Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan book claims royal relations turned bitter
Biography in which Sussexes did not take part depicts deteriorating relationship with Prince William and Kate
Staff and agencies
Sat 25 Jul 2020 01.12 BSTLast modified on Sat 25 Jul 2020 09.27 BST
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jul/25/harry-and-meghan-not-interviewed-for-royal-biography
Relations between the Sussexes and Prince William and his wife, Kate, deteriorated so much that by March the two couples were barely speaking, extracts from a book on Prince Harry and Meghan claims.
Finding Freedom, by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, claims the couples hardly spoke during an engagement at the Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey despite not having seen each other since January amid the fallout of the Sussexes’ decision to step back from the royal family.
The book is due to be published in August and is being serialised in the Times and Sunday Times. Harry and his wife, Meghan, have said they were not interviewed for the biography and did not make any contributions to it.
The authors said the couple “liked being in control of their narrative” from the early days of their marriage. Being told to operate under Buckingham Palace’s umbrella after splitting their household from the Cambridges’ was “a big disappointment to them”.
“As their popularity had grown, so did Harry and Meghan’s difficulty in understanding why so few inside the palace were looking out for their interests. They were a major draw for the royal family.”
The authors describe a culture of bitterness and resentment gradually growing between the Sussexes and other members of the royal family.
Prince Harry felt ‘unprotected’ by his family
Extracts from the book say the Sussexes felt their complaints were not taken seriously and believed other royal households were leaking stories about them to the press.
“There were just a handful of people working at the palace they could trust … A friend of the couple’s referred to the old guard as ‘the vipers’. Meanwhile a frustrated palace staffer described the Sussexes’ team as ‘the squeaky third wheel’ of the palace.”
Harry and Meghan arrive at Royal Albert Hall in London in March.
Harry and Meghan arrive at the Royal Albert Hall in London in March. The book says Harry believed some of the old guard ‘simply didn’t like Meghan and would stop at nothing to make her life difficult’.
The book is also reported to say that Harry felt “unprotected” by his family and disparaged within palace walls for being “too sensitive and outspoken”. He believed some of the old guard “simply didn’t like Meghan and would stop at nothing to make her life difficult”.
Scobie said it was hard for Meghan as a mixed-race American to join the royal family. “That was going to ruffle some feathers.”
The Sussexes considered the extreme measure of breaking royal protocol to contact his grandmother, the Queen, as tensions grew in the family. Harry spoke to his father, Prince Charles, and the Queen about the need to change things before he left for Canada for six weeks at the end of 2019.
The authors write: “He felt at once used for their popularity, hounded by the press because of the public’s fascination with this new breed of royal couple, and disparaged back within the institution’s walls.”
While in Canada the couple decided to step back as senior royals. The book claims Harry attempted to set up a meeting with his grandmother at the start of January but was told she was unavailable until the end of the month.
In the extract published in the Times, the authors write that as the couple flew back to the UK they “toyed with the idea of driving straight from the terminal to see the Queen”.
But this was abandoned because they decided it could have “ruffled feathers” and caused them difficulty.
A website designed to clarify Harry and Meghan’s future was “deeply upsetting” to members of the royal family and “hurt the Queen”, the book claims, saying the couple were forced to take action after a story broke that they were going to stay in Canada permanently.
The book’s authors write that a royal source denied leaking the story, instead blaming the couple “because they were frustrated at the palace in the talks that were going on … They wanted to force the decision, to break it open.”
The couple deny this claim, the Times reports.
In Finding Freedom a source said the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were ‘devastated’ by the Sussexes’ website.
On 8 January Harry and Meghan used their Instagram page to share the news of their future plans and launched the website sussexroyal.com.
The website took everyone by surprise, the authors write.
“Aides and family members knew the couple wanted to step back, but the website, which laid out the details of their half-in-half-out model as if it were a done deal, put the Queen in a difficult position.”
Buckingham Palace put out a short statement 15 minutes after the Sussexes made theirs, but aides, including the Queen’s private secretary, were “furious”. And there was significant reaction from fellow royals, with a source saying the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were “devastated”.
A senior member of the household was quoted in the book as saying: “The element of surprise, the blindsiding of the Queen, for the other principals who are all very mindful of this, rightfully, it was deeply unsettling.
“The family is very private and bringing it into the public domain, when they were told not to, hurt the Queen.
“It was laying out what the Sussexes wanted in a statement without consulting with Her Majesty first – and she’s the head of the institution.”
The book’s authors write that the Queen told Harry his proposed arrangement would not work, prompting him to search for solutions across several days of intense meetings with top aides from all three royal households.
One aide made a joke about Meghan launching a line of cosmetics, while another source is quoted in the book as saying: “The biggest row was over money, because it always is.”
In April 2019, Kensington Palace announced Harry was working with the US chat show queen Oprah Winfrey on a mental health documentary series.
The couple have promised that “everything they do will continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty”.
As the excerpts were published, a statement on behalf of Harry and Meghan said: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not interviewed and did not contribute to Finding Freedom. This book is based on the authors’ own experiences as members of the royal press corps and their own independent reporting.”
With Reuters and the Press Association
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Harry angry at William's 'snobbish' advice about Meghan, book claims
Prince William said to have feared brother was ‘blindsided’ by lust in his haste to marry
Caroline Davies
Sun 26 Jul 2020 12.00 BSTLast modified on Sun 26 Jul 2020 19.05 BST
The royal rift that led to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex leaving Britain and stepping back from royal duties began after Prince William feared his brother had been “blindsided” by lust in his haste to marry Meghan Markle, a new book claims.
Harry was offended by William’s advice to “take as much time as you need to get to know this girl”, causing tension between the two that finally led to “Megxit” , according to the authors of Finding Freedom.
He was allegedly angered by the words “this girl”, perceiving it as “snobbish” and “condescending”.
The Sussexes have distanced themselves from the book, by the royal correspondents Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, with a spokesman for the Sussexes saying they were not interviewed and did not contribute to Finding Freedom, which was “based on the authors’ own experiences as members of the royal press corps and their own independent reporting”.
In it, the authors claim to chronicle the deteriorating relationships between the Sussexes, senior royals, and the palace “old guard”. One senior royal is said to have referred to Meghan as “Harry’s showgirl”, while another allegedly said: “She comes with a lot of baggage.”
A senior courtier is said to have remarked: “There’s just something about her I don’t trust.” One frustrated palace staffer is said to have referred to Meghan as “the squeaky third wheel” of the palace. The book claims the couple thought there was only a handful of people at the palace they could trust, while a friend of theirs referred to the old guard as “the vipers”.
In extracts serialised in the Times and Sunday Times, the authors claim there was no actual feud between Kate and Meghan, contrary to press reports, but that the two women had nothing in common. Kate would reach out to Meghan, but “didn’t lose sleep” over it when she did not respond, while Meghan was disappointed by Kate’s lack of support, according to the book.
Rather, the authors claim, the alleged rift between the two couples was due to a growing coolness between Harry and William. By March, at the time of the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, the couples were said to be barely speaking. Scobie told the Times Meghan had tried to make eye contact with Kate at the service, but had been barely acknowledged. “To purposefully snub your sister-in-law … I don’t think it left a great taste in the couple’s mouths.”
Harry and Meghan’s decision to cut free grew out of Harry’s belief they were unprotected by the institutions around the monarchy and derided by the old guard for being too sensitive and outspoken, the book claims.
This apparently led to their decision to move to Windsor. “He wanted to get away from the goldfish bowl that was Kensington Palace,” the authors said. It is also claimed they believed other royal households were leaking stories about them to the press.
Once they decamped to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, thus splitting from the Cambridges at Kensington Palace, it was apparently “a big disappointment” to them to be told they must operate under Buckingham Palace’s umbrella. The authors wrote: “As their popularity had grown, so did Harry and Meghan’s difficulty in understanding why so few inside the palace were looking out for their interests. They were a major draw for the royal family.”
Having spent Christmas in Canada away from palace pressure, and formulated plans to move there, they were unable to immediately see the Queen to discuss their plans. Believing they were being blocked from seeing the monarch, they even considered breaking protocol by springing a surprise visit by driving straight to see her from the airport terminal after landing back in the UK, it was claimed.
When they made their “Megxit” announcement on a new website, Sussexroyal.com, aides including the Queen’s private secretary were said to be furious, and the Queen and Prince Philip apparently devastated.
Neither Buckingham Palace nor Kensington Palace have commented.
Author of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's biography Omid Scobie says even the Sussexes 'didn't expect things to turn out the way they did' and promises book will be the definitive version' of their lives
British journalist Omid Scobie discussd the release of Harry and Meghan's bio
Says it feels nice to finally talk about the project after 'beavering away at quietly for two years'
Admitted even the Sussexes didn't expect things to turn out the way they did
Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Royal Family is set to be released worldwide online on August 11
With Reuters and the Press Association
By JESSICA RACH FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 12:06 BST, 6 May 2020 | UPDATED: 14:42 BST, 8 May 2020
The author of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's much-anticipated biography Omid Scobie has admitted it feels nice to 'finally be able to talk about' the project he's been 'beavering away at quietly for two years'.
British journalist Omid Scobie, who has accompanied Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38, on a variety of royal tours, took to the podcast The Heir Pod to discuss the release of the book.
Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Royal Family is set to be released worldwide online on August 11, with the hard copy on sale from August 20 and was released to pre-order over the weekend.
And Omid admitted that their tale has included twists and turns that 'even the Sussexes didn't expect'.
Speaking about finishing the biography, he said: 'It's been a long time in the making. The last few weeks have been quite a challenge getting it all ready in time for the deadline.
'It feels nice to finally be able to talk about it after quietly beavering away on it for a long time.'
He added: 'This project started about two years ago, and there have been twists and turns that no one expected. This is something no one expected.
'I don't even think Harry and Meghan, who by their own account struggled with the realities of the situation, expected things to turn out the way they did.'
Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Royal Family is set to be released worldwide online on August 11, with the hard copy on sale from August 20 and was released to pre-order over the weekend
Explaining that the biography gives a real inside account of their story, he said: 'I've been on so many engagements and around them as much as possible, and spoken to so many people in their lives, so no stone has been left unturned.
'I've seen the couple remain faithful in their own beliefs and stand strong in the face of adversities which have been publicly played out in the press, and I would like to think this tells the definitive version of their lives together.'
British journalist Omid Scobie, who has accompanied Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38, on a variety of royal tours, took to the podcast The Heir Pod to discuss the release of the book
British journalist Omid Scobie, who has accompanied Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38, on a variety of royal tours, took to the podcast The Heir Pod to discuss the release of the book
Publishing house Harper Collins, which owns Dey Street Books, the publisher of the biography released a brief description of Meghan and Prince Harry's collaboration with the two journalists.
The book's description says that 'few know the true story of Harry and Meghan'.
It promises to go 'beyond the headlines to reveal unknown details of Harry and Meghan's life together, dispelling the many rumours and misconceptions that plague the couple on both sides of the pond'.
It continues: 'With unique access and written with the participation of those closest to the couple, Finding Freedom is an honest, up-close, and disarming portrait of a confident, influential, and forward-thinking couple who are unafraid to break with tradition, determined to create a new path away from the spotlight, and dedicated to building a humanitarian legacy that will make a profound difference in the world.'
A description of the biography on Amazon promises to offer an 'honest, up-close, and disarming portrait' of the 'confident, influential, forward' Prince Harry , 35, and Meghan Markle, 38 (seen on their wedding day in May 2018) +4
A description of the biography on Amazon promises to offer an 'honest, up-close, and disarming portrait' of the 'confident, influential, forward' Prince Harry , 35, and Meghan Markle, 38 (seen on their wedding day in May 2018)
The cover features a beaming Prince Harry and Meghan as they visited their namesake county in October 2018 for the first time.
The Mail on Sunday were told that before moving to North America, the Sussexes gave an interview to the book's authors, both journalists.
One of them, Omid Scobie, is thought to be close to Meghan and was one of the favoured journalists given details of the couple's video call to the Queen last week in which they wished her a happy 94th birthday.
Echoing Princess Diana's secret involvement in the blockbuster biography, Diana: Her True Story, when she encouraged her friends to speak to author Andrew Morton, questions are being asked whether members of Meghan's inner circle were being urged to help Scobie and his American co-author, Carolyn Durand.
The 320-page biography, due to be released in August, is expected to be a global bestseller.
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Harry and Meghan 'did not contribute' to new book Finding Freedom 25-07-2020 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have denied contributing to a new book about their life in the Royal Family. The book, Finding Freedom - which is being serialised in the Times - has claimed the Sussexes and Cambridges were barely speaking by March. It also says friends of Prince Harry and Meghan referred to some Palace officials as "vipers". A spokesman for the Sussexes, who now live in California, said they had not been interviewed for the book. A statement said: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not interviewed and did not contribute to Finding Freedom. "This book is based on the authors' own experiences as members of the royal press corps and their own independent reporting." The book's authors, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, describe a culture of increasing tension between the Sussexes and other members of the Royal Family. They say the Sussexes felt their complaints were not taken seriously and believed other royal households were leaking stories about them to the press. "There were just a handful of people working at the palace they could trust," the authors write. "A friend of the couple's referred to the old guard as 'the vipers'. "Meanwhile, a frustrated palace staffer described the Sussexes' team as 'the squeaky third wheel' of the palace." The duke and duchess are now based in Los Angeles, California, having stepped back as senior royals earlier this year. For their last public appearance as working members of the Royal Family, they joined the Queen and other senior royals at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on 9 March. They have since begun their new life of personal independence in the US, pursuing charity projects. There are some startling headlines accompanying the serialisation of Finding Freedom but those in search of a smoking gun may be disappointed. Reliable, quotable sources are the hard currency of books about royalty. And Finding Freedom is quite well sourced. The authors have leant heavily on contacts in the different courts - Buckingham Palace for the Queen, Kensington Palace for William and Kate, 'the Sussexes' for Harry and Meghan. And they have spoken to at least one person, maybe more, who feels he or she can speak for, and at times quote, Meghan herself, and at least one friend of Prince Harry who feels he or she can do the same. So some flesh is put on the bones of a story that we know quite well but despite the headlines there are no new properly sourced revelations in the book as serialised so far. We knew that William and Harry's relationship was badly damaged; Harry told ITN's Tom Bradby that in the interview he gave in late 2019. We knew that Meghan felt abandoned by the Palace; she went out of her way to make that point to Bradby in the same programme. We knew that the Queen was upset by the couple's declaration of independence in January this year - senior Palace sources told the BBC within hours of the couple's statement. And we knew that Harry despises the media and some of its coverage of Meghan; he has spoken openly and very clearly about how he feels. So Finding Freedom may be more rewarding for the rounded portrait it paints of a couple at the centre of a terrible whirlwind than in any particular revelation about who did what to whom, and when. Earlier this month, Meghan delivered a speech to a gender equality summit, while the duke and duchess also spoke to young people about equal rights during the Queen's Commonwealth Trust weekly video call. Meanwhile, the Sussexes have launched legal action in the US after drones were allegedly used to take pictures of their infant son Archie. The move marked the latest example of the Sussexes actions against what they have previously described as "invasive" tabloid media. Meghan is also suing the publisher of the Mail on Sunday and Mail Online for breach of privacy and copyright infringement. The publisher denies her claims. |