Prince Harry 'changed after Meghan Markle,' former pal says as she reflects on friendship

Catherine Mackinlay, Charl Wright Sat, November 7, 2026 at 1:51 PM UTC

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been together for more than a decade (Image: Karwai Tang, WireImage via Getty Images)

A former acquaintance of Prince Harry has disclosed what the Duke of Sussex was like during his notorious partying years and hinted that Meghan Markle may have been instrumental in transforming his conduct.

Royal journalist Charlotte Griffiths, who temporarily befriended Harry while circulating in London's elite social scene, shared her encounters with the Duke during an appearance on the Daily Expresso podcast.

Speaking to show host JJ Anisiobi, Griffiths recounted partying with Harry and his circle in the late 2000s and early 2010s, when the royal was recognized for his raucous demeanor. She revealed that she had joined a group of affluent young socialites who frequently attended parties throughout West London, including members of the Royal Family.

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Griffiths said, "Some of my mates genuinely knew him. So yeah, we just partied together, and I ended up briefly becoming friends with him."

Characterizing the Harry she encountered, she remembered one especially wild weekend at an opulent country estate, where the prince and his companions were having a good time.

Prince Harry was known for his lively personality in his younger years. (Image: Getty Images)

She portrayed Harry as "quite boisterous" during his younger years, remembering how his friends sometimes had to ask him to settle down at parties, reports the Express.

Griffiths also remembered how Harry repositioned costly silver animal figurines on a dining table to make them look like they were mating. She clarified that the conduct was mostly innocent, characterizing it as representative of the playful antics favored by the young aristocratic set.

Nevertheless, when JJ proposed that Harry's conduct didn't appear to be something Meghan Markle would have found appealing, Griffiths questioned whether the Duchess of Sussex had sparked his evolution.

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JJ remarked, "But that doesn't seem like the kind of man that Meghan Markle would be attracted to."

She said, "Yeah, well, I do wonder. And he's written about this in Spare. I wonder whether he slightly changed his ways after she met him... calmed himself down a bit, grew up." Yet, Griffiths recognized that the Duke's shift in conduct could also be explained by natural maturation.

Meghan and Harry share two children (Image: Getty Images)

She continued, "But to be fair to him, you know, and he said this on GQ, you wouldn't expect a 42-year-old man to be the same as a 22-year-old man."

Drawing on her own history, Griffiths mentioned she had also matured significantly since her twenties, when she frequently remained out celebrating until dawn. But she indicated Meghan's entrance into Harry's life may have expedited that transition.

Griffiths added, "I do think that the change in how he was was accelerated by Meghan, and maybe even instigated by Meghan coming on the scene."

She also implied that Harry leaving behind some of his previous conduct wasn't necessarily problematic. In another segment of the Daily Expresso interview, Griffiths disclosed that she ultimately ceased replying to Harry's Facebook messages after concluding it was challenging to preserve friendships within royal circles while building a journalism career.

She elaborated, "It's just difficult to [be] a journalist and a friend of the royal circles. So I took a view that I would just let it drift."

The royal commentator additionally addressed Harry's fractured relationship with Prince William, his continuing conflicts with the British press and the potential for reconciliation between the brothers.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”