Did Prince Harry 'banish' best friend over advice against Meghan?

Tom "Skippy" Inskip, left, has been Harry's best friend since the pair met while students at Eton. Photos / Getty Images

Tom "Skippy" Inskip was Harry's best friend and wingman, until he advised the Duke not to go ahead and marry Meghan Markle.

That's according to British society bible, Tatler, which published a damning article about the Duchess of Sussex's first year as a Windsor. Amid reports Palace staff have dubbed her Me-Gain and claims she has become increasingly "difficult", it is alleged Markle's arrival heralded the departure of her husband's closest ally.

Skippy was Harry's longtime best mate, friends since childhood and part of the Duke's inner circle. Coined by Tatler as "the ultra-loyal, tight-lipped Harry pal", the publication claims there's more to Harry distancing himself from Skippy than just part of a general move away from his "party-loving" group.

Instead, Tatler suggests the friendship dissolved over Skippy's insistence that Harry ditch Markle. Or, as the article put it, Skippy's stance against her resulted in "banishment".

Did Harry's best friend find himself "banished" for advising the Prince against marrying Markle? Photo / Getty Images

Harry met Inskip, now a banker, when the pair were students at Eton. They quickly became inseparable and for years it appeared wherever Harry found himself in a spot of bother, Skippy wasn't far behind.

He was with Harry on his infamous 2012 Las Vegas blow-out when the Prince was photographed naked in a game of "strip billiards". And the year before, the duo were snapped partying in Croatia, photographed jumping into a pool fully clothed.

Tom and Harry in happier times, taking in a Rugby World Cup game in 2015. Photo / Getty Images

Harry played a part in Inskip's 2017 wedding in Jamaica and his friend attended the Prince's nuptials last year.

But since then, numerous reports have emerged alleging Harry's old Eton chum has been frozen out of the Duke's inner circle.

When Harry and Meghan hosted a party at Frogmore House for 250 guests, Piers Morgan reported the Prince's nearest and dearest were snubbed in favour of Hollywood celebrities such as Serena Williams, the Beckhams, the Clooneys and Elton John.

It's alleged Harry's old inner circle has been shafted in favour of more famous faces. Photo / Getty Images

The Daily Mail also reports a source close to the Duchess of Cambridge as saying the snubbing is "all part of Meghan's quiet airbrushing out of Harry's old posse." And that the source goes on to add that Meghan "doesn't want temptation - of any sort - being put in his way while they concentrate on starting a family."

But from Inskip's alleged "banishing" to claims Prince Charles called his son's wedding preparations a "nightmare", the palace has denied Tatler's "Meghanomania" article as "patently untrue".