Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Were ‘Desperate’ to Keep Their Relationship Private, But an Insider From the House of York Had Other Plans Claims Royal Author

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met on a blind date in 2016. Less than two years later, they were husband and wife. Harry and Meghan’s whirlwind romance captivated both the UK press and the American tabloids. But how did the news that Prince Harry was dating an American actress get leaked? According to a new book, the source of the leak was the House of York.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s relationship leak happened four months after they met

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex met in the summer of 2016 after being set up by a mutual friend. And insiders say the relationship went from “Zero to 60” rather quickly.

The new book The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor – the Truth and the Turmoil by former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown recalls how the news of Harry and Meghan’s relationship broke via a headline in the Sunday Express.

The headline proclaimed “His Majesty’s pleasure: Prince Harry secretly dating US TV star Meghan Markle.” And the accompanying story written by royals editor Camilla Tominey dished on “the red-haired royal Romeo” who was dubbed “the world’s most eligible bachelor” falling for Markle.

“Insiders say Harry, 32, is ‘besotted’ with the actress, best known for her role as Rachel Zane in American TV legal drama Suits,” the story read, per Town & Country. “In recent weeks royal watchers have noticed that Harry, fifth-in-line to the throne, has had a notable spring in his step and can’t stop smiling. ‘He’s happier than he’s been for many years,’ said a source close to the Prince last night.”

Royal author Tina Brown claims the relationship was leaked by the House of York

The source in the article went on to say that Harry had been “desperate to keep the relationship quiet” because he didn’t want to scare Markle off. And because he knew things would change when the romance was made public.

But, who was the source that contributed to that article? According to Brown, the leak came from a servant in the House of York. The House of York refers to the Duke of York’s household, aka Prince Andrew and his daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

“In the first round of coverage, [Meghan] was portrayed as Grace Kelly redux, an actress, humanitarian, and gender equality campaigner, making it hard not to believe that the initial leak came from Meghan’s side (though a servant tip from the House of York has been fingered),” Brown writes.

“The second round, however, struck a different tone, forcing Meghan to experience the full-on bare-toothed barracuda swarm of hacks on the royal beat. American celebrities often find themselves dazed by the sheer demonic creativity of the British popular press.”

Queen Elizabeth knew Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were unhappy

No matter who leaked the news, it became evident rather quickly that Harry and Meghan’s relationship was the real deal. They announced their engagement in the fall of 2017, and they tied the knot in May of 2018. But it wasn’t long before Harry and Meghan wanted out of the royal family.

Brown claims in her book that the couple’s intention to leave “was clear from as early as the autumn of 2018.” And Queen Elizabeth could see how unhappy they were. However, she wanted their exit to “set the right precedent” and she felt “genuinely very conflicted” about it.

“They could all see how unhappy Harry and Meghan were,” a insider explained to Brown. “Everybody was supportive of them leaving. But they wanted it done in an orderly way.”

Ultimately, the source claimed that Prince Harry was unhappy and wanted out of the royal family for years. But it wasn’t until he met Meghan that he was able to get out.