Prince Harry has watched Meghan Markle’s small role in poorly-rated film – director who worked with his wife in 2006 claims the Duke of Sussex told him in ‘full convo’ at Legends of Aviation awards

A director who worked with Meghan Markle in the early part of her acting career has revealed he spent the night chatting to Prince Harry at the Legends of Aviation awards.

Matthew Cole Weiss, 44, said he had a ‘full convo’ with the royal who was ‘super sweet’ and revealed Harry had watched 2006 made-for-TV movie Deceit in which Meghan has a role.

The psychological thriller, released in 2006,  follows a young man returning home after his father’s death and falling in love with his best friend’s wife.

It explores  attraction, violence, and deception. Meghan plays Gwen in one scene in the film, a friend of the protagonist who offers advise to the main character. 

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, after the gala in Los Angeles, Weiss wrote: ‘Got to have a full convo with Prince Harry. Super sweet. He knew of the movie I directed starring Meghan! Said he watched it before. And Pics with Oliver stone and William Shatner!’

Matthew Cole Weiss, 44, said he had a ‘full convo’ with the royal who was ‘super sweet’ and revealed Harry had watched 2006 made-for-TV movie Deceit in which Meghan has a role. Meghan is pictured in the film

The psychological thriller, released in 2006, follows a young man returning home after his father’s death and falling in love with his best friend’s wife

Weiss, who also works as a produce for TMZ and has a social media feed filled with celebrity selfies, added a snap of Harry chatting to guests at the gala.

The film has poor reviews online, scoring just 4.5/10 on IMDB, with viewers saying it has ‘weak acting,’ ‘no characters’ adding it will ‘bore you to death’. 

Harry appeared happy to pose for pictures at the gala, which Meghan had to miss to take care of a sick child. 

Among them was the self-style ‘Prince’ Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe – who was once dubbed the ‘King of Trash TV’.

The duke was all smiles as he posed with Mario-Max, despite being warned to ‘stay away’ from the German ‘prince’, who is accused of using his spurious connections to flog a ‘wealth elixir’.

Mario-Max’s website boasts connections stretching back to William of Orange, which would make him a very, very distant cousin of the British Royals.

But his royal connections have been questioned with the head of the family, Prince Alexander of Schaumburg-Lippe, accusing him of ‘harvesting our name for personal gain’ and warning Harry to ‘stay away from this man’. 

The 46-year-old was on the German version of Celebrity Big Brother in 2014 where he was evicted after just eight days inside the house, as well as appearing on a shopping channel to sell a ‘wealth elixir’. 

Harry appeared happy to pose for pictures at the gala. He is seen with John Travolta, Lauren Sanches and Jeff Bezos

Weiss, who also works as a produce for TMZ and has a social media feed filled with celebrity selfies, added a snap of Harry chatting to guests at the gala

The head of the family, Prince Alexander of Schaumburg-Lippe, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘It’s very painful for me, this guy has been harvesting our name for his personal gain. Prince Harry cannot stoop lower than appearing with him. I would advise him to stay away from this man. ‘

Mario-Max – who claims he has the right to use the royal title after he was adopted by a distant relative of the family when he was 23 years old – has been dubbed ‘the King of Trash TV’ in the German Press for appearing on the local version of Big Brother, and hawking products on shopping channels including a so-called ‘wealth elixir’.

He is also a regular visitor to America, where he has posed for photos with celebrities including Paris Hilton, Liza Minnelli and Ivana Trump at parties and red-carpet events, and where he once dated one of the Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills.

Accepting the award, Harry did not mention the health issues of his father or sister-in-law, but did pay tribute to his late mother.  

Accepting the award from host John Travolta, he mentioned Princess Diana dancing with him at a White House dinner for President Ronald Reagan in 1985.

‘I was just a one-year-old when you danced with my mum at the White House and now look at us.’

He added: ‘The only thing left to do is… not dance together but fly together.’

The Duke completed two tours of Afghanistan as a forward air controller and an Apache helicopter pilot, having flown countless training missions in the UK, US and Australia.

He served for 10 years in the military, rising to the rank of Captain, and later founded the Invictus Games – a sporting event for wounded military personnel and veterans.

On stage, Travolta asked him of his time flying for the Army: ‘What can you remember about your first flight?’ Harry quipped back: ‘It’s classified.’ 

Prince Harry was all smiles as he posed for a selfie with Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe at the Living Legends of Aviation in Los Angeles on Friday night

Prince Mario-Max later called the moment between Harry and Travolta on-stage ‘very touching and sweet’.

‘John Travolta presented the award and he referred to the dance with his mother Princess Diana, (when) Prince Harry was one year old so he’s like, “Now I see you again under a new circumstance, on a new stage”,’ he said.

‘That was very touching and very sweet because we all remember how gorgeous the dance was of John Travolta and Princess Diana, and now Princess Diana’s son is getting an award from John Travolta. It was the cutest, most touching moment.’

In his speech, Harry went on to thank the Living Legends of Aviation awards for the ‘incredible honour’, adding that he is ‘proud to be recognised among such a dynamic and inspiring group of individuals’. 

Harry takes his place alongside other aviation and aerospace ‘legends’ including Buzz Aldrin, Jeff Bezos, Tom Cruise, Neil Armstrong, Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman and Elon Musk.

He continued: ‘For me, flying has been a transcendent experience. A close encounter with magic, an invitation to both protect freedom… and to feel free, and, funny enough, an opportunity to ground oneself, without actually being grounded.

‘I find my flight training — which was over the course of three years— to be one of life’s greatest lessons. It triggered a vast array of feelings.’

He did not allude to the medical dramas for his family on the other side of the Atlantic; The Princess of Wales is part-way through a two-week stay in hospital after undergoing surgery, while King Charles is being treated for an enlarged prostate.

Meghan  (pictured with Harry in May 2023 in New York City), 42, was not present as one of their children became unwell, the PA news agency understands

But Harry’s nomination has angered some top former British military officials.

Lord West, former head of the Royal Navy, said: ‘He is not a living legend of aviation. To suggest he is is pathetic. It makes the whole thing seem a bit of a nonsense if they’re willing to pick someone like Prince Harry.

‘He didn’t carry off any great exciting feat of amazing flying skill while flying for the Army. They’re just trying to get publicity. They know it will cause a stir.’

Retired officer Colonel Richard Kemp said that Harry was ‘a brave guy’ and his role in Afghanistan was ‘undoubtedly very dangerous’.

But he said that there are ‘helicopter pilots who have done much more extraordinary things in Iraq and Afghanistan, risking their lives to rescue their fellow soldiers.’

The Living Legends of Aviation website also praised the duke for his work with charities and organizations including Travalyst, Sentebale, African Parks and WellChild.

A statement on its website said, ‘Prince Harry is a humanitarian, military veteran, mental wellness advocate and environmentalist.

‘He has dedicated his life to advancing causes that he is passionate about and that bring about permanent change for people and places.’

Harry was inducted alongside US navy pilot Fred George and former world speed record holder Steve Hinton, as well as Lauren Sanchez – a helicopter pilot who is engaged to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

She is set to receive the Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award for her skills as a helicopter pilot and aviation businesswoman, having founded aerial filming company Black Ops Aviation in 2016.

The duke’s appearance comes as his father, the King, prepared to undergo treatment for an enlarged prostate next week, while his sister-in-law the Princess of Wales recovers from abdominal surgery in the London Clinic.

Kate is not expected to resume public duties until well into the spring.