- A new book about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle claims that the couple’s relationship with Prince William and Kate Middleton became so bad that they barely spoke.
- “Finding Freedom,” an unofficial biography of Harry and Markle, traces the Sussex’s alleged problems with the royal family and the mounting tension that ultimately led to their resignation.
- The book has been serialized in the Times and claims that the Sussexes repeatedly tried to resolve their frustrations within the monarchy, but ultimately felt they had no choice but to get out.
- “I gave up my whole life for this family. I was willing to do whatever it takes. But here we are. It’s very sad,” Markle told a friend in March.
- A spokesman for Harry and Markle said they were not interviewed for the book, reports the BBC.
- Visit the Insider home page for more stories.
An unofficial biography of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex claims that their relationship with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge became so bad that the couples barely spoke when they saw each other for the first time in months.
“Finding Freedom,” written by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, will be published in August and has been serialized by the Times and Sunday Times, with the first excerpt published today.
In addition to the claims surrounding the deteriorating relationships between the two royal couples, the book outlines Sussex’s alleged problems with the royal family and the mounting tension that ultimately led to their resignation.
A spokesman for Harry and Markle told the BBC that they were not interviewed for the book:
“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 reports.”
The Sussex press office did not immediately respond to Insider’s insider request.
Harry and Markle wanted to write their own narrative.
According to a source quoted in “Finding Freedom,” the Sussexs had wanted to be independent while being part of the royal family.
“Harry and Meghan liked to be in control of their narrative,” the source said, adding that the couple had wanted to form their own home, but this was not allowed.
The book claims that the royal family was not happy with Harry and Markle’s increasing popularity, and that the duo received far more interest than Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding had delighted fans around the world.
Ben Stansall / Getty
But the hierarchy of the institution led to tension, as the Sussex felt aggrieved when their projects received less importance than those of the Cambridge or Prince Charles.
A source said: “Every conversation, every problem, every personal disagreement, whatever it is, involves the staff.
“It creates a really weird environment that doesn’t really allow people to figure things out for themselves.”
Increased tension led to the Sussex’s resignation as royalty
The book claims that Harry repeatedly expressed his frustrations with members of the royal family, telling them that they felt used for his popularity, attacked in the press, and also treated unfairly within the institution.
“He and Meghan did not want to get away from the monarchy; rather, they wanted to find a happy place within it,” the authors wrote.
But when no progress was made, they decided to leave.
“At this point, they felt they had brought up the topic enough times with family members in the past year and were sick of not being taken seriously,” a source told Scobie and Durand.
When Harry and Markle launched their new website sussexroyal.com presenting their plans, it was a surprise to all members of the royal family, according to the book.
“The surprise element, the concealment of the Queen, for the other directors who are well aware of this, rightly so, was deeply upsetting,” said a source named as a high-ranking member of the family.
The Queen and Prince Philip were reportedly “devastated”.
Sussex’s ‘resignation’ ‘created a complete headache’
After the Sussex resignation was announced, senior members of the royal family and staff had lengthy discussions about what this would mean financially, according to the book.
An aide is said to have said the couple had created “a complete headache” for everyone involved.
William was reportedly absent from the discussions and told a source: “I have hugged my brother all my life and can no longer do so; we are separate entities.”
At the same time, Markle and Middleton’s relationship was going down a similar path, although the authors claim the duchesses never passed “by the distant courtesy of when they first met.”
Middleton and Markle reportedly never approached.
Samir Hussein / WireImage / Getty Images
Markle was to blame for the couple’s decision to leave, in the eyes of courtiers and many family members.
“I gave up my whole life for this family. I was willing to do whatever it takes. But here we are. It’s very sad,” Markle told a friend in March.
However, the book claims that Harry had never really enjoyed being part of the royal family, and the decision to leave was as much his as it was his wife’s.
However, Harry left things on a positive note with the Queen, enjoying a warm and friendly lunch with her, “just granny and grandson,” where the Queen reportedly told her that she would always be welcome if she changed her mind. .
Harry and William’s relationship had turned sour
One of the Sussex’s final engagements as members of working royalty was the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March, where viewers noted that there seemed to be very little heat between the couple and the Cambridges, as reported by Mikhaila Friel of Insider.
The brothers barely recognized each other. According to a source in the book, William was “hurt” by how Harry and Markle had handled their resignation.
William felt “hurt” by the resignation of Harry and Markle and by how publicly it was carried out.
Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images
The Sussexs were left out of the official procession on duty, and this lack of support confirmed that they had made the right decision, the authors claim.
“Meg just wanted to get home,” a friend told the authors. “At the time, I couldn’t imagine wanting to set foot on something real again.”
Harry and Markle are now in Los Angeles with their son Archie, where they work on charity projects while also fighting legal battles with the media, most recently because paparazzi took extreme measures to photograph them.
Read more:
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle filed a privacy invasion lawsuit against paparazzi in California
Stop blaming Meghan Markle: Prince Harry planned his departure from the royal family long before they met
‘She felt very chained’: the dramatic internal story of Meghan and Harry’s unprecedented departure from the royal family
