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Prince Harry is set to become a godfather after his best friend Charlie van Straubenzee welcomed his first child with wife Daisy Jenks last week.
The couple’s daughter, named Clover, arrived on February 26, reports The Sunday Times – and with Harry currently in the UK, it’s likely he’ll pay the new arrival a visit.
London-based Charlie, 31, a businessman and investment executive, is believed to be godfather to Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle’s son Archie Harrison Mountbatten Windsor, who turns one in May.
It’s likely Charlie will repay the favour with his own child, as the pair have been friends since their time at Ludgrove Prep School in Berkshire. Charlie’s older brother Thomas is Princess Charlotte’s godfather.
Charlie van Straubenzee welcomed his first child with wife Daisy Jenks (pictured together on their wedding day in August 2018) last week
The friends have been pictured together in the past attending events such as the Rugby World Cup in 2015, where they watched England play Australia.
Charlie and Thomas were both Prince Harry’s ushers at his Windsor Castle wedding to Meghan in May 2018, and Charlie gave a speech alongside Prince William at the evening reception at Frogmore House.
Meanwhile the Duke of Sussex acted as Charlie’s best man at his wedding to Daisy, a society wedding and party videographer who runs a company with her sister Kitty, on August 4 later that year in Frensham, Surrey – also Meghan’s 37th birthday.
Princess Eugenie and her now-husband Jack Brooksbank also attended the nuptials.
Prince Harry and Charlie van Straubenzee (pictured together at the Rugby World Cup in 2015) struck up a friendship when they attended Ludgrove Prep School in Berkshire
Harry made annual summer visits to the Straubenzee family home in Cornwall while he was growing up.
In his wedding speech, Charlie allegedly made reference to the prince’s ‘ginger locks’ and teased Harry about his days as a dormitory monitor at their school.
‘All I wanted was a cuddle from my mummy,’ he said. ‘Instead Harry nicked my teddy bear and chucked it out onto the roof. Ladies and gentlemen, I ask you, how can you put someone in charge of a dorm when that someone is worse behaved than the whole dorm combined?’
The Duke of Sussex acted as Charlie’s best man at his wedding to Daisy, a society wedding and party video maker, on August 4 later that year in Frensham, Surrey – also Meghan’s 37th birthday (pictured together at the nuptials)
Daisy Jenks, Charlie van Straubenzee and Thomas van Straubenzee pictured at the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank at St George’s Chapel in October 2018
Prince Harry and Meghan are currently living in Canada after stepping back as senior members of the Royal Family in January.
Yesterday it was claimed the Queen held a four-hour meeting with her grandson at Windsor Castle to ‘clear the air’ and told him he will ‘always be welcomed back’ if he wanted to become a frontline royal again.
Her Majesty, 93, invited the Duke of Sussex to lunch on Sunday for a heart-to-heart chat ahead of his and Meghan Markle’s final duties in Britain this month.
An insider said the Queen ended the chat by telling Harry he is ‘much loved and will always be welcomed back’, The Sun reported.
Harry and Meghan are set to join the Queen, Prince William and Kate Middleton for a Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey next week.
Prince Harry and Meghan are currently living in Canada after stepping back as senior members of the Royal Family earlier this year. Pictured at Canada House in January
It will be the first time the Duke and Duchess have appeared with the royal family since their bombshell ‘Megxit’ announcement, and their last as senior royals.
Harry and Meghan – who are staying at their residence of Frogmore Cottage while in Britain, with the Duchess expected to arrive later this week – caused a royal crisis when they announced they wanted to step back into a dual role, supporting the Queen and earning their own money.
But the plan was unworkable, and the couple are now dropping their HRH styles and stepping away from the monarchy completely, for a life mostly in North America, from March 31.
Who is Charlie van Straubenzee?
Charlie, pictured with wife Daisy on their wedding day in 2018
Charlie van Straubenzee is the son of Alexander and Claire van Straubenzee.
He is a grandson of Lieutenant-Colonel Henry van Straubenzee, while his father is the circulation manager for The Spectator.
Charlie attended Ludgrove School, which is where he and his brother Thomas became close friends of Prince Harry and Prince William.
He went on to attend Harrow School and the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 2010.
Charlie and Harry were known as perpetual batchelors, and when Charlie’s relationship with Daisy got serious in 2016, a mutual friend told the Daily Mail: ‘This means Harry really does have to find a girlfriend.’ Luckily this was around the time he began his relationship with Meghan.
In 2002, Charlie’s his brother Henry was killed in a car accident at the age of 18. He died instantly when a car in which he was a passenger hit a tree outside Ludgrove preschool in Berkshire, where he and the princes were once pupils.
The funeral was attended by members of the Royal Family, and a memorial fund was set up in his name in 2007, with Princes William and Harry as patrons. The charity helps schools in Uganda.
Every year a Christmas carol concert is held at St Luke’s Church in Chelsea, organised by the Henry van Straubenzee Memorial Fund to boost funds for its projects.
Henry van Straubenzee, 18, died instantly when the car in which he was a passenger hit a tree outside Ludgrove preschool in Berkshire, where all three boys were once pupils. This photo is undated
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