MAKING A POINT
Meghan Markle ‘was a nightmare’ when she visited Wimbledon to watch Serena Williams, official says
MEGHAN Markle has been described as a “nightmare” over her surprise visit to Wimbledon last week.
The Duchess of Sussex, 37, sat on Court One last Thursday as she appeared at the famous tennis championship to watch her friend Serena Williams compete.
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An official organising Meghan’s visit admitted it had been difficult, saying to : “It was a nightmare, she was a nightmare.”
An All England Club source explained that Meghan had wanted to watch the tennis “incognito, but there were problems.”
They said: “They couldn’t invite her into the Royal Box because she was wearing jeans but that didn’t really matter because all she wanted to do was come and watch Serena."
A palace source told the publication that Meghan had wanted to watch pal Serena play on Court One, and had no intention of going to the Royal Box on Centre Court.
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A spokesperson for Wimbledon told Fabulous Digital: "The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) was delighted to welcome HRH The Duchess of Sussex in a private capacity to The Championships to watch her friend Serena Williams compete on No.1 Court.
“The Duchess was greeted by AELTC Chairman Philip Brook at the Players’ Reception on arrival before making her way to No.1 Court, and it was always the intention that the visit would be only for the one match.
“Any suggestion that The Duchess’s visit was anything other than a privilege is categorically not the view of the AELTC and she is always welcome to attend The Championships.”
Typically the wearing of denim is frowned upon in the members’ area at Wimbledon, with one person who had been a member for 30 years saying that Meghan is “not allowed” to wear them.
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In a column in , media consultant Sally Jones, 64, claims Meghan's security team asked her not to take pictures of the Royal as she sat in the same row on last Thursday.
Although the reason given was that Meghan was there in a “private capacity”, Sally said it was yet another example of “silly control freakery.”
She wrote: “I’m actually a royalist. I think Meghan is a highly talented, lively woman who is a breath of fresh air for the Royal Family.
“But it saddens me that they are weakening their impact through this behaviour. It makes them look silly, it’s childish and takes us for fools.”
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Sally admitted she told the royal protection officer that it was “bonkers” to ban photos, and she said he looked “embarrassed” and a “bit mystified” as to why he had to enforce the rule.
And just two days before, Kate Middleton had been sitting in the same section of the court, but had no problem with photos being taken.
Sally said: "Kate had calmly watched the tennis, ignoring the thousands thrilled to take her picture to post on Facebook and show their friends, no doubt well used to the attention after years in the spotlight."
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She pointed out this came just after it was revealed that Prince Harry and Meghan had spent £2.4million of the taxpayers’ cash refurbishing their home, Frogmore Cottage.
The alleged request also left Piers seeing red as he accused Meghan of hypocrisy on Good Morning Britain.
The presenter said: "This is so ridiculous, this obsession that her and Harry have about privacy.
"It's rankly hypocritical and they're not private people, they're the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. We get to pay for their mansion, we get to do all of this..."
When co-host Susanna Reid said she was sympathetic over the Royals requests for privacy, Piers exploded: "In the Royal Box at Wimbledon. With the world's cameras beamed on their heads.
"It's not a private place. If you want to be private don't go to the Royal Box at Wimbledon.
"Honestly, it's a complete joke. You've got to work out what you want to be - do you want to be public or private?
"If you go to Wimbledon in your free tickets in the Royal Box, the best seats in the house for nothing, and you take your two bezzies... you're public people.
"If you want to be private, go back to America and live privately."
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Meghan and Harry held a private christening for their son Archie at Windsor Castle last weekend amid a blaze of controversy.
The couple chose to withhold the names of the godparents of the seventh in line to the throne and only release pictures to the media afterwards.
And their five-bedroom property — a gift from the Queen — is said to have required a “substantial overhaul” before they were able to move in, including new heating, wiring and utilities.
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More on the royal family
We shared how the Queen will give powers to Prince Charles in TWO YEARS and ‘will relinquish majority of duties’, royal expert predicts.
And Kensington Palace is on the hunt for someone to organise Prince William and Kate Middleton ‘complex’ royal diaries amid Meghan Markle and Prince Harry split.
Meghan Markle makes surprise appearance at Wimbledon to support pal Serena Williams
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