It’s countdown to Duke of Sussex’s memoir

Royal biographers old and new vie to tell their version but the Duke’s tell-all promises to reveal ‘truth’

‘When I first heard that Prince Harry was writing a book, I have to say that I was a little bit put out’

‘Think of the publicity opportunities, Harry! We could do the chat shows together. We’d make a great double act’

THE Duke of Sussex is said to have put the final touches to his memoir, with fans eagerly awaiting his promised “truth”.

As he hopes to give the definitive version of his own story, he may wish to hurry up, as royal biographers old and new vie to tell ever-so-slightly different versions. The next few months will bring a flurry of books tipped to give new insight into the lives and behaviour of the royals, with authors ranging from one of the Sussexes’ chief “royal expert” critics to the journalist who broke the Kensington Palace bullying row story.

The Duke’s own book is still rumoured to be out in October, but there has been no update from his team or his publishers since it was first announced in July 2021. He has said he is keen to tell the first “accurate and wholly truthful” account of his own life.

Sources have indicated that several books due out at around the same time will tell different versions of the latter stages of the Duke’s life in the Royal family and his ultimate departure.

One, Courtiers, is written by Valentine Low, the journalist who broke the story about the Duchess of Sussex being accused of bullying staff while she was at Kensington Palace. Then, protected sources spoke candidly about the atmosphere and eventual formal complaint, with the Duchess’s team denying the accusations.

In November comes Angela Levin’s biography of the Duchess of Cornwall, timed for the year of the future Queen Consort’s 75th birthday. Although it promises only to tell the life story of Camilla, Levin – who previously wrote a biography of the Duke of Sussex – is now one of the Sussexes’ most vocal critics. Her sources may be tempted to let a different “side” of any story be heard, with reports that the Duke of Sussex’s book will contain criticism of his stepmother.

Another biography, an updated and reissued version of Catherine Mayer’s Charles: The Heart of a King, is to be released on Aug 25, promising “previously unpublished details and insights into the risks to the monarchy” including “Harry and Meghan’s exit”.

The tone has already been set by Tom Bower’s recent book Revenge, subtitled Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors, which painted a largely unflattering and contested picture of the Sussexes.

More promising for the Duke and Duchess will be Omid Scobie’s second biography, following the favourable Finding Freedom, but that is not out until 2023.

“The race is on,” said a source. Low’s book is called Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown, and will focus on Palace staff to include the “cloud hanging over Prince Andrew as well as Harry and Meghan’s departure from royal life”.

The author, a royal correspondent for years, made light of the potential publishing clash with the Duke’s memoir, admitting: “When I first heard that Prince Harry was writing a book, I have to say that I was a little bit put out.

“It meant that my publisher said that I had to bring my book out before his, so I had to write really quickly.

He joked: “It was all a bit annoying. “But then I saw the good side. Think of the publicity opportunities, Harry! We could do the chat shows together… We’d make a great double act.

Low’s book will be published on Sept 29. Levin’s is due on Nov 10. Scobie’s is out next year. Low has more than 25 years’ Royal family reporting experience.