Meghan Markle’s Former Friend Says the Duchess Told Her to ‘F*** Off’ After She Started Dating Prince Harry: ‘She Ghosted Me’

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry began a whirlwind romance back in 2016. The two had met through a mutual friend in July of that year and began spending time together under the radar; after their relationship became public in fall 2016, Meghan’s life became heavily criticized, with the press painting her in a bad light and some of those close to her advising that she’s not as nice as she appears.

Now, one former friend of the duchess’, with whom Meghan was close to just before she began dating Harry, is speaking out about how Meghan supposedly treated her.

Meghan Markle’s former friend Millie Mackintosh says the duchess ‘ghosted’ her

Friendships can come and go. Nobody is a total stranger to that, but British reality star Millie Mackintosh says her friendship with Meghan Markle abruptly ended the moment Meghan shot to fame. While speaking on her Mumlemmas podcast on May 10, Mackintosh shared that she and Meghan met at a bar and grew close quickly in 2015. “When she would come to London, she didn’t know London very well or know that many people,” Mackintosh said, per The Independent, adding that she would spend time with Meghan and show her around.

Mackintosh posted a photo with Meghan to her Instagram account back in September 2016, not long after Harry and Meghan had started secretly dating. Meghan revealed her budding relationship to Mackintosh at the time, but things changed drastically between the two women when Meghan’s relationship with the prince went public.

Mackintosh says Meghan Markle ‘told me to f*** off, basically’

After Meghan and Harry exploded into one of the most famous couples in the world, Mackintosh said she reached out to the duchess to see how she was doing and noted that Meghan replied with a “really abrupt” message that was “unlike any of our communication before”.

“[I] felt like [Meghan] kind of told me to f*** off, basically,” Mackintosh said.

Mackintosh said watching the royal wedding upset her because she and Meghan had grown close before the duchess became more famous. “At the time, honestly, it was quite hurtful … I was a bit like, feels a bit s*** because she ghosted me.” Mackintosh said that once she sent the message to Meghan she “never” heard from the duchess again.

Meghan Markle hasn’t always received rave reviews from former friends and staffers

When Meghan was a member of the royal family, she hit a few speed bumps with royal staffers. A number of those on Harry and Meghan’s team quit within months of taking the job, leading the press to brand her as “Duchess Difficult” with rumors that she would send emails to staffers as early as 5am. One palace aid infamously referred to Meghan as a “bully.”

Of course, Meghan’s own family on her father’s side has always had harsh words about her, too, and rumors swirled that she had reportedly ended the marriage to her first husband abruptly as well. A number of Meghan’s friends, including Serena Williams and her Suits co-stars, have since spoken out in favor of the duchess and have had nothing but good things to say about her.