James Haskell Slams Royal Family as ‘Dysfunctional’ in Defending Prince Harry
James Haskell has said the royal family needs to stop pretending they aren’t like everyone else. (Getty Images)
James Haskell has branded the royal family “dysfunctional” as he defended Prince Harry’s right to speak out against the way he says they treated him.
The retired rugby player – who was a guest at Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle – offered his own opinion on the royals when asked about the Duke of Sussex’s controversial memoir Spare.
Haskell, 37, said OK! Magazine: “The royal family is a dysfunctional family that claims to be ordained of God and they are not. They are literally like every family in the world.”
Continue reading: Everything Harry said about the estranged William in his ITV interview
The former England rugby player, who says he is still in touch with the prince since moving to Los Angeles, defended Prince Harry’s right to publicly air his family disagreements in his autobiography.
Prince Harry and James Haskell chat before a Six Nations training session at Twickenham Stadium in 2018. (Getty Images)
Haskell said: “Everyone has the right to have the opportunity to say what they want, and if someone feels that they and their partner have been oppressed, lied to, contradicted and cornered, I think that’s a big deal important [to speak out].”
The retired athlete who competed in I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2019 – is married to Chloe Madeley, daughter of Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan.
He recently appeared on Good Morning Britain to talk about his own new feel-good book, in which he told his father-in-law Madeley he thought it was important Prince Harry was allowed to tell his own story.
James Haskell and his wife Chloe Madeley at Windsor Castle to celebrate Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018. (Getty Images)
He said: “If Emily Pankhurst had never done what she did, women wouldn’t have achieved what they have achieved, if Rosa Parks hadn’t said I won’t get up, certain things wouldn’t have happened.
“I’m not comparing Harry to them, but I’m saying in terms of standing up for something, you can’t let people keep walking over you.”
Continue reading: Chloe Madeley and James Haskell welcome first child
Spare has become the fastest-selling non-fiction book of all time, selling 400,000 copies in hardcover, e-book and audio formats on day one of publication.
Behold: James Haskell defends Prince Harry for publishing tell-all book
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