(NewsNation) — The once stalwart bond between pop icon Elton John and Prince Harry is fraying, sources tell me.
The two men have always had a deeply personal, multigenerational bond rooted in John’s close friendship with Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana.
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Since Diana’s death almost 30 years ago, John has at times acted as a parental figure, fierce defender and occasional confidant to Harry — offering his French villa as a private sanctuary for Harry and Meghan Markle during times of intense media pressure and performing at their 2018 wedding reception.
The solidarity culminated in the legal battle against the Daily Mail after John introduced Harry to the lawyer David Sherborne, and the two took a united stand as co-claimants in a massive High Court privacy lawsuit against the newspaper.
But even before England’s high court ruled against the duo, John was said to be tiring of Harry … specifically his requests for money.
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“Harry asked Elton to donate to Invictus Birmingham,” my insider said. “Elton said no, and Harry was very hurt.”
As I have reported previously, Birmingham Invictus is in serious financial trouble. Harry is in the U.K. this week to try and drum up 25 million pounds — something that is difficult in good economic times but near impossible now. The money needs to come from corporate and private donors, and Harry had hoped his longtime friend would help him out.
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However, after losing to the Daily Mail on 97 counts, Harry, John and the five other claimants now owe over $60 million to cover court costs, and despite having insurance that will cover a portion of that, tens of millions are still left over.
“Elton is really the only one out of that entire group (made up of Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Harry, Elizabeth Hurley, Sadie Frost, John’s husband David Furnish and Sir Simon Hughes) who can afford to pay that bill. He’s a little tapped out right now,” a source said.
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However, Harry feels John brought him into this whole lawsuit and therefore should help him out with Invictus.
“Elton is not a bank,” my source added.
Reps for both Harry and John didn’t return emails.
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