It’s worrying to think of the controversy Prince William and Prince Harry could have courted had they been at any of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ wild parties that are now a centerpiece of his alleged federal sex trafficking case. But it is not like the rapper didn’t try as he had sent numerous invites to the royal brothers.
Back then, getting an invite to Diddy’s parties, which he hosted from 1998 to 2009, was just like getting on the fast lane to Hollywood stardom. It was a chance to rub shoulders with celebrities and A-listers from the entertainment and music world. His guests included Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bieber, Usher, Paris Hilton, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, music producer Russell Simmons, and other A-listers who are now sticking to silence as the spotlight turns on them.
According to the rapper’s former publicist Rob Shuter, “Diddy was obsessed with power and staying famous. He figured that “he could get the most attention” if he was to become the “party king of New York.” So he held these parties to show his lavish lifestyle and make himself the talk of the entertainment industry.
Shuter, who worked for the Bad Boy Records founder from 2002 to 2004, told BBC News that the Harlem-born rapper even held a deep fascination with the British royal family. He claimed Diddy was “obsessed” with Prince William, 42, and Prince Harry, 40, and has “framed pictures” of the princes in his New York apartment. He added that the rapper fancies himself a king so it was only fitting to have the royal brothers as his party guests.
“Diddy was obsessed with Prince Harry and Prince William. He thinks of himself as a king, so it makes perfect sense that he would like to have two princes in his entourage.”
The publicist remembered being told to call the brothers “more than 10 times” with invites to the parties. He said Diddy, 54, even offered to cover the cost of their security, travel, and lodging. But William and Harry “never accepted, they were never part of his world.”
Kensington Palace and a representative for the Duke of Sussex have yet to respond to Shuter’s claims. But his statement coincides with what Diddy told Graham Norton in 2011 that he invited the brothers to hang out with him before they settled into their royal roles.
The rapper shared in the resurfaced interview, “You know, before when they were young bucks growing up and they were getting in a lot of trouble themselves. So hey, I was like, won’t you come hang out with me.”
Diddy never got the chance to party with the princes. But he got to meet and pose for photos with them during a star-studded concert for the 10th death anniversary of their late mother, Princess Diana, in 2007. Videos and photos of the meet and greet have since resurfaced on X after Shuter’s interview.
The rapper’s white parties made headlines after he was arrested on Sept. 16 for alleged sex trafficking and racketeering allegations. He has since pleaded not guilty to the charges and is awaiting federal trial in the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York.
His legal troubles began after his former flame Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura alleged that he raped and trafficked her over the course of 10 years. He settled the case out of court but since then, many have accused him of misconduct. Some cited his parties as venues for “freak offs,” which prosecutors describe as orchestrated sex performances where women were allegedly forced to participate in lewd acts with male sex workers. Shuter said, “When Diddy winked at you and said come into the VIP section, you knew you were going to have a really good night.”
Can you imagine the scandal that would have rocked the royal family had Prince William and Prince Harry accepted Diddy’s invites and been one of his VIP guests?! Dodged a bullet? More like dodged their very own version of the apocalypse.