Prince Harry 'clings' to Meghan Markle 'like a needy man, like a life raft,' claims royal expert

READ MORE

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle turned down Queen's invite to Balmoral twice before her death, claims author

'Show us proof': Royal biographer slammed for saying Prince Harry was ‘nasty’ about Camilla

For a number of years, the challenges that Prince Harry and his royal family have faced have been front and center in the media. The press extensively covered his mother Princess Diana's difficult marriage, which was caused by King Charles III's long-term romance with the woman who went on to become his wife, Queen Consort Camilla. The untimely passing of Diana, Princess of Wales, in August 1997, when Harry was only 12 years old, was another event that received extensive media coverage. In fact in 2021, on Dax Shepard's 'Armchair Expert' podcast, the Duke of Sussex discussed the traumatic events of his boyhood, blaming his father for perpetuating a "cycle" of "genetic pain and suffering." 

Bower further thinks the recent death and funeral of Queen Elizabeth II must have been especially traumatic for the renegade royal because he was not permitted to wear his military uniform, salute his grandmother's coffin, or attend a pre-funeral luncheon. “I think the funeral awakened some misery in him that he was so cut off from his family and friends and was an outsider,” Bower adds. “And I think that puts great pressure on their relationship.”

Meanwhile, Markle has always maintained that she had no prior knowledge of the royal when the two were set up on a date and that she had simply inquired as to whether or not he was "nice." However, in 'Revenge,' Bower claimed that the 'Suits' alum conducted an extensive study on Harry before their first date, which took place in early July 2016 at the Dean Street Townhouse of the Soho House. “Her genius was that before she ever met him, she carefully researched him and as an intelligent woman with a lot of experience, knew exactly what buttons to press,” the biographer claimed. 

Bower emphasizes Harry's unhappiness in his role as senior royal and how Markle provided an escape. In less than two years after their wedding in May 2018, the couple announced they would be retiring from their royal responsibilities in January 2020. Bower said, “I think he much more enjoyed paddling in the Pacific than shaking hands in the rain in a Northern town in Britain."

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry currently reside in Montecito, California, with their two children, Archie, 3, and 1-year-old Lilibet. The couple has inked lucrative deals with both Spotify and Netflix. Tom Bower also discussed the impending publication of Prince Harry's memoir, which he referred to as a "time bomb." It is anticipated that the book will be released in 2023.