Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s new biography Finding Freedom is here, and tea! is! served! Royal authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand spoke to dozens of sources close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, getting inside access to their relationship—not to mention what really went on behind the scenes of the couple’s “royal feud” with Prince William and Kate Middleton. This book really just goes for it (side note: Prince William is not thrilled), both shedding light on royal rumors, and exposing some brand new information. Truly:
In case you simply cannot wait for Finding Freedom to hit shelves on August 11 (or are simply too lazy to actually read it in full), here are the 10 biggest bombshells from the book thus far….
Meghan and Harry Secretly Got Engaged Way Before It Was Announced
Like, *months* before they actually shared the news publicly. The couple claimed Harry popped the question over a chicken dinner in November 2017, but according to Finding Freedom, these two “became secretly engaged in August 2017.” I mean…WHAT IS THE TRUTH?!
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Kate Once Snubbed Meghan During a Shopping Trip
Turns out Kate didn’t really make an effort to include Meghan when she joined the royal family, and Omid and Carolyn write that, “though it was not necessarily her responsibility, Kate did little to bridge the divide.”
At one particularly awkward point, the Duchesses both found themselves leaving Kensington Palace to go shopping on the same street in London—and Kate fully left Meghan to shop by herself, instead going in a different direction in her Range Rover. That said, Finding Freedom emphasizes that Kate and Meghan “were not at war with each other,” rather they just “struggled to move past distant politeness.” Kay!
Harry Said “I Love You” First
The cute moment went down just a few months into their relationship, check it:
“Three months into their relationship, a Meghan friend said, they had already begun swapping the words ‘I love you.’ It was Harry who said it first, but Meghan immediately replied, ‘I love you, too.’ From there it didn’t take long for them to begin talking in non-oblique terms about their future.”
Prince William Said Harry Was “Blindsided by Lust”
Soooo, William wasn’t the most welcoming when Meghan joined the family—by which I mean, he encouraged Harry to “take as much time as you need to get to know ‘this girl,'” and didn’t want his brother to be “blindsided by lust.” Literally everyone @ William right now:
“In those last two words, ‘this girl,’ Harry heard the tone of snobbishness that was anathema to his approach to the world,” an excerpt from Finding Freedom reveals. “To remove Meghan from the equation, Harry was tired of the dynamic that had become established between him and his older brother.”
Harry Cut Off Friends Due to Their Racism and Snobbery
Anyone who’s been following Meghan’s time in the royal family knows that she’s had to endure a ton of racism, judgement, and snobbery from both internet trolls and the British press. But apparently the issue extended to Harry’s inner circle, causing him to cut off relationships with old friends.
“When he first started seeing her, Harry, sensitive to even the slightest hint of prejudice, had fallouts within his own circle. When some questioned his new relationship, and whether she was suitable, he would wonder, ‘Is this about race? Is it snobbery?’ An old friend of Harry’s spent an afternoon gossiping about Meghan, making disparaging remarks about her Hollywood background. Word got back to Harry, and the prince immediately cut him off. If he was willing to confront those close to him, when it came to the media, Harry was poised for outright war.”
Harry and Meghan Couldn’t “Trust” Palace Aides
Meghan and Harry made history when they stepped away from royal duties and left England, but apparently the decision was a long time coming. Not only was the couple frustrated by the royal family telling them what to do all the time, Harry felt he couldn’t trust anyone in the palace.
“For months the couple tried to air these frustrations, but the conversations didn’t lead anywhere. Worse, there were just a handful of people working at the palace they could trust. Outside this core team, no information was safe… Highly emotional and fiercely protective of his wife and son, Harry was drained by the unique circumstances of his family, which, as a source described, ‘doesn’t have the opportunity to operate as an actual family.'”
Royal Aides Said Awful Things About Meghan
If you still don’t really understand why Meghan and Harry ditched their royal duties, the palace’s lack of respect for Meghan might make it a bit more clear. On top of William’s unwelcoming snobbery, senior courtiers reportedly said incredibly rude things about the Duchess, including “there’s just something about her I don’t trust” and calling her “Harry’s showgirl.”
W. T. F.
William and Kate Never Visited Meghan and Harry at Their Country Home
Remember when Meghan and Harry were briefly living in Oxfordshire? Well, turns out William and Kate literally never visited them for 10 full months. Per Finding Freedom, “William and Kate’s feelings seemed obvious to the Sussexes that summer and beyond. Among all the friends and family Harry and Meghan hosted at their house in Oxfordshire between May 2018 and March 2019, the Cambridges failed to visit.”
Kate Wouldn’t Make Eye Contact with Meghan During Their Last Engagement
Meghan and Harry made their final royal appearance at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020. They hadn’t seen Kate and William since January, but Kate fully snubbed Meghan at the event. To quote Finding Freedom, “Although Meghan tried to make eye contact with Kate, the Duchess barely acknowledged her.”
Meanwhile, the Times (via The Hollywood Reporter) published an interview with Omid Scobie where he elaborated on the incident, explaining that to “purposefully snub your sister-in-law or your brother or brother-in-law in Kate’s case… I don’t think it left a great taste in the couple’s mouths.”
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Meghan Was Told Not to Wear a Necklace with Harry’s Initial
Back when they were dating, Meghan was photographed in a necklace with the initials “H” and “M.” Palace aides? Not thrilled. A Finding Freedom excerpt reads:
“She was advised that wearing such a necklace only served to encourage the photographers to keep pursuing such images—and new headlines. [Meghan] said little during the call, choosing instead to simply listen to the counsel. But after hanging up, she felt frustrated and emotional. While she knew the aide had good intentions, the surreal experience of having someone from her boyfriend’s office tell her what kind of jewelry to wear or not to smile at a photographer was too much.”
Damn. Is it any wonder Meghan and Harry moved to Los Angeles? For more tea and the truth behind their dramatic exit from the royal fam, pick up Finding Freedom below.
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