Last week, it was revealed by a former boyfriend of Lady Gabriella Windsor that her mother, Princess Michael of Kent, once named her two black Gloucestershire sheep Serena and Venus, after the Williams’ sisters. Now, a royal biographer has claimed that the minor royal will still be invited to the upcoming wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, despite Serena Williams also likely being in attendance.
‘Of course she will still be invited,’ Hugo Vickers told the Express. ‘It is ridiculous. It is usual for all of the Royal family to be invited. Having said that, as far as Prince Harry is concerned, the rules go out the window and he invites who he chooses. Nottingham Cottage where the Michaels live is almost opposite their front door.’
He went on to criticize the claims made by Aatish Taseer, saying that: ‘He bites the hands that feeds him. They were all very nice to him. Lady Gabriella was very fond of him, so it is very unpleasant of him.’
Markle has described Williams as one of her closest friends, after the two met at a charity event in 2014. It was once touted that she would be one of the bridesmaids when the former Suits star marries Prince Harry on 19 May, but there is concern now that the event clashes with a major tennis tournament, so she may not attend after all.
It is not the first time that Princess Michael of Kent has gotten into hot water over racism allegations. In December, she attended a luncheon at Buckingham Palace wearing a blackamoor brooch, and in 2004 she reportedly told a group of people of colour to ‘go back to the colonies’.