Like every family, the British royal family too has its share of secrets which it would rather keep hidden. However, unlike most families, there is no hoping that the embarrassments would pass off quietly under the radar! Here’s looking at some of the storms that have hit the occupants of the House of Windsor…
Back in 1936, King Edward VIII took the throne after his father died. However, the Church of England forbade him from marrying his divorced American lover, Wallis Simpson. Amidst huge uproar, he renounced the throne to marry her in 1937. They remained together until his death in 1972.
The course of Princess Margaret (sister of Queen Elizabeth)’s love life did not run smooth. She had fallen in love with a married man whom she was not permitted to marry. Her marriage to Anthony Armstrong ended amidst rumours about her involvement with a man 17 years younger than her. Her divorce was the first in the royal family since that of Henry VIII in the 16th century.
Princess Diana’s sensational BBC interview in 1995 saw her drop shockers galore about the pressures of public life, her struggles with self-harm, postpartum depression, bulimia and Charles' affair with Camilla. Her quote “There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded,” was matched by her admission that she had been unfaithful to Charles with James Hewitt, her riding instructor. The following year they divorced officially.
Queen Elizabeth’s daughter Princess Anne divorced her husband after more than 20 years of marriage and married a member of the royal staff, an equerry named Timothy Laurence.
Sarah Ferguson, estranged wife of Prince Andrew, caused her share of scandal. She was papped vacationing with an American financial advisor, having her toes licked by the gentleman. The royals divorced in 1996. More recently Fergie, as she is popularly known, was caught accepting a bribe of £500,00 in exchange for access to her ex-husband.
Prince Andrew, who was the UK’s trade envoy from 2001 to 2011, had to resign after his personal relationships came under the scanner. His close friendship with American financier and convicted sex offender was particularly dubious.
Prince Harry raised his share of dust when, after admitting to his father that he had tried marijuana, he spent a day at Featherstone Lodge rehabilitation centre in London to supposedly learn about the possible consequences of starting to take cannabis. He was also photographed wearing a Nazi armband at a costume party, which necessitated a public apology.
Conspiracy theories continue to shroud Diana’s death in a horrific car crash in 1996. It has been suggested that her death was ordered by her family as she was allegedly pregnant with her lover Dodi’s child. Throughout the inquest, Mr Fayed, maintained that Diana and his son Dodi were "murdered" by MI6 on the orders of the Duke of Edinburgh.
Meghan Markle’s father Thomas Markle scuttled his plan of walking his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day after he supposedly suffered a heart attack and was too ill to make the trip from Mexico. However, the real reason behind his no-show is apparently the revelation that he was paid to pose for staged paparazzi pictures sold to news outlets worldwide.
