No holiday from royal feud as Sussex biography gets a summer update

The Queen’s hopes of a quieter time set to be dashed with a new version of Harry and Meghan ‘hagiography’ to hit the shelves.

(FILES) (L-R) Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex arrive for the Royal Family's traditional Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, eastern England, on December 25, 2018. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)

After the death of her beloved husband and a tumultuous year for her family, Queen Elizabeth, who turned 95 last week, might reasonably hope for a quieter few months ahead.

Any such hopes look set to be dashed when a new version of a book about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is published this summer, raking through royal rifts that continue to rock the monarchy.

Finding Freedom, a flattering biography of Harry and Meghan, giving their account of their departure from royal life via friends and Sussex sources, is being updated with new chapters. They will cover their interview with Oprah Winfrey, allegations against Meghan over the bullying of royal staff, which she denies, and Prince Philip’s death.

The updated edition is also expected to take in their new life in America, their multimillion-dollar deals with Netflix and Spotify and the Queen’s decision to strip them of all royal patronages earlier this year. Harry is understood to remain devastated by the loss of his military roles.

The book will be reissued on August 5 and is likely to exacerbate tensions between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family, particularly between Harry and William. A senior courtier said: “The Oprah interview detonated a bomb under the royal family and most of them are still reeling in shock. The book will not help.” Another senior royal source said: “After Oprah, what else is there to say?”

In the book, Meghan was said to be “disappointed” that the Duchess of Cambridge wasn’t “welcoming enough”.

Despite Harry’s brief reunion with the royal family last weekend for Prince Philip’s funeral, relations remain at a low ebb. William and Harry did not walk next to each other in the procession, though the brothers were seen talking as they walked back to Windsor Castle after the service. Senior royal sources have dismissed suggestions of a separate meeting between Harry, William and Charles, who retreated to Wales after the funeral without seeing his son again. Harry returned to America last Tuesday, before the Queen’s birthday on Wednesday.

Published last summer, Finding Freedom covered the period from 2016, when the couple met, to their departure from royal life and move to America last year. Described by some critics as a “hagiography”, it recounted how Harry was “pissed off” with his brother, who he felt behaved like “a snob” when he advised Harry to “take as much time as you need to get to know” Meghan. In the book she was said to be “disappointed” that the Duchess of Cambridge wasn’t “welcoming enough”, while Harry believed the Prince of Wales valued his image over his relationship with his son.

The authors, Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie, said they had “unique access” to those closest to the couple. The Sussexes have denied collaborating with the book.

The Queen may take some comfort from the fact that, when the book comes out, she will be with her closest family in the private sanctuary of Balmoral, her Scottish estate, where she is said to be at her happiest.

The Sunday Times