Meghan ‘circus’ was feared at funeral
LONDON • Royal Family members were “quietly pleased” that the Duchess of Sussex missed Prince Philip’s funeral because they feared she would “create a spectacle” if she attended, a biography claims.
The Duchess was pregnant with her daughter Lilibet when the Prince died in April, and was advised not to fly by doctors, to the relief of Prince Harry’s family, according to the authors of Finding Freedom.
An epilogue to a new edition of the book also reveals that Meghan and Harry considered identifying the Royal who they allege made racist comments before their son Archie was born.
The book reignites the feud between the Sussexes and the Royal Family over the claim that “concerns” were raised about Archie’s skin colour by quoting “sources close to the Sussexes” effectively demanding an apology.
In what appears a direct criticism of the Queen, the sources say the family’s reaction to the allegation “was not positive” and that “there has to be some acknowledgment ... about what the Sussexes went through in order for there to be progress.”
The Royal household is also accused of peddling lies to the press about the couple’s desire for Archie to have a royal title. The book also says Prince Harry was “saddened and disappointed” by the Queen’s decision to stop a wreath from him being laid at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday last year.
Authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand write that the Duchess of Sussex had “hoped” to accompany her husband to Prince Philip’s funeral before being advised not to by doctors.
The new chapter, in a paperback edition to be published on Tuesday, states: “Several members of the Royal family are understood to have been ‘quietly pleased’ that Meghan stayed in California because they ‘didn’t want a circus’ or, commented one senior royal source, ‘the Duchess creating a spectacle.’ ”
The book also attempts to elicit sympathy for Prince Harry for his “surreal” experience at the funeral of his grandfather, citing a source close to the Prince suggesting that: “Saying goodbye to his beloved grandfather was always going to be difficult, but being alongside family he hadn’t seen in over a year — all while the world watched — was an additional layer of pressure he wasn’t fully prepared for.”
It claims that Prince Harry and his brother, the Duke of Cambridge, had “at least two further conversations” after the funeral beyond the chat they were seen having as they left St George’s Chapel, but that Harry and his father the Prince of Wales were only on “light speaking terms.”
But while the book claims the funeral allowed for “steps forward” in the “healing process” following the couple’s interview with Oprah Winfrey, the new chapter is likely to set any progress back by ramping up the tension again over allegations of racism.