Meghan Markle Tell-All Book Suggests Her and Kate Middleton Were “Competitive” and “Miserable”
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex are back in the headlines. While it may feel like a lifetime ago, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s exit from royal life was only announced earlier this year. And now, with a biography about the couple’s step down as senior members of the royal family coming out next week, tensions are high among the famous family members after a few exclusive sections of the book were released early. One extract in particular, concerning the relationship between Meghan Markle and her sister-in-law, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, has many questioning the atmospheres between the royal households.
The scoop on the tell-all book
Titled Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Family, the book shares insider information from sources close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. It reportedly tells the story of Markle and Prince Harry and how they hadn’t fit into the royal life quite as nicely they expected to. It details the way Markle was feeling harassed by the media, how her father betrayed details of her life to the public, how she never felt fully welcomed as a member of the family, and how Prince Harry responded to each of his own family members.
Finding Freedom is slated to come out on August 11. While Markle and Prince Harry have stated that they have had no contact with the book’s authors, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, the exclusivity of the book’s contents make it clear that they could have had plenty of influence over their friends’ contributions.
Claims about the “dueling duchesses”
One extract from the book that has piqued the public’s interest is a depiction of the relationship between Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton. The term “dueling duchesses” has been going around since Markle and Prince Harry’s wedding, implying that the Duchess of Sussex and the Duchess of Cambridge weren’t friends and were instead at odds with one another. Corresponding with that, Prince Harry and Prince William have reportedly been at odds for quite some time, as well.
The claim in Finding Freedom suggests that Markle would agree with the assertion that the duchesses were never close friends, even before the apparent rift between the two brothers. The book claims that Middleton never attempted to form a meaningful relationship with Markle and that Markle wished Middleton would have reached out to her during times when she felt especially attacked by the press, reports Tatler. While some might consider the term “dueling duchesses” dramatic, it seems as though the title may not be far from the truth.
Staff members commented on the atmospheres between the families
In the extract concerning the “dueling duchesses,” staff members from the houses of the royal family commented on the nature of their relationships during this time of transition and tension. Claiming that the atmospheres between Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, and Clarence House were “competitive, miserable, and full-on” as the rift widened between the Sussexes and Cambridges, the staff members also mentioned that the internal politics within the houses were struggling.
According to Express, royal experts are expecting the Queen to disapprove of the tell-all book and the fact that Prince Harry didn’t seem to make any attempt to stop the book from being published. While it seems as though most of the book’s information tells an accurate version of events, it’s important to keep in mind that it only tells Markle and Prince Harry’s side of the story. By missing information from the rest of the royal family, particularly the Cambridges, we may never know exactly what went on behind the scenes.
