The ongoing saga of the British Royal Family has taken another dramatic turn as new revelations cast doubt on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s previous statements about their time as working royals.
The relationship between the Sussexes and the royal family has been strained since they departed from royal duties in 2020. However, things worsened after the couple’s explosive Oprah Winfrey interview. During the interview, Harry and Meghan made several allegations about their treatment within the royal family, including claims of racism and lack of support for Meghan’s mental health struggles. Add that Harry’s memorial, Spare, filled with secrets about what happens behind the palace walls, and we have a clear picture of a mistreated prince escaping the clutches of evil monarchs.
Nevertheless, as years went by, several of Harry and Meghan’s bombastic claims have been called out for being supposedly inaccurate, as multiple players in the Royal game released information that questioned the couple’s testimony. It’s no wonder Prince Harry’s popularity in the U.K. plummeted from 72% in November 2019 to approximately 30% in August 2024. Unfortunately for Harry, these numbers are nowhere close to improving, as his once-heartfelt admissions are now racing to prove their authenticity.
Prince Harry’s honesty is shot down by insiders’ revelations
A revelatory new book by royal author Robert Hardman, Charles III: New King. New Court, has cast significant doubt on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s previous allegations about their treatment within the royal family. The book, drawing on unprecedented access to palace insiders, presents a starkly different narrative about the support offered to the Sussexes.
Hardman’s work, which benefits from extensive interviews with palace insiders and royal family members, including Princess Anne and Queen Camilla’s sister Annabel Elliott, provides a comprehensive look at the internal workings of the monarchy during this crucial period. The author’s reputation for accuracy and discretion has earned him unprecedented access, resulting in what is being considered a historical document of the transition period.
According to Hardman’s account, Sir Clive Alderton, King Charles’s trusted Private Secretary, had developed a strategic vision for integrating Meghan into the royal family. “If we could get this right for Harry, we’d be creating a blueprint for future younger sons for generations,” Alderton is quoted as saying. This revelation directly contradicts the couple’s claims of institutional neglect and also tells a tale of efforts put in to perfect Meghan’s life as a royal so as to make it a glowing example for any future non-royals joining the family.
The book details how palace staff made considerable efforts to support the Duchess of Sussex, with expert personnel specifically seconded from Clarence House to assist her. However, these attempts were reportedly hampered by what insiders describe as Meghan’s unwillingness to trust the appointed staff.
“We seconded people from Clarence House, very expert people, to help them, but the Duchess wouldn’t trust them. Those two were offered considerable resource, and then later said that they had been offered no help. And that was completely wrong.”
The book’s revelations are particularly damaging to Harry’s narrative, as they suggest that far from being unsupportive, the palace had actually implemented a careful strategy to ensure Meghan’s successful integration into royal life. Given Meghan’s continued struggle with her businesses far away from London, this report — whether true or not — adds to the damaging rumors about the Duchess.
But that does not mean the Royal Family never did anything to harm Harry and Meghan — they most certainly did. Still, the more we learn about how things unfolded, the clearer it becomes that maybe, just maybe there’s no absolute victim in this story.