Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.
By Leah Bitsky
January 16, 2023 | 9:04am
The tea was too hot for this party.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly were “not welcome” at the star-studded 2023 BAFTA Tea Party in Los Angeles on Saturday amid their drama with the royal family.
“BAFTA decided it was a terrible idea [to invite them],” a consultant for the charitable organization claimed to the Sun on Sunday, adding, “They thought it would be a PR disaster.”
The source pointed out that Harry’s estranged brother, Prince William, is the president of BAFTA, so executives allegedly felt that extending an invitation to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for the annual event would be a mistake.
“For them to roll out the red carpet to Harry and his wife would be like setting off a nuclear bomb. It’s a no-go,” the insider told the British newspaper, adding that Harry “roundly attacked” his family in both his Netflix docuseries, “Harry & Meghan,” as well as his memoir, “Spare.”
Additionally, the prospect of Harry, 38, or Markle, 41, speaking about William, 40, at the event was enough to keep them off the guest list, according to the report.
“Any interviews would go viral,” the source concluded. “Anything negative on William would be devastating.”
A spokesperson for the Prince of Wales declined to comment to the Sun, while a BAFTA rep tells Page Six that the Sussexes’ “attendance was not discussed whatsoever.”
The BAFTA Tea Party is a “staple fixture in the Los Angeles awards season calendar,” according to the charity’s website, which states, “The BAFTA Tea Party welcomes nominees, members and guests for a uniquely elegant gathering.”
This year, stars including Angela Bassett, Brendan Fraser, Michelle Williams and Cate Blanchett attended the glamorous evening at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills.
Harry and Markle moved to her native California after quitting their royal duties in January 2020. They currently reside in Montecito with their two children, Archie, 3, and Lilibet, 1.
Despite their physical proximity to the event, William’s connection to BAFTA was apparently enough to prevent the Archewell co-founders from attending.
William has served as the president of BAFTA since February 2010 and often attends the awards show with his wife, Kate Middleton.
Harry ripped into William and Middleton, 41, in his new book, causing even more tension between the brothers.
The redheaded royal claimed the heir apparent had physically attacked him in 2019 after they got into an argument about Markle.
Harry also blamed William and Middleton for convincing him to wear a Nazi uniform to a 2005 costume party and doubled down on previous claims that the Princess of Wales made Markle cry in the days leading up to the Sussexes’ 2018 wedding.
Additionally, the book included claims about Harry’s father, King Charles III, and his stepmother, Queen Consort Camilla.
The 76th British Academy Film Awards will take place in London on Feb. 19.
Reps for the Sussexes did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
Read Next
Sam Asghari shuts down report that Britney Spears had 'mel…
This story has been shared 45,013 times.
This story has been shared 37,448 times.
This story has been shared 21,150 times.
This story has been shared 17,973 times.
Follow us
© 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved Terms of Use Privacy Notice Your Ad Choices Sitemap
Your California Privacy Rights