Sean “Diddy” Combs was reportedly at one point “obsessed” with Princes William and Harry, who repeatedly turned down the mogul’s invites to his A-list parties that are now a centerpiece of Combs’ federal sex trafficking case.
Rob Shuter, who worked as a publicist for the Bad Boy Records founder from 2002 to 2004, told BBC News that Combs at the time was realizing “he could get the most attention” by becoming the “party king of New York.”
“He thought of himself as a king so it makes perfect sense that he would like to have two princes in his entourage,” Shuter said, adding the rapper even kept framed photos of the British royals in his New York City apartment.
As part of Combs’ preoccupation with fame, power and interest in the royal family, Shuter recalled being tasked with inviting the princes to the parties more than 10 times.
But William and Harry, now 42 and 40 respectively, made the oh-so-rare decision to say no to Combs. Shuter said they never accepted the invites, despite Combs’ offers to foot the bill for their travel, accommodations and security.
The pop mogul faces a multitude of charges.
Feds arrested and charged Combs last month with a multitude of crimes, including sexual abuse, sex trafficking, arson, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Last November, Combs’ ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, filed a bombshell lawsuit in which she accused him of rape, sex trafficking, and abuse. They settled the suit the following day but similarly harrowing allegations in other lawsuits have only mounted since, particularly in the wake of Combs’ arrest.
The lawsuits bookend Homeland Security’s raids on Combs’ properties in March and the May publication of 2016 security footage that shows Combs beating Ventura, now 38, in a hotel hallway.
Combs is still in custody.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges against him and has denied the allegations in the civil suits — though he did admit to beating Ventura.
He’s been denied bail three times and remains in custody at Brooklyn’s notorious Metropolitan Detention Center. His trial in the sex trafficking case is set to begin May 5 and feds said he could face more charges in the meantime.