Meghan Markle and Prince Harry ‘felt muted,’ says royal expert

The authors of Finding Freedom spoke to ‘sources incredibly close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’ who gave a ‘remarkable and impressive’ level of detail after the couple felt ‘muted’, a royal expert has claimed.

The bombshell biography lays bare Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle’s, 38, rift with the rest of the royal family and their extraordinary secret courtship where the couple became ‘obsessed’ with each other and knew they would marry after the second date. 

Royal expert Katie Nicholl said she had been stunned by the level of detail in the biography, which was written by journalists Omid Scobie and Cathryn Durant. 

Calling the book both ‘compelling and fascinating’, she told Entertainment Tonight: ‘I think what’s very clear is that Meghan and Harry have wanted to get their side of the story across. This is clearly a couple who feel quite aggrieved by the fact that they’ve never been able to answer their critics.’

Calling the level of detail ‘quite remarkable’ and ‘unprecedented’, Katie went on to say it was ‘clear’ the authors had spoken to ‘numerous sources.’

The royal expert added that while the story had becoming ‘familiar’ to many royal fans, the biography marks the first time that the public had been hearing it from Harry and Meghan’s perspective.

She explained that the book has been ‘damaging’ for the royal family because it had ‘opened up old wounds’.

Meanwhile Katie also told how the biography is also ‘being used’ to correct some of the rumours that have plagued them for years. 

Katie said the book appeared to ‘give the Duke and Duchess of Sussex the chance to get their side of the story out there’ (pictured, at Canada House in January, hours before announcing their plan to step back from royal duty) 

She explained that the book appeared ‘to give Meghan and Harry the chance, if not through their own voices, then through the voices of friends, confidants and people that they trust, to get their side of the story out there.’

She added that Meghan particularly felt ‘muted’ for her royal life, and didn’t have the opportunity to respond to critics.  

Mr Scobie and Miss Durand say they have spoken to more than 100 sources, including ‘close friends of Harry and Meghan, royal aides and palace staff (past and present)’.

A spokesman said the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not contribute to the book. Meghan has been said in the past to permit friends to speak to the press on her behalf.

Katie called the biography’s level of detail about Prince Harry and Meghan both ‘remarkable’ and ‘unprecedented’ 

The book’s revelations have led to suggestions that there is no way back for the couple, who have moved to California with their one-year-old son Archie after stepping back from royal duties in January.

The couple have ‘torpedoed’ any chance of creating a new position with the help of the Queen and senior royals when their ‘trial period’ in the US ends, sources believe.

The book, which reveals their soured relationship with the monarchy in excruciating detail, is likely to scupper any hopes of renegotiating their royal duties when ‘Megxit’ is reviewed.

Meanwhile the royal expert also added that the book would be ‘damaging’ for the royal family because it could ‘open old wounds’

The revelations will also harm efforts to repair their rift with Harry’s brother William and sister-in-law Kate, it is feared.

A royal household source said: ‘The door will always be open to them as much-loved members of the family. But it’s hard to see how they can now salvage the new role they wanted as “hybrid” royals, running commercial careers alongside royal duties from the US.’

Another source told the Mail: ‘The review period has not yet been discussed but it doesn’t seem if there is any way of going back now. Some very private family matters have now been aired in public, seemingly with their blessing. That will be hurtful.’