New information has emerged about the numerous attempts by Sean "Diddy" Combs to persuade Prince William and Prince Harry to attend his infamous parties, revealing an interesting but ultimately futile pursuit by the music mogul. Despite making numerous overtures and even offering to cover all associated costs, the two royal brothers repeatedly declined Diddy's invitations.
Rob Shuter, a former representative for Diddy, confirmed to the BBC that the rapper had an unusual interest in getting Prince William and Prince Harry to join his social gatherings. "Diddy was obsessed with Prince Harry and Prince William," Shuter said, adding that the music star tried "more than 10 times" to get the princes to attend. Diddy offered to cover their travel, lodging, and even security expenses in an effort to entice them, but the invites were consistently turned down. "They never accepted [the invites], they were never part of his world," Shuter explained.
Diddy, known for his lavish and star-studded parties, apparently believed that the young princes could fit into his exclusive events. "[Diddy] thinks of himself as a king, so it makes perfect sense that he would like to have two princes in his entourage," Shuter elaborated. According to journalist Christopher Andersen, the royal brothers' reputation as young, fun-loving individuals may have been part of Diddy's motivation. "They made plenty of headlines with their party animal antics, which seemed to attract Diddy's attention," Andersen told Fox News.
In an old interview, Diddy explained his reasoning behind the invitations, referencing the youthful indiscretions of the royal brothers. During a 2011 appearance on "The Graham Norton Show," the rapper said, "Before, when they were young bucks growing up, and they were getting in a lot of trouble themselves, so, hey, I was like, 'Why don't you come hang out with me?'" However, Diddy also mentioned that the princes were eventually "off the list" of people he would invite to his parties.
The princes' decision to decline the invitations may have ultimately been for the best, given the recent legal troubles surrounding the music mogul. Diddy was arrested last month and is now facing charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. A federal indictment detailed allegations regarding "Freak Offs," sex-filled parties allegedly orchestrated by the rapper involving his female victims and male prostitutes.
While Diddy's regular parties attracted numerous high-profile attendees, including Derek Jeter, Nicole Richie, LeBron James, and Ashton Kutcher, the revelations regarding "Freak Offs" have cast a shadow over his social events. Federal prosecutors allege that these elaborate gatherings often lasted for days and involved the administration of controlled substances to the women involved, supposedly to keep them compliant. When the parties ended, Diddy reportedly administered IV fluids to help them recover from the exertion.
In the wake of his arrest, law enforcement raided Diddy's properties in March, seizing items related to the alleged "Freak Off" gatherings, including narcotics and over a thousand bottles of baby oil and lubricant. Despite these serious charges, Diddy has maintained his innocence. His attorney, Marc Agnifilo, stated, "He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court."
Since his arrest, some Hollywood celebrities who attended Diddy's parties have spoken out, distancing themselves from the allegations of misconduct. Ray J, Nick Cannon, and Arsenio Hall are among those who claimed they were unaware of the activities that allegedly occurred at Diddy's private events. "We've never seen the stuff that's being said and the stuff that people are finding out," Ray J said in an interview with Chris Cuomo. "I've never been in rooms that people are talking about, and I never knew they existed."
The persistence of Diddy in attempting to invite William and Harry appears to be part of a broader effort by the rapper to establish connections with high-profile personalities. Shuter explained that Diddy never had much of a "private life" and focused instead on building his empire and securing his legacy. "It was all work. He wanted to make himself the most famous person in the world," Shuter said, adding, "And ironically now he is."
Diddy's invitations to the royal brothers stopped entirely after Prince William became engaged to Kate Middleton in 2010. "Diddy got the hint and stopped inviting them altogether," Andersen noted. Since then, the two brothers have taken on more serious roles, focusing on family life and their various charitable endeavors.
As Diddy awaits his trial, scheduled for May 2025, he remains in a New York detention facility, having been denied bail twice. The charges against him have added a new, troubling layer to his once-glamorous public persona.
