‘A book by Harry, written by Meghan’: Royals brace for $20m Megxit memoir
Prince Harry ‘says he DOESN’T need Queen’s permission’ to write $20m Megxit memoir as Royal aides fear more ‘truth bombs’ and ‘poor me introspection’ in tell-all ‘book by Harry, written by Meghan’
- Prince Harry has been secretly working on book for nearly year which he has sold to Penguin Random House
- He has been collaborating with a ghostwriter in a rare move from a senior member of the royal family
- First draft of manuscript, currently untitled, is said to be almost completely written with deadline in October
- Financial terms were not disclosed but Prince Harry will donate proceeds to charity, according to publisher
- But sources told DailyMail.com that the advance is likely to be in the region of $20m, one of the biggest ever
Prince Harry didn’t feel he needed permission from Buckingham Palace to write his $20million Megxit memoir, his spokesman declared today.
The decision to write a tell-all autobiography has been branded a ‘moneymaking exercise at the expense of his blood family’ by royal experts and insiders who predicted it would be ‘a book by Harry, as written by Meghan.’
Harry, 36, did not warn his grandmother, father or brother about the tell-all book until ‘moments before it became public’ in a sign that his relationship with the Royal Family did not improve during his visit to unveil Princess Diana’s statue in London earlier this month, it was claimed today.
The Sussexes’ spokesman told the BBC that Harry would not be expected to obtain permission for the project from Buckingham Palace – but it is not yet clear if royal officials will get to see the finished book before its release in late 2022 by publisher Penguin Random House. MailOnline has asked Harry’s LA team to comment.
The Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William are said to have been completely blindsided by Harry’s shock announcement that he has been secretly working on his as yet untitled memoirs with Pulitzer-winning ghostwriter J. R. Moehringer for a year.
Another source revealed that the announcement had provoked ‘much eye-rolling’, adding: ‘I think everyone is just tired of being angry when it comes to those two. They have spent the last 18 months doing everything they promised Her Majesty they wouldn’t do – making a living off their previous lives and status as members of the Royal Family. It’s depressingly predictable, unfortunately.’
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s ‘truth bombing’ began in March with their extraordinary 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey where they accused the Royal Family of racism towards Archie and ignoring cries for help from a depressed Meghan when she was suicidal and pregnant.
In the chaotic aftermath of the show, watched by almost 100million people worldwide, the couple claimed this would be their ‘final word’ on Megxit, only to continue talking about it in more damaging detail over the coming months.
And now the royals will be dreading the release of the book next year, which experts predict will be ‘more “poor me” introspection and more excuses to justify his decision to quit royal life’ and ‘the last thing the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William will want to hear’.
Biographer Phil Dampier wrote in the Express today: ‘They will be in despair that Harry – doubtless prompted by Meghan – just won’t leave it alone for a while. It is obvious that when Harry came over for the unveiling of Diana’s statue earlier this month, no meaningful progress was made in his relationship with his father or brother. If he respected their opinion, he wouldn’t do this book because they wouldn’t approve of it.
‘Harry wants to present himself as a mature family man who has learnt from his mistakes and become a wise old sage. But I fear many other people will see this as yet another moneymaking exercise at the expense of his blood family’.
As the Sussexes promised to tell their Megxit story again, it also emerged:
- Harry told his family including the Queen about the book ‘moments before’ the publisher released the news, it has been claimed;
- Experts told DailyMail.com that Harry will have been given ‘at least’ a $20million advance for his memoir – one of the largest in literary history;
- The author ghostwriting Prince Harry’s new book is J.R. Moehringer, who may have been introduced to Harry by George Clooney, who is turning Moehringer’s own memoir, The Tender Bar, into a movie next year;
Prince Harry has been secretly working on book for nearly year which he has sold to Penguin Random House
Harry , 36, did not warn his grandmother, father or brother about the tell-all book until ‘moments before it became public’ in a sign that his relationship with the Royal Family did not improve during his visit to unveil Princess Diana ‘s statue in London earlier this month
Sources close to Prince Charles (pictured in Exeter yesterday) said Harry’s father was ‘surprised’ at the news and that the royals had not been warned in advance that a book was in the offing until the news broke
A statement from the publisher states: ‘Prince Harry will share, for the very first time, the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him’
The first draft of the manuscript, currently untitled, is said to be almost completely written and is due to be submitted in October
Prince Harry has been working with Pulitzer-winning ghostwriter J. R. Moehringer
Prince Harry did not warn his father Charles about his plan to write an explosive Megxit memoir which will hit the shelves next year, it has been claimed.
Harry’s spokesman said that he told his family including the Queen ‘very recently’ – but a source told The Sun: ‘Harry scrambled to contact his family only when he knew the story was coming out — just moments before it became public.’
The Duke of Sussex, 36, has been secretly working on the book about his life in the royal family for nearly a year, which he has since sold to Penguin Random House.
Prince Harry has been collaborating with Pulitzer-winning ghostwriter J. R. Moehringer in a rare move from a senior member of the royal family.
The first draft of the manuscript, currently untitled, is said to be almost completely written and is due to be submitted in October.
Royal experts questioned Harry’s motive for writing the book, pointing out he is already wealthy and has previously spoken at length about Megxit.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline Harry was ‘exorcising his demons’ with the book – but queried how one-sided it would be, adding: ‘Will it be his truth or the truth? And will they be the same or different?’
Experts have told DailyMail.com that Harry will have been given ‘at least’ a $20million (£14.6million) advance for the memoir with millions more to be made in sales. Any ‘proceeds’ will go to charity, the prince has said.
Prince Harry said in a statement last night: ‘I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story— the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned — I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think.
‘I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a firsthand account of my life that’s accurate and wholly truthful.’
But sources close to Prince Charles said Harry’s father was ‘surprised’ at the news and that the royals had not been warned in advance that a book was in the offing until the news broke on Monday.
Harry’s suggestion that he would be writing about his ‘mistakes’ and the ‘lessons’ he has learned also raised eyebrows.
Royal sources said they believed that the prince had ‘never been one to willingly admit’ any mistakes and had spent the last three years ‘blaming everyone except himself and his wife’ for the catastrophic breakdown in relations with his family.
The proceeds of the deal are likely to be worth millions and, although the exact financial terms were not disclosed, Prince Harry will donate proceeds to charity, according to Random House
Harry’s ‘power ghostwriter’: Pulitzer-winning ex-LA Times journalist who co-wrote memoirs for Andre Agassai and Nike CEO Phil Knight has been working on book with the prince for a year
Harry has been quietly working with novelist and journalist JR Moehringer to put his thoughts to paper for the last year.
Described by US media as a ‘power ghostwriter’, the New York native, 56, first wrote his own memoir, The Tender Bar, where he recounted being brought up by his single mother in his grandfather’s house and meeting a cast of characters in the bar where his uncle worked.
It was after reading the deeply personal story from the Yale graduate that tennis star Andre Agassi sought out Moehringer to tell his own tale.
Agassi’s 2009 book, Open: An Autobiography, was not the usual sportsman’s tome, espousing a love for the game that brought him great fame and wealth as others have done.
Instead it made headlines when the eight-time Grand Slam winner admitted: ‘I play tennis for a living even though I hate tennis, hate it with a dark and secret passion and always have.’
Moehringer then went on to ghostwrite the life story of Phil Knight, co-founder of sports giant Nike.
But 2016’s Shoe Dog, while leaning heavily on Knight’s family influences and personal anecdotes, was criticised by some reviewers for largely skipping over Nike’s controversies and offering few regrets.
Moehringer’s work has won numerous awards, including the 2000 Pulitzer, America’s top journalism honour, for feature writing.
He has worked for the Rocky Mountain News, the New York Times and the LA Times during a career spanning four decades.
Prince Harry has signed up to the book deal despite issuing repeated calls for his family’s privacy to be respected.
A statement from the publisher about the upcoming book reads: ‘In an intimate and heartfelt memoir from one of the most fascinating and influential global figures of our time, Prince Harry will share, for the very first time, the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him.
‘Covering his lifetime in the public eye from childhood to the present day, including his dedication to service, the military duty that twice took him to the frontlines of Afghanistan, and the joy he has found in being a husband and father, Prince Harry will offer an honest and captivating personal portrait, on that shows readers that behind everything they think they know lies an inspiring, courageous and uplifting human story.’
Markus Dohle, CEO of Penguin Random House, said: ‘All of us at Penguin Random House are thrilled to publish Prince Harry’s literary memoir and have him join the world-renowned leaders, icons, and change-makers we have been privileged to publish over the years.
‘Prince Harry has harnessed his extraordinary life experience as a prince, a soldier, and a knowledgeable advocate for social issues, establishing himself as a global leader recognized for his courage and openness.
‘It is for that reason we’re excited to publish his honest and moving story.’
Penguin Random House said it has bought the global rights to the memoir and audiobook – expected to be published in late 2022 as it threatens to bring a dramatic end to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year.
Robert Jobson, author of the bestseller Prince Philip’s Century, has commented on Harry’s book deal and drawn parallels with former King Edward VIII.
‘As night follows day, this was always going to happen,’ he told MailOnline.
‘It will become an international bestseller, but at what cost to the monarchy? There will be nowhere to hide. It is not the first time a ‘exiled’ senior royal has written a memoir… the former King Edward VIII wrote one.
‘His book – A King’s Story: The Memoirs of HRH the Duke of Windsor, KG – was published to a media storm in the 50s. It caused a sensation.
‘But this is bound to cause mayhem amongst the House of Windsor. If Harry, which seems inevitable, goes into detail about mental health issues involving his wife and alleged racism at the heart of the royal family, it will be hugely damaging to the House of Windsor and the Monarchy as an institution.
‘Harry is already hugely rich and famous so apart from damaging his family – which a book like this will inevitably do, I am not sure what he is trying to achieve. Whatever he says will lead to conflict.
‘No wonder there is a rift between the royal brothers and problems with his father. How can any bridges be built when he is doing this? I cannot see any royal rift ever being healed at this rate.’
And others were also quick to question Harry’s motivations with Piers Morgan tweeting: ‘Ready to tell his story? Prince Privacy hasn’t stopped yapping, whining & trashing his family all bloody year.’
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline that Harry has been using his media appearances as a ‘form of therapy’.
‘It’s not being published globally until late 2022. I do think that it is very important that an accommodation should be reached between the royal family and the Sussexes between now and then.
‘[Harry] is donating the proceeds to charity. It is however worth remembering that the knowledge he is writing it and that it could be explosive and that it will be widely read worldwide is something members of the royal family will be bearing in mind when dealing with the Sussexes between now and then.
‘The Sussexes problem is they keep going public. Harry has an extraordinary habit of getting headlines – Oprah, James Corden, celebrity podcasts, AppleTV and he sees these appearances as a kind of therapy.
‘It’s very difficult when you’re dealing with the Sussexes, that you don’t know what’s coming next. It might not be published until 2022.
‘It’s so far in the future, it’s a potential lever if they want something from the royal family.
‘He’s exorcising his demons, and he doesn’t see it as disruptive at all. He sees it as becoming a new person – escaping being trapped like Charles and William.
‘But he’s still sixth-in-line to the throne, a significant royal even if he’s not a working royal. He wants an audience to understand how he can become a new him, and we don’t know that will be yet.
‘Will it be his truth or the truth? And will they be the same or different?
‘A lot of his Oprah interview didn’t pass a fact check, and it’s difficult for the outside world to tell what is true, which is a big concern.
‘They still see themselves as victims, my hope is that it’s constructive and won’t lead to further revelations that will damage his family. It appears it was written before the rift was healed – so it could be extraordinary.
‘He’s saying the book is written from the the perspective of ‘the man he’s become’, and this is certainly what he feels at the moment.
‘It’s hard to see exactly what Harry and Meghan want and we might not know until we see what in the memoir is going to include and what might embarrass his father and what’s going to be about their time as working royals.
‘He has talked a lot about healing, but what do the Sussexes want for the royal family?’
The book deal is likely to only increase the tensions between the Duke of Sussex and the rest of The Firm as the Royal Family brace for further painful revelations.
Prince Harry has been separated from brother William, 39, by a rift that began in March 2019 when the Duke of Cambridge reportedly threw Harry and wife Meghan Markle out of Kensington Palace over the alleged bullying of staff – with the Sussexes breaking up their joint foundation.
The gulf was exacerbated when the couple, who stepped down from royal duties in early 2020, moved away from the UK to start a new life after citing the desire for a more private life.
But just four months ago Harry and Meghan, 39, made worldwide news during their explosive two-hour interview with Oprah Winfrey near the couple’s home in Montecito, California, which was viewed by more than 17 million people in the US and over 11 million in Britain.
Meghan spoke of feeling lonely and nearly suicidal at six months pregnant before the couple left England and Harry acknowledged tension with his father, Prince Charles, over his decision to step back from his royal duties and his marriage to the biracial American actor.
‘There is a lot to work through there,’ Harry said about his relationship with his father, who was divorced from Diana, Princess of Wales, at the time of her fatal car accident in 1997.
‘I feel really let down. He’s been through something similar. He knows what pain feels like. And Archie (Harry and Meghan’s son) is his grandson. I will always love him, but there is a lot of hurt that has happened.’
Harry told Winfrey that he felt trapped by royal life and that his family cut off him financially and took away his security.
He also acknowledged his relations were strained with his brother, Prince William.
‘I was trapped, but I didn’t know I was trapped,’ Harry said, before adding, ‘My father and my brother, they are trapped.’
Meghan also claimed that Kate Middleton left her in tears during a row over bridesmaid dresses and Harry accused his father Prince Charles of refusing to take his calls when the pair moved to the US.
In one of the most shocking sections of the Oprah interview, the duchess claimed that Harry was asked by a close relative ‘how dark’ their unborn baby would be.
She added that the unnamed royal had raised ‘concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born’.
Sources close to Prince Charles said Harry’s father was ‘surprised’ at the news and that the royals had not been warned that a book was in the offing until the news broke on Monday. Pictured: Prince Charles and Camilla during a visit to Exeter Cathedral yesterday
The couple refused to identify the person concerned as it would be ‘too damaging to them’.
Buckingham Palace said at the time that the royal family were ‘saddened’ to hear how challenging the couple’s lives had been.
In the days that followed, Prince William also uncharacteristically hit back at his brother’s claims while visiting a school in east London with wife Kate Middleton.
Sky News reporter Inzamam Rashid asked: ‘Can you just let me know, is the Royal Family a racist family?’
William, who was wearing a face mask at the time, firmly said: ‘We’re very much not a racist family.’
Kensington Palace later declined to comment and said that the duke had said all he wished to say.
Harry and Meghan have since faced criticism for repeatedly complaining about their own privacy being violated at the same time as sharing damaging details about private conversations they have had with senior royals in front of a global TV audience numbering in the tens of millions.
They have also been accused of ‘hypocrisy’ for releasing photos of private family moments on Instagram – prompting press stories of their private lives – while complaining about media intrusion after coverage that paints them in a bad light.
Last month, Meghan published her own picture book ‘The Bench’ through Random House Books for Young Readers.
It was inspired by a poem the Duchess of Sussex wrote for Prince Harry on Father’s Day, the month after Archie was born, and explores the ‘special bond between father and son’ as ‘seen through a mother’s eyes’.
The Bench did feature as number one on The New York Times Bestseller list for children’s picture books but failed to hit the UK Official Top 50 chart after selling just 3,212 copies in its first week – being beaten by footballer Marcus Rashford’s self-help guide.
Just four months ago Harry and Meghan made worldwide news during their explosive two-hour interview with Oprah Winfrey near the couple’s home in Montecito, California
And this latest venture comes just weeks after the pair, who are parents to two-year-old Archie, welcomed Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana Mountbatten-Windsor on June 4 at 11.40am in Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
The couple had said they would ‘both take some proper time off’ to adjust to life as a family-of-four before stepping back into their various business engagements.
Prince Harry’s paternity leave has meant taking time out from his executive position at a Silicon Valley start-up that claims to be worth $1.7billion.
For the couple the time-off also meant temporarily stepping back from their multi-million-pound deals with Netflix and Spotify – which Harry told Oprah Winfrey he was persuaded to sign when he was ‘literally cut off financially’ from the Royal Family.
It was revealed last month that the couple have so far broadcast just 35 minutes of podcast content on Spotify as part of their £18million deal.
The Sussexes were last heard on their Archewell Audio Spotify podcast for the 2020 Christmas special, and the platform had planned for ‘a full-scale launch of shows’ in 2021.
It is understood that the couple will be paid the full £18million fee after their duties have been met, The Sun said.
Buckingham Palace declined to comment on Harry’s memoir when approached by MailOnline.
Will Prince Harry expose the Royal who made comments about Archie’s ‘dark’ skin in shock Megxit memoir? As Duke prepares to publish his tell-all book, FEMAIL details bombshell revelations he could unleash on the Monarchy
by CHARLIE LANKSTON for DailyMail.com
Prince Harry is set to release a tell-all Megxit memoir that could contain several bombshell allegations and revelations that will no doubt rock the Royal Family
Prince Harry has once again sent shockwaves of fear through the Royal Family after it was revealed that he is planning to release a tell-all memoir about his life in the Monarchy and his bombshell decision to quit his royal duties.
The Duke of Sussex, 36, has secretly working on the memoir for the past year and has since sold the book to publishers at Penguin Random House for an undisclosed amount.
His book marks the first time that a senior royal has written this kind of tell-all, and the news of its existence comes amid an ongoing, and increasingly-bitter, rift between Harry and Meghan, and the rest of the Royal Family.
Thus far, few details about the book’s exact contents have been shared, however Penguin Random House issued a statement in which it revealed Harry’s book will provide an ‘intimate and heartfelt’ look into his life.
‘In an intimate and heartfelt memoir from one of the most fascinating and influential global figures of our time, Prince Harry will share, for the very first time, the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him,’ the blurb reads.
‘Covering his lifetime in the public eye from childhood to the present day, including his dedication to service, the military duty that twice took him to the frontlines of Afghanistan, and the joy he has found in being a husband and father, Prince Harry will offer an honest and captivating personal portrait, on that shows readers that behind everything they think they know lies an inspiring, courageous and uplifting human story.’
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have already rocked the Royal Family to its very core with a series of very damaging allegations about the Monarchy, many of which were made during their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March.
The Duke then added more fuel to the fire during his mental health-focused Apple TV+ special, The Me You Can’t See, with Oprah, 67, which premiered in May.
But the embittered Harry will no doubt have plenty more to share in the pages of his book – which is currently due to be published in late 2022 – and which will no doubt plunge the Royal Family into further controversy.
So what bombshell revelations can be expected from the Duke’s upcoming tell-all – and will Harry choose to name and shame the people involved?
Naming and shaming? Prince Harry could identify the royal who he and Meghan claimed made comments about ‘how dark’ their son Archie’s skin would be when he was born
The identity of the royal who made remarks about Archie’s ‘dark’ skin
One of the most damaging allegations to come out of Harry and Meghan’s primetime interview with Oprah Winfrey was the couple’s claim that a senior member of the Royal Family questioned ‘how dark’ their son Archie’s skin would be.
Meghan claimed during the sit-down that member of ‘The Firm’ had ‘several’ conversations with Prince Harry about the color of their son’s skin when she was pregnant, saying: ‘All around this same time, we have in tandem the conversation of he won’t be given security, he’s not going to be given a title and also concerns and conversations as how dark his skin might be when he’s born.
‘That was relayed to me from Harry from conversations that family had with him.’
She refused to identify the person in question, saying only that it ‘would be really damaging to them’ if their name was to be revealed.
The allegation sparked a furious controversy – with many demanding to know exactly who had made the comments.
After the interview aired, Oprah revealed that Harry had made clear to her that the comments were not made by the Queen or her late husband Prince Philip. She did not share any other details about their identity.
However, given the increasingly acrimonious relationship between the couple and the rest of the Royal Family, Harry may well choose to name the person involved in his memoir – which would no doubt spark a furious backlash, and could well prompt an investigation into that royal’s behavior.
The truth behind Harry’s bitter rift with his brother Prince William
There has been plenty of speculation about what exactly caused the fall-out between Harry and his older brother William, 39, with the former giving little information away during recent interviews – only telling Oprah that there is ‘space’ between the two of them and that they are on ‘different paths’.
‘We’ve been through hell together, we have a shared experience, but we were on different paths,’ he said.
The rift between the brothers has certainly been made all the more severe by Harry and Meghan’s decision to repeatedly blast the Monarchy in such public forums and it is understood the relations between the siblings are at their lowest point.
Father-of-three William was said to have been left ‘reeling’ by Harry’s comments to Oprah – as well as his younger brother’s decision to share private details about a conversation between the brothers with CBS This Morning anchor Gayle King, who revealed to the world on live TV that the chat was ‘not productive’.
Bitter row: Harry may choose to open up about his ongoing rift with his brother Prince William, which has become increasingly severe in the wake of the younger sibling’s decision to quit royal life
However it is understood that tensions between the once-inseparable Harry and William began long before the former sat down in front of a camera to air his grievances about The Firm to the world.
The widening rift between the brothers has been the subject of much speculation – and is even the subject of a book, Battle of Brothers, by royal historian and biographer Robert Lacey, who claimed that the feud began long before Harry even met Meghan.
According to Lacey, signs of tension between Harry and William began in the early 2000s, when the younger sibling found himself at the center of a drugs scandal and then, months later, became embroiled in furious controversy after he was pictured wearing a Nazi uniform at a costume party.
Lacey’s book suggests that Harry felt abandoned by his brother during this time and this resulted in a serious rift between the siblings.
However, it has been widely reported that their most recent rift began amid ‘bullying’ accusations against Meghan, who is alleged to have pushed several staff members at Kensington Palace into quitting – claims that she has vehemently denied.
Lacey has claimed that William approached Harry to discuss a ‘dossier of distress’ that had been compiled about Meghan’s behavior – however that conversation quickly turned into a bitter row, which became so heated that William ‘threw Harry out’.
Harry’s decision to step down as a senior member of the Royal Family and move to the US with his wife and son only served to worsen the rift between the brothers – neither of whom have ever addressed the fall-out in any detail.
Although Harry hinted at the rift in his interview with Oprah, his book could well offer much more detail about his relationship with his brother – and finally bring to light the Prince’s views on what exactly sparked the fall-out in the first place.
An attack on Charles’ parenting: How did the Prince of Wales cause Harry ‘genetic pain and suffering’
Another shock allegation made by Prince Harry during his interview with Oprah was his claim that his father had ‘stopped taking his calls’ during the build-up to Megxit – before ‘cutting him off financially’ when the Sussexes moved to the US.
Harry claimed that his brother and father are both ‘trapped’ in the Royal Family, before revealing that he and Charles were not on speaking terms after his father stopped picking up the phone, adding: ‘There’s a lot to work through there. I feel really let down.’
The Duke claimed that he’d had ‘three conversations’ with the Queen and ‘two conversations’ with Charles about his desire to step down as a senior royal, but insisted that his father ‘stopped taking his calls’ after that second chat.
According to Harry, Charles refused to continue speaking with his son about his plans for Megxit after he ‘took matters into his own hands’ out of concern for his own mental health, and that of his wife and son.
‘It’s really sad that it’s gotten to this point, but I’ve got to do something for my own mental health, my wife’s, and for Archie’s, as well, because I could see where this was headed,’ he said.
‘I feel really let down because he’s been through something similar, he knows what pain feels like, [and] Archie’s his grandson.
‘But at the same time – I will always love him – but there’s a lot of hurt that’s happened and I will continue to make it one of my priorities to try and heal that relationship.
‘But they only know what they know, or what they’re told.’
Much like William, Charles has never addressed his relationship – or rift – with Harry, however it may be that the Duke of Sussex has plenty more to say on the matter, and he could well choose to once again blast his father’s behavior, this time in the pages of his book, rather that in a TV interview.
The book could also provide Harry with the opportunity to address his upbringing, something that he touched upon briefly during an appearance on Dax Shepherd’s mental health-focused podcast, Armchair Expert, when he blasted his father’s parenting, suggesting that it left him with ‘genetic pain and suffering’.
During the interview, Harry claimed that Charles had ‘suffered’ because of his upbringing by the Queen and Prince Philip, and that the Prince of Wales had then ‘treated me the way he was treated’, calling it ‘genetic pain’.
”I don’t think we should be pointing the finger or blaming anybody, but certainly when it comes to parenting, if I’ve experienced some form of pain or suffering because of the pain or suffering that perhaps my father or my parents had suffered, I’m going to make sure I break that cycle so that I don’t pass it on, basically,’ he said.
‘It’s a lot of genetic pain and suffering that gets passed on anyway so we as parents should be doing the most we can to try and say, ‘You know what, that happened to me, I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen to you.”
Meghan v. Kate: What really happened between the two women to cause such acrimony?
In the opening minutes of her interview with Oprah, Meghan made a shock claim about her relationship with Kate Middleton, accusing the Duchess of Cambridge of making her cry in the lead-up to her wedding to Prince Harry.
Rumors of a row between Meghan and Kate, 39, made headlines around the world after the couple’s royal wedding in May 2018 – however it was initially reported that the argument over a flower girl’s dress had left the Duchess of Cambridge in tears, and not the other way around as Meghan told Oprah.
The Duke of Sussex could address reports of a rift between his wife and Kate Middleton – who Meghan accused of making her cry in the lead-up to the couple’s May 2018 wedding
A source said at the time: ‘Kate had only just given birth to her third child, Prince Louis, and was feeling quite emotional.’
When asked about the fall-out, Meghan insisted that ‘the reverse happened’, saying: ‘I don’t say that to be disparaging to anyone, because it was a really hard week of the wedding.
‘And she was upset about something, but she owned it, and she apologized.
‘And she brought me flowers and a note, apologizing. And she did what I would do if I knew that I hurt someone, right, to just take accountability for it.’
Meghan added that it was ‘shocking’ that the ‘reverse of that would be out in the world’.
Harry has never addressed the rumors and reports about a fall-out between his wife and his sister-in-law, however his new book could well mark the first time that he chooses to voice his own opinions about the relationship between the two women.
He may also choose to speak out about speculation that Meghan did not feel she received enough ‘support’ from Kate in her early days within the Royal Family, something that has been claimed by several sources over the years.
Harry’s return to London: How the Duke was perceived during reunions with his family in the wake of bombshell Oprah interview
In the wake of his bombshell TV and podcast interviews, Harry has returned to the UK to reunite with his family on just two occasions.
The first reunion took place in April, when the Duke of Sussex flew to London to attend the funeral of his grandfather, Prince Philip, who was in hospital recovering from surgery when Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview first aired.
His second trip home took place earlier this month, when he traveled to the UK in order to unveil a statue in honor of his late mother Princess Diana.
On both occasions, there was a great deal of speculation about the reception that Harry might have received from his relatives, many of whom are said to be incredibly upset and angry over the public bashings dished out to the Monarchy by Harry and Meghan over the past year.
Although the Duke is said to have met privately with his brother William, his father Charles, and his grandmother the Queen during these trips, Harry himself has never spoken out about what it was like to reunite with the royals following the furious controversy that arose from his numerous interviews.
True or false? After Harry and Meghan announced the name of their daughter Lilibet, a briefing war broke out between the Sussexes and the Palace over whether they sought permission
Did Harry and Meghan really ask the Queen’s permission before naming their second child Lilibet?
The Sussexes’ decision to name their daughter Lilibet after the Queen’s childhood nickname sparked furious debate – and much backlash – with many questioning whether they had sought permission from the Monarch before announcing their second child’s moniker publicly.
In the days after Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana’s birth, a briefing war broke out between the couple and the Palace, after senior Buckingham Palace sources told the BBC’s royal correspondent Jonny Dymond that the Queen was ‘never asked’ for her opinion on the couple’s choice of name.
However, Harry hit back within 90 minutes of the BBC’s report being published through a statement from his and Meghan’s close friend Omid Scobie that insisted the Queen was the first person the Duke called after the birth of his daughter.
Omid, who wrote the bombshell Finding Freedom biography of the couple, also claimed the Sussexes would not have used the name Lilibet unless the Queen had supported the move.
Harry, who together with wife Meghan announced they were expecting a girl during their interview with Oprah in March, took things a step further mere hours after his rebuttal of the report, threatening the BBC with legal action through law firm Schillings.
Notice of the legal action was followed by a carefully-worded statement that raised more questions than answers over whether the Queen did give permission or if the couple simply informed her of their intentions in a fait accompli.
The statement insisted that the BBC report was wholly wrong and read: ‘The Duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement, in fact his grandmother was the first family member he called.
‘During that conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honor. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.’
Meghan’s ‘bullying’ controversy: Harry’s take on claims his wife made several Kensington Palace staff members quit – and who they are
Days before Meghan and Harry’s bombshell interview with Oprah was due to air, The Times published an article in which it claimed that the Duchess of Sussex had been accused of ‘bullying’ several members of staff at Kensington Palace.
The Times reported that a complaint had been lodged against Meghan in October 2018 by a senior member of staff at the Palace – the Sussexes’ former communications secretary Jason Knauf.
Knauf is said to have made the official complaint following an allegation that the Duchess ‘drove two personal assistants out of the household and was undermining the confidence of a third staff member’.
The article said that Knauf seemingly acted to make Buckingham Palace aware of the need to protect staff who claimed they were coming under unbearable pressure from Meghan. It further claimed that Harry ‘pleaded’ with him not to pursue the allegations.
In his email Knauf also made clear he was concerned nothing had been done, or would be done in future, to protect palace staff.
The Times quoted from his email, which is alleged to have said: ‘I am very concerned the duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. The treatment of X was totally unacceptable.’
He added: ‘The duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. She is bullying Y and seeking to undermine her confidence. We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behavior towards Y.’
However, soon after the report was published, Harry and Meghan hit back in a statement issued by their lawyers, who accused Buckingham Palace of ‘using’ The Times to ‘peddle a wholly false narrative based on misleading and harmful misinformation’ about the Duchess of Sussex just days before the couple’s CBS interview was due to be broadcast.
Her lawyers said the former actress was ‘saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma’.
The statement added that the former actress was ‘saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma’.
Buckingham Palace refused to comment but senior royal sources told MailOnline that complaints being made by ex-staff members were not in any way being orchestrated by the palace or members of the Royal Family, who were at the time focused on Prince Philip’s health problems in hospital.
During their interview with Oprah, both Harry and Meghan accused the Palace of failing to ‘protect’ them against the media, with the latter saying: ‘I think that was really hard to reconcile because it was only once we were married and everything started to really worsen that I came to understand that not only was I not being protected but that they were willing to lie to protect other members of the family, but they weren’t willing to tell the truth to protect me and my husband.’
However, the couple did not address the ‘bullying’ allegations specifically during their interview – which is understood to have been taped before the accusations were publicly reported – and the book would therefore give Harry the perfect forum to air his opinions on the scandal publicly for the first time.
Suffering: Meghan told Oprah that she had struggled with suicidal thoughts, and that she had asked the Palace for help, only to be told ‘that it wouldn’t be good for the institution’
Which ‘senior’ staff member knew that Meghan was struggling with suicidal thoughts?
Meghan’s confession to Oprah that she had battled suicidal thoughts during her time within the Royal Family was one of the more shocking revelations to come out of the interview – particularly given that the Duchess of Sussex alleged that her pleas for help were ignored by the Monarchy.
The Duchess of Sussex said that she ‘couldn’t be left alone’ and that she told her husband she ‘didn’t want to be alive anymore’ before claiming the Buckingham Palace HR department ignored her plea for help because she wasn’t a ‘paid employee’.
She said she didn’t want to tell Harry at first because of the loss he had suffered as a result of his mother’s death, but she did and he ‘cradled me’.
Meghan said she begged a senior member of the royal to assist her get help for mental health issue but she was left to suffer alone.
Describing how she considered ending her life believing it ‘was better for everyone’, Meghan said: ‘I knew that if I didn’t say it, that I would do it. I just didn’t want to be alive anymore. And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought. I remember how he just cradled me.
‘I said that I needed to go somewhere to get help. I said that ‘I’ve never felt this way before, and I need to go somewhere’. And I was told that I couldn’t, that it wouldn’t be good for the institution’.
The couple has never gone into further detail about who Meghan spoke to while struggling with her mental health issues – and which person or persons inside the Palace told her that she couldn’t seek professional help.
However Harry also laid into his family, claiming their ‘lack of support and understanding’, the couple’s mental health problems and fears ‘history repeating itself’ with Meghan like his mother Diana, who died in 1997.
Who expressed jealousy of Prince Harry and Meghan after their return from their Australia tour in 2018?
If Harry chooses to use his book as an opportunity to name and shame the people who have come under attack from the Sussexes, then he may well take the chance to call out the members of the Royal Family whose attitudes towards the couple ‘changed’ in the wake of their official tour of Australia in 2018.
The Duke hinted that certain royals were jealous of his wife following the success of the couple’s trip – and the incredibly positive reaction that Meghan received during their tour.
‘You know, my father, my brother, Kate and and all the rest of the family, they were really welcoming,’ he said of his wife’s introduction into the royal family. ‘But it really changed after the Australia tour, after our South Pacific tour.’
He continued: ‘It was the first time that the family got to see how incredible [Meghan] is at the job.’
Prince Harry hinted the Royal Family became envious of Meghan during the couple’s tour of Australia, saying that their attitudes towards the couple ‘changed’ in the wake of the trip
The comments echoed the way in which The Crown portrayed his father Prince Charles as growing jealous of Diana’s popularity during their own tour of Australia in 1983
Oprah then drew parallels between Harry’s accusations and scenes from the most recently series of The Crown in which Charles is seen growing increasingly jealous of Princess Diana and the incredibly positive reception she received as the couple took part in their own tour of Australia in 1983.
She asked Harry whether his and Meghan’s tour of Australia ‘brought back memories’ of his parents’ trip, saying: ‘Your father and your mother went there, and your mother was bedazzling. So, are you saying there were hints of jealousy [from the rest of the royal family]?’
Harry refused to confirm whether he thought other royals were envious of Meghan, but said: ‘I just wish that we would all learn from the past’.
‘But to see the… to see how effortless it was for Meghan to come into the family so quickly in Australia and across New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga, and just be able to connect with people…’
He did not disclose whether the ‘changes’ in attitude he was referring to applied to the entire Royal Family, or whether he was commenting on the behavior of specific people – something that may well be brought to light in his as-yet untitled memoir.
Harry’s real feelings about the Royal Family’s treatment of his late mother Princess Diana
The Duke made expressly clear his fears about ‘history repeating itself’ in regards to Princess Diana’s death and Meghan’s treatment at the hands of the media, telling Oprah during their Apple TV+ series that his mother was ‘chased to death while in a relationship with someone who wasn’t white’.
Diana died in 1997 alongside Egyptian film producer Dodi Al Fayed, who she had been dating for several months.
Although an inquest ruled that Princess Diana and her partner died as a result of the ‘grossly negligent’ driving of Henri Paul, who was three times over the drink-drive limit at the time of the crash, Harry said he felt there were clear parallels between himself and his mother, particularly after he began dating a person of color.
‘My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone who wasn’t white,’ he said. ‘And now look what’s happened.
‘You want to talk about history repeating itself, they’re not going to stop until she dies. It’s incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life. Like, the list is growing.
‘And it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry.’
Harry admitted he wished he had called out racism when he first started dating Meghan, but said he would no longer accept it.
‘My biggest regret is not making more of a stance earlier on in my relationship with my wife and calling out the racism when I did,’ he said.
Harry also admitted during the series that he turned to alcohol and drugs to help him cope with the trauma of his mother’s death, saying: ‘I was willing to drink, I was willing to take drugs, willing to try and do the things that made me feel less like I was feeling.’
However the Duke has not yet spoken out in great detail about his mother’s experiences within the Royal Family, or her treatment at the hands of the Monarchy – much of which has been compared in great detail to Meghan’s statements about her life in the Palace.
Several parallels were pointed out between Meghan’s sit-down with Oprah and the interview that Diana did with BBC journalist Martin Bashir in 1995.
But Harry has remained fairly tight-lipped about his own views on the way in which his mother was treated by the Monarchy, both during her marriage to Prince Charles and in the years after they separated.
The book’s blurb notes that his tell-all will touch upon the ‘losses’ that have ‘helped to shape him’, suggesting that his mother’s life and death will be featured in some capacity – providing him with the chance to speak out about her experiences in the Royal Family.
Did Harry’s pal George Clooney introduce him to his ghostwriter? Pulitzer-winning author is currently working with Hollywood legend on film project about his own life
The author ghostwriting Prince Harry‘s new book is J.R. Moehringer, a Pulitzer-winning journalist and writer who previously worked with Andre Agassi and the co-founder of Nike on their own money-spinning memoirs.
It is unclear how the pair were put in touch but it’s possible Harry was introduced to him by George Clooney, who is turning Moehringer’s own memoir, The Tender Bar, into a movie next year.
Harry and Meghan are friends with George and Amal Clooney. The Clooney’s gave Meghan a ride on a private jet back from America to London in 2019 after Archie’s baby shower.
They attended Harry and Meghan’s wedding and ‘had dinners’ with the pair when they were still living in the UK.
Clooney is directing The Tender Bar, a film adaptation of Moehringer’s 2004 memoir. The film stars Ben Affleck and will be released next year.
Harry has been working on the book for the last year and a first draft is due by October and Penguin Random House has purchased the rights.
Prince Harry’s new memoir will be ghost-written by Pulitzer-winning journalist and author J.R. Moehringer, an L.A. Times reporter turned author
George and Amal Clooney attended Harry and Meghan’s wedding in 2019. Clooney is directing a film adaptation of Moehringer’s memoir, The Tender Bar, that will be released next year
Moehringer’s 2004 memoir The Tender Bar
It’s unclear how much exactly he’s being paid for it but Penguin Random House previously paid the Obamas $65million in a joint deal.
Experts tell DailyMail.com that Harry will have been given ‘at least’ a $20million advance for his memoir, with millions more to be made in sales.
It’s unclear if Meghan has plans for her own memoir.
Another source said: ‘Harry’s advance alone is in the $15 million range, and world publishing and movie and film rights alone could be worth a fortune like never seen before.’
In a statement on his website Archewell, he said he’d be donating the proceeds to charity.
Moehringer’s previous books include Andre Agassi’s biography, Open, and Nike co-founder Phil Knight’s Shoe Dog.
Page Six first reported that he was working with Harry on his book.
His own memoir, The Tender Bar, is being made into a film by George Clooney, who will direct.
Clooney’s wife Amal is friends with Meghan and lent her a private jet to travel to and from the US from London before Archie’s birth in 2019.
Moehringer has not commented on the partnership and it’s unclear how it came about and his agent did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s inquiries on Monday afternoon.
He lives in Berkley, California, around 300 miles from Harry and Meghan’s Montecito compound.
Clooney on the set of The Tender Bar in Boston in March. The movie will be released next year and stars Ben Affleck
Before ghost-writing, Moehringer worked as a reporter for The New York Times and L.A. Times.
He describes his ‘big break’ as an article in 1997 for the Times about the 1950s boxer Bob ‘Bombardier’ Satterfield, who he’d discovered was sleeping on benches in L.A.
The article he wrote – Resurrecting The Champ – became a movie later starring Samuel L. Jackson.
Moehringer’s own memoir, The Tender Bar, told the story of his New York upbringing and how he spent it in a bar.
In a statement on his website on Monday, Harry said he’d be giving the proceeds of the book to charity
Moehringer’s previous books include Andre Agassi’s biography, Open, and Nike co-founder Phil Knight’s Shoe Dog. Page Six first reported that he was working with Harry on his book.
Moehringer with Samuel L. Jackson and producer Bradley Fischer. In 1998, Moehringer wrote an article for The LA Times about the 1950s boxing legend Bob Bombardier Satterfield, who he’d discovered was sleeping on park benches. The article was turned into a movie starring Jackson titled Resurrecting The Champ
He was a finalist for the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing for his story on Satterfield and he was awarded the prize for his story on Gee’s Bend, a river town in Alabama.
The story also appeared in The Los Angeles Times.
In a statement on Monday, Harry said of the book: ‘I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become.
‘I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story— the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned — I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think.
The advance to beat: Barack and Michelle Obama were paid a joint advance of $65million by Penguin Random House for their biographies. It was the highest advance ever paid
‘I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a firsthand account of my life that’s accurate and wholly truthful.’
He and Meghan posted an announcement about it on their website.
‘For the very first time, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex will share the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him.
‘His intimate and heartfelt memoir will cover his lifetime in the public eye from childhood to the present day, including his dedication to service, the military duty that twice took him to the frontlines of Afghanistan and the joy he has found in being a husband and father.’
