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Prince Harry says Queen's disapproval of Leeds student Chelsy Davy led to relationship split

Prince Harry has revealed his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II's disapproval, was one of the reasons for the breakdown of his relationship with former flame, Chelsy Davy. The University of Leeds law graduate met Prince Harry in 2004 and the pair had an on-again off-again relationship until 2010.

However, The Duke of Sussex has now revealed that it was the Queen's disapproval of Chelsy that played a large part in their break-up. In his new memoir, Spare, Prince Harry revealed that he had not wanted Chelsy to change just to please his family.

In fact, Prince Harry took no prisoners in his memoir, which is on shelves now, namedropping Prince William, Kate and Camilla. He had choice words for all of them, but did also reveal that he still has a lot of love for his family and believes that they could make amends.

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This was something that he told Tom Bradby in his ITV interview, where he revealed that he "wants [his] father and brother back". Whether or not that will happen remains to be seen, particularly with some of the harsh criticisms that he has levelled at them in his new book, as the Mirror reports.

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Queen's role in split from Chelsy

Chelsy Davy was arguably Prince Harry's first serious relationship. The pair met in 2004, while both attending the Stowe School in Buckinghamshire. Many Royal fans have been convinced that the pair would end up together permanently, with some suggesting marriage could be on the cards.

It is no surprise, really, as she even attended William and Kate's wedding as Prince Harry's plus-one. But it seems the late Monarch wasn't a fan of Chelsy's free-spirited lifestyle, and ultimately this led to their separation.

Harry writes in his memoir that Chelsy made him "really happy", but this was not enough. He penned: "I couldn't help what my grandmother thought about it. Or the people. And the last thing I wanted was for Chels to change to please them."

Chelsy has also spoken out about the immense pressure of being in the public eye. "It was so full-on: crazy and scary and uncomfortable," she told the Times. "I found it very difficult when it was bad. I couldn't cope. I was young, I was trying to be a normal kid and it was horrible."

A poster advertising the launch of Prince Harry's memoir "Spare" is seen in a store window (Getty Images)

Camilla's leaks to the press

There is clearly no love lost between Harry and Camilla, whom the Prince alleges leaked stories to the press about his brother, William. He talks about how he and William begged their father King Charles not to marry the now Queen Consort and how she also gave "pinpoint accurate details" on her first meeting with Harry's brother.

Insinuating that Camilla leaked the information to journalists, Harry writes: "None [of the details] had come from Willy, of course. They could only have been leaked by the one other person present."

'Tipsy' William 'stank of booze' hours before marrying Kate

Harry has accused his brother of hitting the rum the night before his wedding to Kate, claiming that he was "tipsy" when he carried out a spontaneous walkabout in London. Royal fans camped out on The Mall to get the best views of the the royal wedding procession, and William wanted to go and say hello - despite warnings from their security team.

Harry writes: "Willy, already tipsy from the rum, shouted: 'Let's go down and see them!'." But Harry writes that it was "impossible not to hear the echo" of the scenes that followed Diana's death in August 1997.

The following morning, on the day of William and Kate's wedding, the brothers were "physically and mentally exhausted" and Harry suggested that William had not rested well that night.

"I was stunned when I went to pick him up in the morning and saw his haggard face and red eyes; It seemed that he had not slept at all," Harry wrote. When Harry asked if he was okay he said yes, but the Duke of Sussex writes that he didn't believe that to be true.

Harry claims that when the car began to move he told his brother he "smelled like alcohol", writing it was probably the "aftermath of the rum from the night before". He described how he opened the window a little, covered his nose and offered William mints "by way of mockery".

Charles's cruel jokes

Prince Harry claims that his father, now the King, made a series of cruel jokes at his expense. He said that Charles has a fondness for anecdotes, which included a tale about his visit to a psychiatric hospital where he met a man claiming to be the Prince of Wales - which was, of course, the title that Charles held at that time.

According to Prince Harry's book, Charles wagged his finger at the patient and said he was the only Prince of Wales. Harry adds that his dad had a tendency for ending his stories with a "philosophical flash" and, in this instance, Charles mused about whether anyone could be sure they were not the mentally ill one themselves, "living in a fantasy".

Harry then claims that Charles joked: "Who knows if I'm even your real father? Perhaps your father really is in Broadmoor, my dear son!" The Prince writes in the memoir that the joke was "in poor taste" given the rumour going around at the time that his real father was James Hewitt.

Elsewhere in the book, he claims Charles joked about him being the "spare" moments after he was born. He wrote how the now King told his mother Princess Diana on the day of his birth: “Wonderful! Now you’ve given me an heir and a spare. My work is done.”

First meeting with Camilla was 'like injection

Throughout the book, Prince Harry refers to Camilla as the "other woman" and writes that he was worried she would be a "wicked stepmother" figure. He compares meeting their first meeting to getting an injection, writing: “Close your eyes and you won’t even feel it.”

Harry also accuses Camilla of "campaigning" for the Crown after their relationship was made public.

However during Harry's interview with ITV's Tom Bradby, he claims he doesn't say anything "scathing" about Camilla. He said: "There’s no part of any of the things that I’ve said [in the book] that are scathing towards any member of my family, especially not my stepmother."

Charles didn't hug him after Diana's death

Some of the most emotional pages in the book come when Harry describes the moment he learned of his mother Princess Diana's death. He recalls being woken by his father while at Balmoral, who delivered the tragic news that Diana had died following a car crash in Paris.

Harry goes into detail about how he didn't shed a tear and reveals "Pa didn't hug me". He explains that his dad wasn't great at showing emotions - but follows up by saying he placed a hand on his knee and told him "It's going to be OK".

Bald digs at William

In the opening pages of the book, Harry reveals talks he held with William and Charles when he came to the UK for Prince Philip's funeral. He talks about how he took in the image of his brother as they prepared to chat and describes his "advancing baldness, more advance than my own".

Harry also makes a dig at how his brother had aged - and no longer resembled their mother Diana He adds: "His famous resemblance to Mummy, which was fading with time."

William and Harry's physical altercation

One of the most eye-popping claims in Spare by Harry is that a physical confrontation took place between him and older brother William at Nottingham Cottage in Kensington Palace in 2019. The book says William had called Meghan “difficult”, “rude” and “abrasive” – comments which the younger brother said parroted “the press narrative” about his wife.

Harry says insults were exchanged before he told William his claims that he was trying to help were incredulous. The Duke of Sussex then alleges: “(William) called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor.

"I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out." Harry writes that William urged him to hit back but he refused. Shortly afterwards though, the elder brother apologised.

William and Kate 'approved of Harry's Nazi uniform

When talking about his early 20s, Harry recalls the infamous Nazi uniform costume he wore to a fancy dress party in 2005. Pictures of Harry wearing the outfit emerged in public - leading to widespread criticism but in his memoir, he claims William and Kate approved of him wearing it.

He says he called them to ask for their advice on whether he should wear it and adds they both "howled" when he told them about it.

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