Prince Harry has reconciled with ‘exiled’ friend Tom Inskip after his mother-in-law dies of a long-term mental illness
PRINCE Harry has reconciled with his best pal whose mother-in-law died suddenly after a mental health battle.
The Duke of Sussex allegedly banished Tom “Skippy” Inskip from his tight-knit group after he was said to have advised the royal against marrying Meghan Markle.
Harry “froze out” a number of his inner circle including former ‘wingman’ Skippy, who arranged the infamous 2012 Las Vegas bash where the prince was caught playing naked billiards with showgirls in a hotel suite.
Skippy was also with Harry when he was seen inhaling 'hippy crack' - laughing gas - at another raucous party, and often by his side in his single days when falling out of nightclubs with glamorous women.
It was claimed he and his wife Lara Hughes-Young were 'punished' by being excluded from the royal couple’s evening wedding party at Frogmore House in May last year.
But the tragic death of Lara’s mother Emma St Helens at just 66 has led to Skippy and Harry being reunited.
Troubled Ms St Helens died in London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital after a severe and long-term mental illness.
To commemorate her mum, Lara raised money for Heads Together – a charity partner of Prince Harry – and he idonated a significant sum, pals said.
A source told The Sun: “Skippy and Harry are back as tight friends. When Harry heard about Lara’s mother’s horrible passing, it really hit a nerve.
“Lara has raised money to support research into mental health and Harry decided to let bygones be bygones.”
The palace was contacted by Fabulous Digital but declined to comment.
Lara spoke movingly about her damaged mum, telling friends: “Losing your mind isn’t all that much fun. I know because my lovely mum died on Boxing Day after battling with mental health issues for much of her life, especially the last 13 years.
“She was such a wonderful mother when it mattered, but her later years were as miserable as can be, her anxious habits became more severe, her reliance on help more acute, and her quality of life solely disappeared.
Skippy and Harry are back as tight friends. When Harry heard about Lara’s mother’s horrible passing, it really hit a nerve.
Royal source
“Everyone who knew her adored her, and yet none of us were really able to help. It is my belief that if her treatment in the beginning had been different that she’d have a radically different story.”
Lara, in mourning with her brother Henry, launched a public fundraising page and wrote: “I’ve decided to dance for 24 HOURS to raise money for Heads Together.
“PLEASE sponsor me, join me on the day, or suggest songs to keep me twerking. ONE LOVE xxxx.”
Lara, who also publicly shared a photo of her mum, has raised over £21,000 for Heads Together.
Amid a huge outpouring of generosity from her family and friends, “eyebrows were raised” privately at the donation by Princess Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank - £50.
Lara’s mum’s funeral was held in January this year. She now spends most of her time with her hubby at their New York home.
Due to her mother’s illness, Lara was brought up in the main by her grandmother at her Jamaican home.
Her childhood was one of the reasons why Lara chose to wed Skippy, 34, in Jamaica in 2017.
What is the Heads Together campaign?
Heads Together is a mental health campaign led by The Royal Foundation in partnership with YoungMinds and seven other charities.
It aims to challenge mental health stigma and change how it is perceived.
It was made the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon Charity of the Year and worked alongside ten runners with mental illnesses during the annual race.
Heads Together commissioned a YouGov poll which found nearly half (46 per cent) of 5,003 adults, questioned in February, have talked recently about mental health, with a quarter chatting about their own psychological problems.
Prince Harry had a key role as an usher at the wedding, which was one of Meghan’s first appearances with the royal.
Lara has comforted Skippy through his alleged awkward rift with Prince Harry.
The former loyal pals were said to have split after Skippy’s warning to the prince about Meghan.
He was one of the friends at the infamous Las Vegas night in 2012, where the royal was caught playing naked billiards with women in a hotel suite.
The banker had been a close friend of Prince Harry after they met at Eton, and they were inseparable ever since.
But his “tomfoolery” reportedly had no place in the world of “fruit smoothies” and “early nights” that Meghan is an advocate of, it was said.
Lara shared more details about her late mother, and her fundraiser, with pals, revealing: “Whilst Mummy never signed up as a professional role model, she did manage to hold down multiple DJ jobs, first on a cruise liner for a couple of years, and subsequently at Annabel’s.
"She really loved to dance, (and sleep in) so it suited her perfectly. In lieu of that, at 2am tomorrow, I will wake up, brush my teeth and start jiving.”
It was initially thought that Prince Harry was distancing himself from his former party-loving group to remove “temptation”.
Harry’s supposed reconciliation with Skippy is even understood to have led to an invite to meet royal baby Archie Harrison.
MORE ON THE ROYAL FAMILY
We shared how Prince Harry has side-lined his former ‘inner circle friends’ to make room for Meghan Markle, says former pal.
The Cambridges are currently enjoying a family break to Mustique, and Prince George has just celebrated his sixth birthday on the luxury Caribbean island.