Meghan Markle’s long list of frenemies given the chop since royal wedding revealed
Since her departure from the royal family, Meghan Markle has been at the centre of several major friendship fallouts as surprising new alliances form.
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It was the fairytale wedding that stopped the world, a merging of the kings and queens of showbiz with real-life royalty.
Millions watched as the rich and famous, including David and Victoria Beckham, took their seats in the pews at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in 2018.
In the area reserved for close family members and loved ones of the bride, George and Amal Clooney rubbed shoulders with Oprah Winfrey, who received an invite despite only meeting Meghan once beforehand.
Jessica Mulroney, Meghan’s best friend, looked on proudly as her adorable twin sons memorably walked down the aisle as page boys and her daughter Isabel acted as flower girl.
The glowing Meghan may not have had one single family member at her wedding apart from her mother Doria Ragland, but she was surrounded by a supportive posse of pals.
Just five years later, Meghan’s multiple bust-ups with those once close to her, and the surprising new alliances she has formed with key figures of Hollywood’s elite, tell a very different story.
Since marrying Prince Harry, and their subsequent controversial move to California, it’s been a case of out with the old and in with the new in terms of the Duchess’s friendships.
She and husband Prince Harry have distanced themselves from the big names who attended their wedding and acquired a glamorous new circle of friends dubbed the Montecito Mafia.
Proving herself to be an indefatigable networker, Meghan has shown how she loves to surround herself with the rich, powerful and influential.
And as the rapturous welcome she received when she took centre stage at the Invictus Games in Germany just days ago showed, her star power is far from waning.
Since launching herself into the stratosphere, Meghan has forged friendships with Hollywood heavyweight Tyler Perry, broadcaster Gayle King, actress-turned-wellness mogul Gwyneth Paltrow, former talk-show queen Ellen DeGeneres and feminist icon Gloria Steinem.
And she is of course still famously close to Winfrey, whose explosive interview with Meghan and Prince Harry shocked the world with its royal-trashing revelations.
Make-up mogul Victoria Jackson, a neighbour of Meghan’s in Montecito, has become a close friend and mentor amid speculation that she may help Meghan launch a skincare brand.
The Duchess has also been pictured having a leisurely birthday lunch with celebrity hairstylist and wellness entrepreneur Kadie Lee.
Meghan made headlines earlier this month with her glamorous appearance at not just one but two Beyonce concerts.
At the superstar singer’s birthday party after-show, Meghan was pictured cosying up to Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland and actress Kerry Washington.
Meanwhile, those who were once key figures in Meghan’s life have been unceremoniously booted from her circle and banished, never to be spoken to again.
The Duchess’s ability to cut friends off and move on without looking back has been well documented and even spawned a term – ‘Markled’.
The once seemingly indispensable Mulroney, who forged a strong bond with Meghan during the Duchess’s years living in Toronto while filming TV show Suits, has been wiped from Meghan’s life despite their long history.
Mulroney is said to have angered Meghan after the stylist was accused of “white privilege” in a row with lifestyle blogger Sasha Exeter.
The Beckhams have also been given the flick amid allegations of story leaks and claims that Meghan sidelined Victoria as she did not want to share the spotlight with the power couple during the 2016 Invictus Games in Sydney.
Writing for The Sun, royal author Tom Bower said Meghan did not like David’s friendship with Prince William and was frustrated that fashion designer Victoria was reluctant to supply her with free clothes.
Even the Clooneys appear to be on the outer these days after they made a dazzling appearance at a Prince’s Trust concert in support of King Charles last May.
British Vogue editor Edward Enninful, once a huge supporter of Meghan, was also said to be kicked out of her circle after he wrote a Time Magazine essay praising King Charles III.
According to Tom Bower’s book Revenge: Meghan, Harry, and the War between the Windsors, Meghan also clashed with Enninful and his staff when she made huge demands while guest-editing the 2019 September issue of Vogue.
Other celebrities given the chop include British former WAG Lizzie Cundy and reality star Millie Mackintosh, who claim that like commentator Piers Morgan they were “ghosted” by Meghan after she started dating Prince Harry.
Meghan’s childhood friend Ninaki Priddy has also been iced out by the Duchess.
The Duchess of Sussex is also said to have long held a grudge with singer Katy Perry, her neighbour in Montecito, over comments she made in 2018 about Meghan’s wedding dress.
Perry joked on American Idol that she “would’ve done one more fitting”, implying that she thought Meghan’s dress was ill-fitting.
And then, of course, there is the famous fallout between Meghan and Princess Catherine, although she and Prince Harry have managed to maintain a close friendship with Princess Eugenie, the daughter of Prince Andrew.
Originally published as Meghan Markle’s long list of frenemies given the chop since royal wedding revealed
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