Prince Harry’s close friend Tom ‘Skippy’ Inskip ‘had doubts’ about Meghan Markle

Prince Harry “punished” one of his oldest friends over a sensitive conversation about Meghan Markle ahead of the royal wedding, it’s been revealed.

One of Prince Harry’s oldest and closest friends shared his doubts about Meghan Markle when she arrived on the scene, a new book claims.

According to royal biography Finding Freedom, Tom “Skippy” Inskip was “punished” for giving his school friend advice.

Skippy, who was inseparable with Harry since they met at Eton, advised Harry and Meghan to live together “before doing anything more serious”, reports The Sun.

A source close to the couple told authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand that although his advice “came from a good place,” Prince Harry “didn’t totally see it that way”.

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Prince Harry and Tom Inskip in 2013. Picture: Getty Images

According to the Sund a y Telegraph: “It really hurt him (Harry) that someone he was so close to would not trust his judgment.”

Prince William is also said to have told Harry to not “rush” the relationship.

After sharing their reservations about Meghan, Skippy and wife Lara were said to be “punished” by not being invited to Harry and Meghan’s wedding party at Frogmore House.

The couple’s new A-list friends Oprah Winfrey and George Clooney secured invites.

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Tom Inskip and his wife Lara at Windsor Castle ahead of Harry and Meghan’s wedding in 2018. Picture: Ian West - WPA Pool/Getty Images

But despite any rift, last year it was claimed the tragic death of Lara’s mother Emma St Helens at 66 led to Skippy and Harry being reunited.

To commemorate her mum, Lara raised money for Heads Together – a charity partner of Prince Harry – and he donated a significant sum, pals said.

A source told The Sun: “Skippy and Harry are back as tight friends. When Harry heard about Lara’s mother’s horrible passing, it really hit a nerve.

“Lara has raised money to support research into mental health and Harry decided to let bygones be bygones.”

Skippy was one of the friends at the infamous Las Vegas night in 2012, where the royal was caught playing naked billiards with women in a hotel suite.

The banker first became friends with Prince Harry after they met at Eton, and remained close ever since.

But his “tomfoolery” reportedly had no place in the world of “fruit smoothies” and “early nights” that Meghan is an advocate of, it was said.

Harry was very sensitive about Meghan, according to the biography. Picture: Tolga Akmen/AFP

Finding Freedom, by writers described as Harry and Meghan “cheerleaders” and serialised in The Times and The Sunday Times, says Harry and William had first discussed Meghan after William met her a “handful of times”.

The authors say: “William wanted to make sure the American actress had the right intentions.”

They quote a source as saying: “After all, these are two brothers that have spent their whole lives with people trying to take advantage of them.

“As William didn’t know a lot about Meghan, he wanted to make sure that Harry wasn’t blindsided by lust.”

The biography says William told Harry: “Don’t feel you need to rush this. Take as much time as you need to get to know this girl.”

The authors say the words “this girl” sent Harry into meltdown.

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission.