The False Rumor People Believe About George Clooney, Kate Middleton And Meghan Markle
One of the best moments from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal wedding was when several A-listers joined the festivities, much to the delight of those of us following along at home. Celebrity couple George and Amal Clooney were among the guest list's brightest stars, with one major rumor circulating after the event that the actor had shared the dance floor with both Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, and Catherine, Princess of Wales. According to The Mirror, this major moment supposedly took place at the second reception for Meghan and her new husband Prince Harry, which was held at Frogmore House and boasted just 200 guests — in stark contrast to the first reception's 600.
Apparently, he also asked Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, for a spin but she turned George down. One insider recalled that after a relatively stiff start to the proceedings, "It was informal and a lovely atmosphere. The whole evening had a really chilled, festival vibe." However, per Hello! magazine, the following month at the June 2018 celebration for his American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award, George clarified, "There were a lot of stories, I heard I danced with [...] everybody." But, "I didn't dance, I didn't. There wasn't beer pong. I heard there was beer pong, no beer pong." Elsewhere, there were also reports that the Clooneys were super close with the Sussexes prior to the wedding.
Did George and Amal Clooney know the Sussexes well before their wedding?
In April 2018, a month before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's star-studded wedding, hair stylist Miguel Perez spoke to The Mail on Sunday about Amal Clooney's connection to the duchess. Confirming that he tackled both ladies' tresses, Perez revealed, "Meghan is friends with [Amal]," adding, "Amal put Meghan and me together when she moved here," (via Pressreader). Likewise, the celebrity hairdresser also confirmed that he was set to do Meghan's wedding hair. In May 2018, following their big day, a source informed People, "Meghan and Amal have known each other for a while [and share] many interests." They claimed that the women were initially connected by a mutual friend, noting, "Amal has been helping Meghan settle into London life. It was a very natural friendship from day one."
In royal biography "Finding Freedom," co-authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand stated that Harry and George Clooney became pals thanks to their mutual love of motorcycles, after initially crossing paths at a charity event. Supposedly, their friendship preceded Meghan meeting the prince too. However, another report called this idea into question. In an October 2020 article for AirMail, Rachel Johnson divulged, "There's a story doing the rounds that while Carolyn Bartholomew, Diana's former flatmate, was waiting for the wedding service to start, she turned to the couple alongside her and asked how they knew Harry or Meghan. 'We don't,' the Clooneys answered brightly."
How the celebrity couples reportedly became friends
In a 2019 interview for the Daily Mail's Weekend magazine, George Clooney shrugged, "I've just known them," without clarifying how he knew Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Regardless, the Clooneys and the Sussexes undoubtedly formed a friendship, with the "Gravity" star discussing being neighbors and getting dinner with them. He continued, "They're just really nice, fun, kind people, they're a very loving couple, and they're going to be great parents." In addition to the former royals living close to Amal Clooney and George's U.K. residence back in the day, "Finding Freedom" reported that they stayed at the couple's place at least twice before too. They also reportedly visited the Clooneys at their home in Lake Como, Italy, in 2018. According to Hello!, Chi, an Italian magazine, reported the news.
"Finding Freedom" also asserted that the "E.R." alum set up Meghan and Harry's Como visit. The Sussexes were not interviewed for the biography, and it doesn't appear that George and Amal were either, but an insider outlined what supposedly went down: "Meghan and Amal spent a lot of time relaxing by the pool and playing with [Amal and George's] twins while George and Harry checked out George's motorbike collection." Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank were also reportedly staying with the Clooneys in Como when Harry and Meghan showed up. Such a visit might not happen again though, since George and Amal are reportedly among the celebs who've left Harry and Meghan's social circle.