A director who worked with Meghan Markle early in her acting career has revealed he spent the night chatting with Prince Harry at the Legends of Aviation Awards.
Matthew Cole Weiss, 44, said he had a “full conversation” with the royal, who was “super sweet” and revealed Harry had seen the 2006 TV movie Deceit, in which Meghan stars.
Released in 2006, the psychological thriller follows a young man who returns home after the death of his father and falls in love with his best friend’s wife.
It explores attraction, violence and deceit. In one scene in the film, Meghan plays Gwen, a friend of the main character who gives the main character advice.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, Weiss wrote after the gala in Los Angeles: “I need to have a full conversation with Prince Harry. Super sweet. He knew the movie I directed starring Meghan! He said he had looked at it before. And photos with Oliver Stone and William Shatner!’
Matthew Cole Weiss, 44, said he had a “full conversation” with the royal, who was “super sweet” and revealed Harry had seen the 2006 TV movie Deceit, in which Meghan stars. Meghan is depicted in the film
Released in 2006, the psychological thriller follows a young man who returns home after the death of his father and falls in love with his best friend’s wife.
Weiss, who also works as a producer for TMZ and has a social media feed full of celebrity selfies, included a photo of Harry chatting with guests at the gala.
The film is receiving poor reviews online and only scores 4.5/10 on IMDB, with viewers saying the film has ‘weak acting’, ‘no characters’ and that it will ‘bore you to death’.
Harry appeared happy to pose for photos at the gala, which Meghan had to miss to care for a sick child.
Among them was the self-proclaimed ‘Prince’ Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe – who was once dubbed the ‘King of Trash TV’.
The Duke was all smiles as he posed with Mario-Max, despite being warned to ‘stay away’ from the German ‘prince’, who is accused of using his false connections to flog a ‘wealth elixir’ .
Mario-Max’s website has connections dating back to William of Orange, which would make him a very distant cousin of the British Royals.
But his royal connections to the head of the family, Prince Alexander of Schaumburg-Lippe, are being questioned, with him accusing him of ‘harvesting our name for personal gain’ and warning Harry to ‘stay away from this man’.
The 46-year-old appeared on the German version of Celebrity Big Brother in 2014, where he was evicted after just eight days in the house, and he also appeared on a shopping channel to sell a ‘wealth elixir’.
Harry seemed happy to pose for photos at the gala. He can be seen with John Travolta, Lauren Sanches and Jeff Bezos
Weiss, who also works as a producer for TMZ and has a social media feed full of celebrity selfies, included a photo of Harry chatting with guests at the gala
The head of the family, Prince Alexander of Schaumburg-Lippe, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘It is very painful for me, this man has harvested our name for his personal gain. Prince Harry couldn’t stoop lower than to appear with him. I would advise him to stay away from this man. ‘
Mario-Max – who claims he has the right to use the royal title after being adopted by a distant family member at the age of 23 – has been dubbed ‘the King of Trash TV’ in the German press because he on the local version of Big Brother, and offering products on shopping channels, including a so-called ‘wealth elixir’.
He is also a regular visitor to America, where he has posed for photos with celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Liza Minnelli and Ivana Trump at parties and red carpet events, and where he once dated one of the Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills.
When accepting the award, Harry made no mention of his father or sister-in-law’s health problems, but did pay tribute to his late mother.
As he accepted the award from host John Travolta, he mentioned Princess Diana who danced with him at a White House dinner for President Ronald Reagan in 1985.
“I was only a year old when you danced with my mother in the White House and now look at us.”
He added: “The only thing left for us to do is… not dance together, but fly together.”
The Duke completed two tours of Afghanistan as a forward air controller and as an Apache helicopter pilot, having flown numerous training missions in Britain, the US and Australia.
He served in the military for ten years, rising to the rank of captain and later founded the Invictus Games – a sporting event for wounded service members and veterans.
On stage, Travolta asked him about his time in the military: “What do you remember about your first flight?” Harry joked back, “It’s a secret.”
Prince Harry was all smiles as he posed for a selfie with Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe at the Living Legends of Aviation in Los Angeles on Friday evening
Prince Mario-Max later called the moment between Harry and Travolta on stage ‘very moving and sweet’.
‘John Travolta presented the award and he referred to the dance with his mother, Princess Diana, (when) Prince Harry was a year old, so he says, “Now I see you again in a new circumstance, on a new stage” ,’ he said. said.
“That was very moving and very sweet, because we all remember how beautiful John Travolta and Princess Diana’s dance was, and now Princess Diana’s son is receiving an award from John Travolta. It was the cutest, most touching moment.”
In his speech, Harry then thanked the Living Legends of Aviation awards for the ‘incredible honour’, adding that he is ‘proud to be recognized among such a dynamic and inspiring group of individuals’.
Harry takes his place alongside other aerospace legends including Buzz Aldrin, Jeff Bezos, Tom Cruise, Neil Armstrong, Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman and Elon Musk.
He continued, “For me, flying has been a transcendent experience. An encounter with magic, an invitation to both protect freedom… and to feel free, and, funnily enough, a chance to ground yourself, without actually being grounded.
‘I think my flight training – which lasted over the course of three years – was one of life’s greatest lessons. It stirred up a wide range of feelings.”
He didn’t allude to the medical dramas for his family on the other side of the Atlantic; The Princess of Wales is midway through a two-week hospital stay following surgery, while King Charles is being treated for an enlarged prostate.
Meghan (pictured with Harry in New York City in May 2023), 42, was not present when one of their children became unwell, the PA news agency understands
But Harry’s appointment has angered some former top British military officials.
Lord West, former head of the Royal Navy, said: ‘He is not a living legend of aviation. To suggest he is is pathetic. It makes it all a bit nonsense when they are willing to choose someone like Prince Harry.
“He didn’t perform any great exciting feats of amazing flying skills while flying for the Army. They’re just trying to get publicity. They know it will cause an uproar.”
Retired officer Colonel Richard Kemp said Harry was “a brave guy” and that his role in Afghanistan was “undoubtedly very dangerous”.
But he said there are “helicopter pilots who have done far more extraordinary things in Iraq and Afghanistan, risking their lives to save their fellow soldiers.”
The Living Legends of Aviation website also praised the Duke for his work with charities and organizations including Travalyst, Sentebale, African Parks and WellChild.
A statement on the website said: ‘Prince Harry is a humanitarian, military veteran, mental health advocate and environmentalist.
“He has dedicated his life to advancing causes he is passionate about and that create permanent change for people and places.”
Harry was inducted alongside US Navy pilot Fred George and former world speed record holder Steve Hinton, as well as Lauren Sanchez – a helicopter pilot who is engaged to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
She will receive the Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award for her skills as a helicopter pilot and aviation businesswoman, after founding aerial film company Black Ops Aviation in 2016.
The Duke’s appearance comes as his father, the King, prepares to undergo treatment for an enlarged prostate next week, while his sister-in-law, the Princess of Wales, recovers from abdominal surgery at the London Clinic.
Kate is not expected to resume her public duties until well into the spring.