Gary Goldsmith quizzed about Meghan Markle as he admits lack of communication with niece Princess Kate

Gary Goldsmith is opening up about his royal connections. After entering Celebrity Big Brother on Monday night, the 58-year-old was quizzed about his relationship with his niece, the Princess of Wales, and whether or not he'd met Meghan Markle. 

In a preview from episode two, Gary's housemate, Louis Walsh, asked the businessman if it was "difficult" being related to famous people. "I didn't vote for it, it happened to me, and then suddenly there's a spotlight on you," replied Gary. "They call me the buncle! Have you heard of a buncle? Bad uncle, apparently every family has them."

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Reflecting on his relationship with Princess Kate, Gary explained that it wasn't always easy to communicate with the royal. "It's difficult to get hold of Kate at the best of times, and she's got children and I love the fact that she's putting family first," he told Louis. 

Full of praise for both Kate and her husband, Prince William, Gary added that he sees the couple as the "saviour of the royal family." 

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Intrigued by their conversation, Louis followed up by asking Gary if he'd ever met Kate's sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, but it looks like we'll have to wait until tonight to hear his reply. 

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Since entering the Big Brother house, Gary – the brother of Carole Middleton – has been extremely complimentary of his niece. In his promotional video for the show, he began: "I'm Gary Goldsmith, the uncle to the future queen of our country. Catherine is the current Princess of Wales. She is simply perfect."

Speaking to co-hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best at the launch, the father-of-one was asked if he thought Kate would be watching Celebrity Big Brother, to which he quipped: "If she is, it'll be from behind a sofa."

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According to Gary, being on the reality show is a chance to "put the record straight" for those who have pegged him as a "bad boy." 

"We all like to be liked; this is a great opportunity to show anyone who cares the 'real me', the fun, caring and devilish 'me', not the villain I'm often portrayed in the press," he said.

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READ: How Princess Kate's uncle Gary Goldsmith helped his niece and Prince William after brief split

Gary's Big Brother appearance comes after a public court case in 2017, which saw the businessman fined and given a community order after admitting he assaulted his wife in a drunken argument in which she accused him of taking drugs.

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Gary, a familiar face at key family events like the royal wedding in 2011 and Pippa Middleton's wedding in 2017, has typically kept out of the spotlight, although he recently came to his niece's defence in an interview with The Sun. 

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"She's beautiful on the outside, but more beautiful on the inside and really is a doting mum . . . so the way the monarchy is moving, it's family-centric," he explained. 

"That's why I got so upset with Harry and Meghan because you don't put a stick into that spoke and reinvent history. I've got pretty miffed when they had a pop at my beautiful niece who couldn't say anything for herself."