PRINCE Harry’s best pal – who has been frozen out since he met Meghan – is set to visit baby Archie over the coming days, fuelling speculation he could be chosen as a godparent.
Pals said Banker Tom “Skippy” Inskip– dubbed Harry’s party Wingman- was cut out as he dared to question whether former actress Meghan was right for his mate when they first got together.
He and his wife Lara were punished by being excluded from the royal couple’s evening wedding party at Frogmore House last May.
But last night sources said he’s back in the fold after Harry phoned him immediately after the birth and he’s set to be the first non-family visitors to visit baby Archie Harrison who was born on Monday.
Other potential royal godparents include tennis star Serena Williams, Meghan’s stylist Jessica Mulroney, her best friend Benita Litt, Zara Tindall and Princess Eugenie.
Skippy, 34, who is himself happily married to Lara, has been best pals with Harry since they were at Eton. But he was devastated to be cut out from the royal circle after Meghan deemed him an “unsettling influence.” A source close to the couple said: “But the real reason Tom was made no longer welcome by Meghan is that she had learned he had dared to question Harry over whether he really felt he was doing the right thing in marrying her.
“All the poor guy did, during a heart to heart with the prince, was to venture that Harry might be infatuated, more in lust than love, and maybe he might think about cooling things down before rushing into a proposal.
“Meghan didn’t actually want Tom and his wife Lara at their wedding, but Harry insisted, although they were not invited to the party in the evening, which hurt, because all of their other mutual chums were asked.”
But now the tables have turned, says the source, with Tom being delighted to receive a phone call from Harry shortly after Archie’s birth.
“One of the first of his old chums with whom Harry wanted to share the great news was Skippy, who is just happy to be back in the fold. Tom is genuinely happy that he was proved wrong about Meghan – because he, like everyone else, can see that they are absolutely devoted to each other.
“But he doesn’t feel guilty about asking Harry if he was sure he was going the right thing in the first place – he felt he was only doing what a good friend should do, in talking it through with Harry. And he wouldn’t have been excluded from the gang had not Meghan found out about their boys’ chat.”
The Sun understands that Tom and his wife Lara are now making plans to visit the baby and its proud parents at their Frogmore Cottage home, possibly as early as this weekend – even before William and Kate, who have not yet been.
It was Skippy who was by Harry’s side during the notorious night when the Prince was snapped playing naked billiards with a group of showgirls in a Las Vegas hotel suite.
Tom was also with Harry when he was seen inhaling “hippy crack” – laughing gas – at another raucous party. And he was often by Harry’s side when he was falling in – and out- of nightclubs with glamorous girls by their side.
Harry was an usher at his wedding in Jamaica two years ago – where Meghan joined him.
