Diana would not have been a ‘great fan’ of Meghan Markle as she ‘might imagine’, a former friend of the Princess of Wales has said on the 25th anniversary of the royal’s death.

The Princess’ diarist Tina Brown said she thinks Diana would have seen the former actress as someone who is ‘steering Harry in a direction that was not good’ for the Prince.

Ms Brown added: ‘I don’t think Diana would have been the great fan of Meghan that Meghan herself might perhaps imagine.’

Speaking to the Daily Beast, she added that Diana would also have been ‘thrilled’ by the Duke meeting his wife who has made ‘her son was happy’.

‘She would have been delighted, supportive and thrilled someone of mixed race was joining the royal family because Diana was so inclusive,’ she added.

Ms Brown has previously said Megxit had affected the Royal Family, saying they were ‘still reeling’ and ‘just baffled’ at why the relationship with the Sussexes suddenly deteriorated.

Diana was killed suddenly in a car crash on August 31, 1997, when she was 36 – and when William and Harry were just 15 and 12.

The brothers paid their own private respects to Princess Diana yesterday, on the 25th anniversary of her death, rather than doing so jointly in public as in previous years.

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Diana would not have been a ‘great fan’ of Meghan as she ‘might imagine’, a royal expert has said

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Tributes are left on the gates outside Kensington Palace today on the 25th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death

Speaking to Marie Claire to promote her new book, ‘The Palace Papers’, the author of the Diana Chronicles, said Harry’s actions were a continuation of the ‘War of the Wales’ earlier this year.

Ms Brown said he is ‘continuing his mother Diana’s campaign to disrupt’ his father’s ‘future reign, the ex-Vanity Fair editor claimed – as she accused him of becoming a ‘disruptive force’.

‘Meghan got angry so fast, and that’s what’s rocked the family. They’re still reeling and just baffled why it seemed to go wrong so quickly,’ she said.

Nelson Mandela’s grandson slams Meghan Markle for suggesting South Africans celebrated her wedding the same way they rejoiced his freedom

Nelson Mandela’s grandson today slammed Meghan Markle for suggesting her marriage to Prince Harry sparked scenes of joy in South Africa reminiscent of the 1990 release of the legendary anti-apartheid campaigner after 27 years in jail, telling MailOnline: ‘It cannot be equated to as the same’.

Zwelivelile ‘Mandla’ Mandela has said he was ‘surprised’ at her remarks in The Cut magazine when she claimed that three years ago a cast member of the Lion King had made the comparison between her royal wedding and Madiba’s historic walk to freedom.

 In a 6,409-word article called ‘Meghan of Montecito’, the former Suits star recalled an encounter she had at the 2019 London premiere of a live-action version of the Disney classic. She said an actor from South Africa pulled her aside and told her: ‘I just need you to know: When you married into this family, we rejoiced in the streets the same we did when Mandela was freed from prison’.

But MailOnline has learned that the story has astonished the Mandela family. ‘Mandla’ Mandela, an MP and Chief of the late South African President’s Mvezo tribe, said he was ‘surprised’ at her remarks.

He told MailOnline: ‘Madiba’s celebration was based on overcoming 350 years of colonialism with 60 years of a brutal apartheid regime in South Africa. So It cannot be equated to as the same.’

His grandfather served 27 years in prison before being released and re-uniting opponents and going on to lead his country.

Zwelivelile said when the people of South Africa expressed their joy at his grandfather’s release and danced in the streets, it was for a far more important and serious reason than her marriage ‘to a white prince’.

The African National Congress MP added: ‘We are still bearing scars of the past. But they were (Mr Mandela’s celebrations) a product of the majority of our people being brought out onto the streets to exercise the right of voting for the first time.’

Meghan’s claim has sparked rage and ridicule with critics telling her to ‘get lost’ and accusing her of showing ‘utmost disrespect’.

‘It’s still a source of great pain to them; they were also completely knocked for six when they decided to do the Oprah interview, and now Harry’s doing a book.

‘Harry has become a disruptive force in the family. For them, it’s like Diana’s son is continuing the campaign to disrupt Charles’ future reign, and the ”War of the Wales” continues. It’s a very destabilizing factor.’

Diana died after the Mercedes she was travelling in with her partner Dodi Fayed, son of tycoon Mohamed Al-Fayed, was being pursued by the paparazzi after leaving the Ritz Hotel in Paris, when it crashed in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel.

William and Harry have previously marked anniversaries together, including last year when they unveiled a bronze statue of their mother in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace.

However, a source told the Mirror that William is ‘not planning’ to make a public statement, adding: ‘He will no doubt spend the day reflecting on his mother’s incredible legacy and the work he continues to do every day to further it in any way he can.’

Meanwhile, Harry, who is locked in a dispute with the family after leaving with wife Meghan to move to the US, also paid tribute to her last week.

Speaking in Aspen, Colorado, he said of Diana’s anniversary: ‘I want it to be a day filled with memories of her incredible work and love for the way she did it.

‘I want it to be a day to share the spirit of my mum with my family, with my children, who I wish could have met her. Every day, I hope to do her proud.’

The brothers sought comfort from one another in the aftermath of Diana’s death during their difficult teenage years and beyond.

Harry said of William when he turned 21: ‘Ever since our mother died, obviously we were close, but he is the one person on this earth who I can actually really… we can talk about anything.’

The Sussexes will also visit the UK next month – but are not set to see William and Kate or the Queen, who is currently at Balmoral.

The Sussexes, who last went to Balmoral in 2018, are not planning to visit the Highlands estate, according to the Daily Telegraph – which also reported that they are still waiting on decisions around their security in the UK before they decide whether to travel off schedule.

A Home Office panel is also set to decide whether they qualify for protection by the Metropolitan Police.

On September 5 the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will travel from their home in California to visit Manchester for the One Young World Summit, which brings together young leaders from more than 190 countries. Meghan, 40, will give the keynote address at the opening ceremony.

The couple will then head to Germany for an event to commemorate a year until the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf on September 6, before returning to the UK for the WellChild Awards in London on September 8 where Prince Harry will deliver a speech.

It is the first time the couple will be in the UK since the Jubilee celebrations in June, when they kept a low profile. They also visited in April, when they secretly met with Charles and the Queen on their way to the Netherlands

Brothers Prince William and Prince Harry have not spoken face-to-face since they unveiled a statue of their late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales last summer.

The Duke of Cambridge and his family are moving from Kensington Palace to Adelaide Cottage, just a ten-minute walk from Windsor Castle, later this month.

If the Sussexes stay at their home, Frogmore Cottage, will only be a short five-minute walk from the Cambridges, who will be just 800m away when they relocate to Adelaide in the next few weeks.

It will be the first time the two couples have been neighbours since Prince Harry and Meghan moved out of Kensington Palace in 2019.

But a source reportedly said the Sussexes’s visit will be focused on ‘supporting several charities close to their hearts’, and they have no plans to see the Cambridges.

William and Harry: The royal brothers’ rift 25 years after Diana’s death

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William and Harry have previously marked anniversaries together, including last year when they unveiled a bronze statue of their mother in the Sunken Garden

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William and Harry will pay their own private respects to Princess Diana today, on the 25th anniversary of her death, rather than doing so jointly in public