Bringing Out The Best In Him...

As Meghan Markle nudged her royal husband Harry towards a healthier lifestyle, so do many women try to improve their partners subconsciously, or otherwise…

- Kara O’Neil; Tess Stimson; Lucia Walker

The saying goes ‘behind every great man is a great woman’. Offering a few ‘pointers’ along the way is all just part of the job, right? Since they wed in May last year, it certainly seems this is how prince harries and his wife Meghan are approaching married life. Once known to be a bit of a ‘party boy’, all that appears to have changed – and that was before he even said the words, ‘i do’...

Before the wedding, Harry was spotted in the gym and was said to be following a strict diet – a change that Meghan is thought to have encouraged. The Duchess of Sussex also reportedly persuaded her husband to quit smoking and vetted his friendship circle.

And she’s not the only royal wife steering her man. The Duchess of Cambridge once admitted she was ‘filled with horror’ by William’s motorbike – and, not long after, the future king admitted his hobby was on the back-burner.

Like most wives, both women have their husbands’ best interests at heart. Let’s not forget, William and Harry had to grow up in the spotlight without a mother figure to keep them in check, so are no doubt glad to have female guidance. But exactly how much should a woman influence her man’s behaviour?

‘Some might think it’s a bit overbearing’

Tess Stimson, 47, is a writer and lives with her husband, Erik, 48. Recently, my husband, Erik, and I were having lunch at a restaurant when his cellphone rang, and I saw the name of his friend, Andy*, show up on the screen. But instead of taking the call, Erik quietly silenced his phone and slipped it back in his jeans pocket.