Royals

Alison Hammond says Prince Harry is “punching” with Meghan Markle

Showbiz guru famously tried to interview the duo in December

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Alison Hammond has joked Prince Harry is “punching” when it comes to gorgeous fiancée Meghan Markle.

This Morning’s showbiz presenter – who famously tried to interview the pair at their first public engagement in Nottingham – quipped that US actress Meghan, 36, is out of Harry’s league.

Chatting to Reveal mag, Alison said of Meghan: “She’s stunning, Harry is punching above his weight.

“They are both beautiful in their own way, though, and Harry is very striking with his red hair.”

Alison got up close to both Meghan and Harry, 33, back in December, when she covered their first official public engagement as a couple together.

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She took the This Morning cameras to Nottingham, where Meghan and Harry made an appearance just days after announcing their engagement.

Viewers will remember that Alison got rather over-excited by the whole experience and ended up bellowing “Megs, Megs!” in a bid to attract the soon-to-be royal’s attention.

“The whole day was amazing,” she told Reveal, admitting: “I got really carried away screaming their names.”

Alison joked on This Morning earlier this month that she may need “royal protocol” lessons after her enthusiastic and, er, unorthodox approach to interviewing royalty made headlines.

She had desperately tried to get the royal couple’s attention on their walkabout, screaming out: “Harry! Harry! Come and get warmed up by me! Come and say how you’re doing. Congratulations!”

However, the prince walked straight past her without comment.

Alison then tried to get Meghan to chat, screaming at the American actress: “Megs! Megs! Megs! ITV, Megs! You look beautiful today. Megs, you may have seen me with Harrison Ford. Megs, I know all the showbiz. Alison Hammond, showbiz!

“Meghan, we want to have some love from you. Megs, we need some love from ya!”

She did finally manage to attract the star’s attention, telling her “congratulations from This Morning”.

Her antics divided This Morning viewers, with some branding Alison’s attempts to interview the royal couple ’embarrassing, cringe and awkward’, while others loved her approach to the situation, describing it as ‘hilarious and refreshing’.

Alison joked: “I may need to get some lessons on royal protocol!”

However, Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield urged Alison to never change.

“Please don’t change, that was the only way to do it and the best way to do it,” said Phillip.

Holly added: “I was watching another channel the other day doing something and it was so dull compared to you, not even a patch.”

Phil said he thinks Harry and Meghan would enjoy Alison’s approach to getting their attention.

Alison explained: “That day, I was just so excited as I’d never done something like that before.

“I was extremely excited at the vibe down there and I just couldn’t believe that Meghan had come so close.

“Harry did look like he wanted to speak to me but as soon as he saw the microphone he swerved.

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“There was that recognition. He looked like he would come speak to me so if I didn’t have a microphone, me and Harry would be mates.”

When quizzed today if she’d use the same attention-grabbing tactics with The Queen, Alison laughed: “No! Definitely not. I wouldn’t have been asked to do it!”


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor

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