As more and more comes to light about what really went on behind palace walls between the Cambridges and Sussexes, we take a closer look at some of the biggest revelations made in the biography Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family.
WATCH: Sneak Peek of Harry and Meghan documentary ‘A Royal Rebellion’
Here, New Idea reveals 10 of the most shocking and scandalous revelations from the upcoming tell-all biography, which is due to hit bookstores on August 11.
1. Meghan and the author go way back
Harper’s Bazaar royal reporter Omid Scobie – co-author of Finding Freedom – insists he didn’t have access to Meghan and Harry but adds he’s “spent enough time around his subjects” as a royal reporter of eight years. However, New Idea understands that he also possibly knows the couple in a social setting.
“He used to be very close with Meghan Markle’s best pal Markus Anderson,” an insider reveals. “He is in a really good place to write about them, because he is known and as trusted as a journalist could be by Meghan.”
2. Meghan’s dramatic showdown with the Queen
When Meghan and Harry finally decided over their Christmas holidays to break from the monarchy, they expected to get priority access to Harry’s granny.
Not so. Despite the pair arriving at Heathrow airport on January 6, the Queen informed her grandson and his wife that she was not available until January 29. According to Finding Freedom, Meghan and Harry considered driving straight to Sandringham where Her Majesty was holidaying and barging in on her.
“It was Meghan’s idea more than Harry’s,” a source tells New Idea. “She wanted to go barging in for the ultimate showdown, but Harry talked her out of it.
“Little did Meghan know, the Queen was deliberately stalling in the hope her grandson would see sense. She drew it out because she knew Meghan would eventually go back to Canada to her son, allowing the Queen to have one-on-one time with Harry to sort a few things out.
“No-one needed Meghan causing extra drama while the Queen was on her treasured Christmas break.”
3. Harry and Meghan’s fight for the crown
According to the book, Meghan told a friend: “I gave my entire life for this family. I was willing to do whatever it takes,” and our insider says she meant it literally.
“Meghan never liked that she was second fiddle to Kate and William,” says the source. “Meg has this ‘nothing is impossible’ attitude, and she once read that Harry told Wills when they were kids that he could be king if Wills didn’t want to, which struck inspiration in her.
“She felt that her and Harry would make a much more modern king and queen, and I wouldn’t have put it past her to make a run for the throne at some point.
“She’s patient; she could have waited years to find a weakness and strike. There is a ruthless side to her for sure and if she wanted the crown, she’d have found a way to make it hers.”
4. Author’s shock claim: they might not last
While Omid insists that Harry and Meghan’s love is genuine, he admits he fears for them in the years ahead. The couple are involved in six legal scuffles, including most recently a case against the paparazzi for intruding on their privacy in Los Angeles.
“[It will be] a very testing time for them,” says Omid, in an interview with The Times. “I think they’ve got battles up ahead.”
5. Harry: trapped in a loveless marriage
Among the allegations in the biography is that aides described Meghan as “Harry’s showgirl” who had “too much baggage” – but the prince was even more incensed by a talking-to from his brother.
It’s believed William encouraged Harry to “take your time to get to know this girl”, to which Harry took offence.
Now insiders worry that “pig-headed” Harry will stay in the marriage to avoid “his naysayers being proven right”.
“Harry has a hot temper and a lot of pride. Sure, the showgirl comment was very rude, but William’s and other courtiers’ advice was coming from a place of concern that he’d rushed into proposing to someone he barely knew,” says our insider.
“Poor William had his head bitten off. Now Harry’s made his bed and may force himself to lie in it.”
6. Harry broke his dad’s heart
In issuing his now infamous 2016 unauthorised statement slamming the press for harassing his “girlfriend” – ergo confirming their romance and dominating headlines – Harry sidelined Prince Charles’ important, meticulously planned trip to the Middle East.
“Charles only knew about the statement 20 minutes before it went out,” says a source. “It pushed him out of the papers. He was devastated.”
7. The queen “will never take them back”
After complaining about their treatment by the monarchy – despite courtiers telling Finding Freedom that they’d “bent over backwards” to accommodate the Sussexes – they were still aggrieved about being “used” for their popularity and being forced to “take a back seat” to those higher in the family hierarchy.
“The Queen was horrified by this,” says a source. “She’s always said to Harry that the door will be open to them should they decide to return, but I bet that offer has closed now.”
8. Meghan thought Kate was a snob
The rift between House Cambridge and House Sussex has reached legend status, and according to the book it boiled over when Kate refused to give Meghan a ride to the shops when they were neighbours at Kensington Palace.
Apparently Meghan was left deeply insulted when Kate sped off her in her Land Rover, despite knowing Meghan was headed the same way.
The book reveals Kate sent Meghan flowers not long after, but Meghan turned up her nose and declared it not enough.
The Cambridges, meanwhile, insist they “rolled out the red carpet for Meghan” and “even personally made her favourite vegan meals at Christmas”.
9. Harry ditched friends – and social media – for Meghan
If “extra-sensitive” Harry suspected anyone didn’t like his wife-to-be, they were cut out.
“He would wonder, is it about snobbery, is it about race?” writes Omid and his co-author, US ABC royal correspondent Carolyn Durand.
He also deleted his secret Instagram, @SpikeyMau5, after getting serious with Meghan in 2016, despite her following the account after their blind date.
10. Meghan “set up pics” with the paparazzi
Despite falling out with her father Thomas Markle Sr for setting up pics with a photographer in a bid to get better publicity before his daughter’s wedding, it seems like the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.
The book claims Meghan admits to setting up photo opportunities with the paparazzi to further her acting career – though she immediately went cold on them and began complaining about stalking once her relationship with Harry was revealed.
“Before she met Harry, she had occasionally set up a paparazzi photo here and there or let info slip out to the press,” a source tells Omid and Carolyn. “But she did everything in her power to protect the privacy of her relationship with the prince.”
Snipes an insider: “You can’t just use photographers to boost your career and then expect them to vanish once you no longer have a use for them.
“It’s naïve of her to expect them to do so.”
For more, pick up the latest issue of New idea. Out now!
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