HARRY'S MISTERY MY LIFE IS A NIGHTMARE

HE WANTED A NEW START, BUT IT’S NOT GOING AS PLANNED

At any other time, a lavish party at Kensington Palace involving Princess Diana’s family and friends would be cause for dazzling pictures and headlines aplenty.

However, last week, just such an event was held. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were joined by 100 guests at a reception for donors who helped fund a memorial statue of the late princess jointly commissioned by her sons – but barely a peep was made about it publicly.

An insider tells New Idea that Prince Harry’s decision not to attend “put a damper on the event … it was downright awkward”.

Harry, 37, and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, confirmed recently that they would not travel from their home in California to attend the soiree, sparking fevered chatter behind palace walls about what’s really going on with the couple.

Some suggested it was down to their ongoing rift with Prince William, 39, despite the brothers uniting in July for the statue’s official unveiling.

But long-time royal reporter Duncan Larcombe revealed their no-show was instead down to Meghan. She apparently felt uncomfortable being around her sister-in-law Kate, 39, after publicly ragging on her during their infamous Oprah Winfrey sit-down.

Larcombe implied that Meghan, 40, was scared to face the music.

“It’s very easy to forget just how personal the attack was against Kate on Oprah,” he tells OK! magazine. “William is understandably very protective of Kate, and let’s not forget that Meghan directly accused Kate of making her cry, rather than the other way round.