The west London pub where Prince Harry was spotted enjoying ‘a quiet drink like a normal customer’ on Friday is owned by a former equerry to Prince Charles, who the Duke of Sussex sees as ‘a second father’.
Harry, 35, was spotted dining with friends at the Brook House Pub in Fulham ‘for several hours’ on Friday night ahead of the bombshell announcement that he and Meghan Markle would drop their HRH titles.
The pub is owned by Mark Dyer, 53, who proved a huge comfort to Harry following the death of his mother in August 1997. It was today revealed that Mr Dyer is the godfather of baby Archie.
The west London pub where Prince Harry was spotted enjoying ‘a quiet drink like a normal customer’ yesterday is owned by a former equerry to Prince Charles, Mark Dyer who the Duke of Sussex sees as a second father. The pair are pictured together at the Sentebale Concert at Kensington Palace in central London on June 28, 2016
Cheltenham College educated Dyer, known as Marko to friends, became a steadying big brother figure to the princes in the mid-Nineties when he worked as an equerry to the Prince of Wales for 18 months. He bought the Brook House pub last year
Flame-haired, Cheltenham College-educated Dyer, known as ‘Marko’ to friends, became a steadying big brother figure to the princes in the mid-Nineties when he worked as an equerry to the Prince of Wales for 18 months.
Yesterday, a drinker at Brook House, told the Sun they had spotted the Prince in the upmarket pub.
They said: ‘He seemed very happy, relaxed. He was sat in the middle of seven guys and they spent a good few hours laughing and joking.
‘He seems like he was just a normal guy enjoying a few beers and a meal with his pals.’
Prince Charles appointed Dyer to keep an eye on his sons, and he was brought in as a male counterpart to former royal nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke (now Tiggy Pettifer) – with whom he enjoyed a brief romance with.
Dyer’s son Jasper, who is Prince Harry’s godson, was chosen as a page boy for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding in 2018.
Dyer (left with Meghan Markle watching Prince Harry play polo in 2017) had a brief romance with ex-royal nanny and godmother to Archie, Tiggy Legge-Bourke, and married Amanda Kline in 2010 (their wedding, right)
In 2009, the former Welsh Guard officer founded the management company MDM Bars and Pubs and ran pubs including the Rolling Stones’ favourite The Cross Keys and The Sand’s End, in Fulham, where Harry is said to have conducted his secret courtship with Meghan.
He sold the pubs in 2017 for more than £10million, and said he was going to ‘relax’ for a while, but last year bought the Fulham boozer with business partner Eamonn Manson.
Dyer had a brief romance with ex-royal nanny and godmother to Archie, Tiggy Legge-Bourke, and married Amanda Kline in 2010.
During the first school half-term after Diana’s death, when the boys would have been with their mother, Prince Charles was already committed to a five-day visit to Africa.
He took Harry along and while the Prince carried out engagements, Harry went off on safari in Botswana, organised by Mark.
From then on he was a key guiding figure as Harry and William tried to come to terms with the loss of their mother. After his spell as an employee to the Prince ended he remained a mentor to Harry.
Mark was a key guiding figure as Harry and William tried to come to terms with the loss of their mother, he is pictured with the young princes in 1999
Dyer’s son Jasper, who is Prince Harry’s godson, was chosen as a page boy for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding. He is pictured back right, next to Prince Harry and behind Prince George
The eatery, which sits over the road from Eel Brook Common in Fulham, offers main meals costing up to £25, with a typical dish including roast Cornish cod.
Harry has previously been seen out drinking down the road in The Cross Keys in Chelsea, as well as Bunga Bunga just over the Thames in Battersea.
Yesterday, it was announced that the couple will stop carrying out royal duties from the spring.
The couple will also repay £2.4million of taxpayers’ money spent on renovating their Frogmore Cottage home and will known as Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
During the first half term after Diana’s death, when the boys would have been with their mother, Prince Charles was committed to a five day visit to Africa. He took Harry along and while the Prince carried out engagements, Harry went off on safari in Botswana, organised by Mark. He is pictured here with the Princes attending air assault display at Wattisham RAF Base airbase military airforce in Suffolk in 1999
Prince Harry with minder Mark Dyer in 2004 (right) Dyer was a guiding figure as Harry and William tried to come to terms with the loss of their mother. Tiggy has also remained close to both the royals and attended Harry’s wedding with her son Tom (right) who is also Harry’s godson
The announcement marks the conclusion of talks after days of wrangling with senior royals and aides.
In a move which suggests Harry values those who rallied round him in tough times, Dyer and Legge-Bourke were named godfather and godmother, sources told The Sunday Times.
Harry and Meghan have never publicly revealed their choices, one of the many breaks with royal tradition exhibited by the couple who are quitting their official duties to uproot to Canada.
Their desire to relocate across the Atlantic means Archie will not have as much contact with Dyer and Pettifer as Harry did during his younger years.
It was claimed today that even the Queen has barely seen her eight-month-old great-grandson since his birth in May.