Prince Harry’s allies turn on him as Meghan Markle wants an apology from the royal family
Prince Harry’s two closest allies are ‘running out of patience’ with him, as it emerged Meghan Markle wants an apology from the royal family.
Royals
Don't miss out on the headlines from Royals. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Prince Harry’s two closest royal allies are said to be “running out of patience” in the wake of his tell-all book deal.
Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice – who are Harry’s first cousins and to whom he and Meghan remain close – are said to have been stunned by the revelation he is writing four books worth £29 million ($A54 million).
A senior royal source said the “emotional turmoil as they wait over a year for publication is going to be torturous”, according to the Daily Mail.
“What’s really telling is even the relatives he remains closest to, like princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, are stunned by what he’s up to.”
The source also noted that there are concerns over how Prince Harry’s father, Prince Charles, and Charles’ wife Camilla will be portrayed.
“Let’s be honest, Harry has never been close to the Duchess of Cornwall,” the source said. “If he documents their fraught relationship in the book it could be very damaging at a time when Charles is laying the groundwork for her to become Queen.”
Royal staff members who worked for the Duke and Duchess are said to be “concerned” that the book could promote a false narrative of how the couple was treated while living in the UK, the Daily Mail said.
A royal insider told the publication: “Harry and Meghan’s former staff members are convinced that this book is being written to settle scores and will likely include a lot of detail about their time within the Royal Family”.
“Based on the Oprah Winfrey interview, some of these ex-workers simply do not trust that a full and accurate picture will be presented,” the source revealed.
“Conversations have already started about what steps they might be able to take to protect their own reputation and that of the monarchy post-publication.”
MEGHAN ‘WANTED AN APOLOGY’
It came as it was revealed the Duchess of Sussex wanted an apology from the royals after her controversial tell-all TV interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Royal author Tom Quinn said the former Suits actor was “horrified” by the royal family’s negative response to the interview, which she believed should have prompted their sympathy.
In the documentary Meghan at 40: The Climb To Power, Quinn said Meghan was expecting a call from the royal family to apologise, Nine reported.
“I think she was hoping for an apology, I think she was hoping they would phone and say, ‘We are really sorry, we now see that we pushed you too far. We should have behaved differently, we should have sat down as a family and discussed your mental health issues’,” Quinn said.
“I think she was horrified afterwards that the reaction was so negative from the family and they didn’t respond in the way that she wanted.”
HARRY ‘SET FREE’ BY MEGHAN
Prince Harry was “set free” from the “agony” of royal life by Meghan, a royal expert has claimed.
Previous claims that the Duchess allowed Harry to break free from the monarchy’s shadow were unearthed and published by The Sun.
Journalist James Longman followed the couple closely and joined them for their 16-day visit to Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand in 2018. He believes Meghan was the catalyst for Harry’s decision to leave royal life.
Speaking on ABC News documentary Royal Divide: Harry, Meghan, and The Crown, Longman said: “For me, maybe, Meghan is the woman that set Harry free”.
He suggested Harry even appeared “angry” during the trip, claiming the pressures of royal life were already affecting the couple.
In March, the Duke told Oprah Winfrey how he felt “trapped” by the institution, claiming Charles and William were also in the same position.
“They don’t get to leave. And I have huge compassion for that,” Harry said.
— With The Sun