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Margot Robbie gladly claims Prince Harry as a good mate - but not before she mistook him for Ed Sheeran

Australia’s Hollywood darling Margot Robbie committed a rare social faux pas when she met Prince Harry for the first time - mistaking him for another famous redhead.

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle fire 15-member Buckingham Palace team

Australia’s Hollywood darling Margot Robbie has admitted she spoke to Prince Harry for 30 minutes when she first met him - and all the time thought she was talking to sugary popster Ed Sheeran.

Ed Sheeran and Prince Harry ... or is it the other way around? Picture: Instagram/SussexRoyal
Ed Sheeran and Prince Harry ... or is it the other way around? Picture: Instagram/SussexRoyal

Robbie met the Duke of Sussex at a London housewarming party thrown by model UK model Suki Waterhouse in December 2015.

Instagram shots taken on the night show the prince — in green fancy-dress glasses and a cap — squeezed into a photobooth with Margot, Suki, his cousin Princess Eugenie, model Cara Delevingne and actress Sienna Miller, The Sun reports.

Prince Harry (bottom) parties with cousin Princess Eugenie, Sienna Miller, Robbie, Poppy Jamie and Cara Delevingne. Picture: Instagram
Prince Harry (bottom) parties with cousin Princess Eugenie, Sienna Miller, Robbie, Poppy Jamie and Cara Delevingne. Picture: Instagram

But Robbie has admitted she had no idea she was mingling with royalty as she chatted for half an hour to the Prince.

And when the penny dropped, the royal was not impressed.

Prince Harry on the left or the right? An easy mistake to make. Picture: Instagram/SussexRoyal
Prince Harry on the left or the right? An easy mistake to make. Picture: Instagram/SussexRoyal

“When I saw him in those glasses I was like, ‘Oh my God, I didn’t know Ed Sheeran was at the party’,” Robbie said.

“And he was really offended. He was like, ‘Shut up!’”

The pair went on to become friends and Robbie described Prince Harry as “the most normal guy ever”.

Robbie said she understood and supported the Sussex royals’ Megxit move - and would happily invite them to dinner when they’re ever in LA.

“I have known Prince Harry for a while and he is a really great guy.

“I know as much as anybody what a big decision it is to move halfway across the world.

“But I had my reasons for moving and they have their reasons for the decision.

“It isn’t something taken lightly. If they are going to spend more time in LA, we would love to have dinner with them.”

She also confessed that she prank-called the Duke with co-star Cara Delevingne — a long-time friend of the Prince — from the set of 2016 movie Suicide Squad.

Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in a scene from Suicide Squad. Picture: Warner Bros
Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in a scene from Suicide Squad. Picture: Warner Bros

“While we were filming Cara said, ‘Let’s prank-call Harry’. I was like, ‘You can’t prank-call royalty’ but we did, and he was so cool with it.”

Robbie also said she supported Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Megxit decision - and she’d even like to have them over for dinner in LA.

“I know as much as anybody what a big decision it is to move halfway across the world. It isn’t something taken lightly. If they are going to spend more time in LA, we would love to have dinner with them.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Picture: AFP
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Picture: AFP

PALACE ‘CRINGED’ AT NEW MEGHAN VIDEO

Palace aides and royal watchers “cringed” after Meghan Markle posted a new video showing her wearing a party hat to celebrate her guest editing of British Vogue last year - hours after it was revealed the Sussex royals were sacking their Buckingham Palace staff.

In the video, which was shot in London in August 2019 but only just released now, Meghan talks to Vogue editor in chief Edward Enninful about the women chosen to appear on the cover of her guest-edited edition in September.

“In the history of Vogue, you’re the first, you have an editor’s eye, I had never seen anything like it,” Enninful gushes of Meghan’s efforts.

Meghan Markle and Vogue editor Edward Enninful in a scene from a video celebrating her Vogue cover. Picture: Instagram
Meghan Markle and Vogue editor Edward Enninful in a scene from a video celebrating her Vogue cover. Picture: Instagram

“You were so thorough from beginning to end!” Later they don party hats and laugh.

The pair then talk on speakerphone on the video to some of the women who Meghan chose for the cover, including American actress and activist Jane Fonda.

“Meghan, I’m so proud of you for using your amazing platform and your strong voice and I’m so honoured to be a part of it with all those other amazing women. Thank you so much for including me,” a fawning Fonda enthuses through the phone as Meghan beams with pride.

But royal insiders and many people who watched the video on her @sussexroyal Instagram account were less impressed.

Jane Fonda at the Oscars. Picture: AFP
Jane Fonda at the Oscars. Picture: AFP

Palace aides said the decision to release the video showed poor judgment - and suggested Meghan was taking bad advice.

“In all honesty, people are just cringing about this,” a royal insider told the Daily Mail.

“People have this idea that palace advisers are a bit po-faced but that simply isn’t true. Just look at the brilliant footage of the Queen when she took part in that James Bond skit with Daniel Craig to highlight the London Olympics.

‘But this just leaves her (Meghan) open to ridicule. It just goes to show where their priorities lie: Likes and clicks online.”

Many followers on the @sussexroyal Instagram account were also displeased.

“Is this for real???” asked @tray — 529. “You just fired 15 people and you come out with this today?!!”

@petemianus said: “Distraction from fact you just fired entire staff today.”

“Our thoughts go out to all your staff who lost their jobs in January,” said @xx_one_salty_knife_xx.

“Seriously, I just got done watching a video of Meghan celebrating Mweghan?! Wow, speaks volumes and sums it up,” said @vividlyvanessa777.

But @cassiecoulson saw the positive side: “I always look forward to hearing what you have to say! Thank you Duchess. And welcome to Canada!! Thank you for being who you are, I personally love it. I hope you are finding peace and complete happiness.”

Vogue’s Edward Enninful. Picture: Getty
Vogue’s Edward Enninful. Picture: Getty

HARRY AND MEGHAN CLOSE BUCKINGHAM PALACE OFFICE

Harry and Meghan are making it official — their split from the Royal Family, that is.

Currently in the process of closing their Buckingham Palace office and cutting staff, the couple are due to start their new, non-royal life in autumn this year.

The closure of their office will undoubtedly mean redundancies, but Harry and Meghan are said to be trying to redeploy as many of their Buckingham Palace staff as possible to other jobs.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex are all smiles as they set to break away from the Royal Family. Picture: AFP
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex are all smiles as they set to break away from the Royal Family. Picture: AFP

According to the Daily Mail, there could be up to 15 staff made redundant.

Among the Sussexes’ high-profile employees set to lose their jobs are PR manager Sara Latham, who was a senior Adviser on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, assistant communications secretary Marnie Gaffney, who was made a member of the Royal Victoria Order in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours, recently appointed private secretary Fiona Mcilwham, and Harry’s program co-ordinator Clara Loughran, who handed Meghan her bouquet on Harry and Meghan’s wedding day.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's PR director Sara Latham. Picture: Supplied.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's PR director Sara Latham. Picture: Supplied.
Fiona Mcilwham, private secretary to Meghan and Harry. Picture: Supplied.
Fiona Mcilwham, private secretary to Meghan and Harry. Picture: Supplied.

Meghan has reportedly hired a US team of agents and publicists that she worked with in her acting days, and has enlisted her new team to create a new website for the couple — without the involvement of their former staff.

Following the slew of negative press over Harry and Meghan’s private jet travel last year, Harry recently launched a sustainable travel project, Travalyst, for which he will continue to employ a small team of team of staff in the UK.

Harry and Meghan are said to have “no regrets” about giving up their royal titles. Picture: AFP
Harry and Meghan are said to have “no regrets” about giving up their royal titles. Picture: AFP

Harry, Meghan and baby Archie are currently living in a rented $22.4 million mansion in North Saanich, Vancouver Island, where they are said to be “much happier”.

Meghan is enjoying cooking food for Archie and attending yoga classes while both Harry and Meghan are said to have “no regrets” about giving up their royal titles.

The Sussexes reportedly increased security at their rented Vancouver mansion earlier this month.

Originally published as Margot Robbie gladly claims Prince Harry as a good mate - but not before she mistook him for Ed Sheeran

Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/the-sussexes-are-said-to-be-laying-off-up-to-15-staff/news-story/b6e8d2e626c46aa5ac9b88ad79353acb