, with both the Duke and Prince Harry now breaking with the convention to use the more modern term of “best man”.
On the question of how he had asked
‘The Duke of Cambridge is honoured and is looking forward to supporting his brother’
the Duke to be his best man, Prince Harry yesterday joked he had “got down on one knee”, clarifying: “He [William] has known for months.”
The presence of the Duke, who had left the Duchess of Cambridge and their three children at home, also gave rise to the question of their four-day-old baby, whose name has not yet been announced. “I’m working on that one,” said the Duke. “You’ll know soon, you’ll know soon.”
In a statement yesterday, Kensington Palace said: “The Duke of Cambridge is honoured to have been asked, and is very much looking forward to supporting his brother at St George’s Chapel, Windsor on May 19th.”
The Palace shared photographs of the brothers growing up, including one from the album of Diana, Princess of Wales, showing the Princes dressed up as policemen.