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The Duke of Sussex’s $20million Megxit memoir was today branded a ‘moneymaking exercise at the expense of his blood family’ by royal experts and insiders who predicted it would be ‘a book by Harry, as written by Meghan.’
Harry, 36, did not warn his grandmother, father or brother about the tell-all book until ‘moments before it became public’ in a sign that his relationship with the Royal Family did not improve during his visit to unveil Princess Diana’s statue in London earlier this month, it was claimed today.
The Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William are said to have been completely blindsided by Harry’s shock announcement that he has been secretly working on his as yet untitled memoirs with Pulitzer-winning ghostwriter J. R. Moehringer for a year, with a release date of late 2022, according to publisher Penguin Random House.
In a statement Harry said:
‘I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become’ – but one royal insider responded tartly: ‘A book by Harry, as written by Meghan.’
Another source revealed that the announcement had provoked ‘much eye-rolling’, adding: ‘I think everyone is just tired of being angry when it comes to those two. They have spent the last 18 months doing everything they promised Her Majesty they wouldn’t do – making a living off their previous lives and status as members of the Royal Family. It’s depressingly predictable, unfortunately.’
Harry and Meghan’s ‘truth bombing’ began in March with their extraordinary 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey where they accused the Royal Family of racism towards Archie and ignoring cries for help from a depressed Meghan when she was suicidal and pregnant.
In the chaotic aftermath of the show, watched by almost 100million people worldwide, the couple claimed this would be their ‘final word’ on Megxit, only to continue talking about it in more damaging detail over the coming months.
And now the royals will be dreading the release of the book next year, which experts predict will be ‘more “poor me” introspection and more excuses to justify his decision to quit royal life’ and ‘the last thing the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William will want to hear’.
Biographer Phil Dampier wrote in the Express today: ‘They will be in despair that Harry – doubtless prompted by Meghan – just won’t leave it alone for a while.
It is obvious that when Harry came over for the unveiling of Diana’s statue earlier this month, no meaningful progress was made in his relationship with his father or brother. If he respected their opinion, he wouldn’t do this book because they wouldn’t approve of it.
‘Harry wants to present himself as a mature family man who has learnt from his mistakes and become a wise old sage. But I fear many other people will see this as yet another moneymaking exercise at the expense of his blood family’.
As the Sussexes promised to tell their Megxit story again, it also emerged:
Prince Harry did not warn his father Charles about his plan to write an explosive Megxit memoir which will hit the shelves next year, it has been claimed.
Harry’s spokesman said that he told his family including the Queen ‘very recently’ – but a source told The Sun: ‘Harry scrambled to contact his family only when he knew the story was coming out just moments before it became public.’
Prince Harry has been collaborating with Pulitzer-winning ghostwriter J. R. Moehringer in a rare move from a senior member of the royal family.
The first draft of the manuscript, currently untitled, is said to be almost completely written and is due to be submitted in October.
Royal experts questioned Harry’s motive for writing the book, pointing out he is already wealthy and has previously spoken at length about Megxit.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline Harry was ‘exorcising his demons’ with the book – but queried how one-sided it would be, adding: ‘Will it be his truth or the truth? And will they be the same or different?’
Sources said Harry will have been given ‘at least’ a $20million (£14.6million) advance for the memoir with millions more to be made in sales. Any ‘proceeds’ will go to charity, the prince has said.
Prince Harry said in a statement last night: ‘I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story— the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned — I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think.
‘I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a firsthand account of my life that’s accurate and wholly truthful.’
But sources close to Prince Charles said Harry’s father was ‘surprised’ at the news and that the royals had not been warned in advance that a book was in the offing until the news broke on Monday.
Harry’s suggestion that he would be writing about his ‘mistakes’ and the ‘lessons’ he has learned also raised eyebrows.
Royal sources said they believed that the prince had ‘never been one to willingly admit’ any mistakes and had spent the last three years ‘blaming everyone except himself and his wife’ for the catastrophic breakdown in relations with his family.
Prince Harry has signed up to the book deal despite issuing repeated calls for his family’s privacy to be respected.
A statement from the publisher about the upcoming book reads: ‘In an intimate and heartfelt memoir from one of the most fascinating and influential global figures of our time, Prince Harry will share, for the very first time, the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him.
‘Covering his lifetime in the public eye from childhood to the present day, including his dedication to service, the military duty that twice took him to the frontlines of Afghanistan, and the joy he has found in being a husband and father, Prince Harry will offer an honest and captivating personal portrait, on that shows readers that behind everything they think they know lies an inspiring, courageous and uplifting human story.’
Markus Dohle, CEO of Penguin Random House, said: ‘All of us at Penguin Random House are thrilled to publish Prince Harry’s literary memoir and have him join the world-renowned leaders, icons, and change-makers we have been privileged to publish over the years.
‘Prince Harry has harnessed his extraordinary life experience as a prince, a soldier, and a knowledgeable advocate for social issues, establishing himself as a global leader recognized for his courage and openness.
‘It is for that reason we’re excited to publish his honest and moving story.’
Penguin Random House said it has bought the global rights to the memoir and audiobook – expected to be published in late 2022 as it threatens to bring a dramatic end to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year.
Robert Jobson, author of the bestseller Prince Philip’s Century, has commented on Harry’s book deal and drawn parallels with former King Edward VIII.
‘As night follows day, this was always going to happen,’ he told MailOnline.
‘It will become an international bestseller, but at what cost to the monarchy? There will be nowhere to hide. It is not the first time a ‘exiled’ senior royal has written a memoir… the former King Edward VIII wrote one.
A King’s Story: The Memoirs of HRH the Duke of Windsor, KG – was published to a media storm in the 50s. It caused a sensation.
‘But this is bound to cause mayhem amongst the House of Windsor. If Harry, which seems inevitable, goes into detail about mental health issues involving his wife and alleged racism at the heart of the royal family, it will be hugely damaging to the House of Windsor and the Monarchy as an institution.
‘Harry is already hugely rich and famous so apart from damaging his family – which a book like this will inevitably do, I am not sure what he is trying to achieve. Whatever he says will lead to conflict.
‘No wonder there is a rift between the royal brothers and problems with his father. How can any bridges be built when he is doing this? I cannot see any royal rift ever being healed at this rate.’
And others were also quick to question Harry’s motivations with Piers Morgan tweeting: ‘Ready to tell his story? Prince Privacy hasn’t stopped yapping, whining & trashing his family all bloody year.’
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told newsmen that Harry has been using his media appearances as a ‘form of therapy’.
‘It’s not being published globally until late 2022. I do think that it is very important that an accommodation should be reached between the royal family and the Sussexes between now and then.
‘[Harry] is donating the proceeds to charity. It is however worth remembering that the knowledge he is writing it and that it could be explosive and that it will be widely read worldwide is something members of the royal family will be bearing in mind when dealing with the Sussexes between now and then.
‘The Sussexes problem is they keep going public. Harry has an extraordinary habit of getting headlines – Oprah, James Corden, celebrity podcasts, AppleTV and he sees these appearances as a kind of therapy.
‘It’s very difficult when you’re dealing with the Sussexes, that you don’t know what’s coming next. It might not be published until 2022.
‘It’s so far in the future, it’s a potential lever if they want something from the royal family.
‘He’s exorcising his demons, and he doesn’t see it as disruptive at all. He sees it as becoming a new person – escaping being trapped like Charles and William.
‘But he’s still sixth-in-line to the throne, a significant royal even if he’s not a working royal. He wants an audience to understand how he can become a new him, and we don’t know that will be yet.
‘Will it be his truth or the truth? And will they be the same or different?
‘A lot of his Oprah interview didn’t pass a fact check, and it’s difficult for the outside world to tell what is true, which is a big concern.
‘They still see themselves as victims, my hope is that it’s constructive and won’t lead to further revelations that will damage his family. It appears it was written before the rift was healed – so it could be extraordinary.
‘He’s saying the book is written from the the perspective of ‘the man he’s become’, and this is certainly what he feels at the moment.
‘It’s hard to see exactly what Harry and Meghan want and we might not know until we see what in the memoir is going to include and what might embarrass his father and what’s going to be about their time as working royals.
‘He has talked a lot about healing, but what do the Sussexes want for the royal family?’
The book deal is likely to only increase the tensions between the Duke of Sussex and the rest of The Firm as the Royal Family brace for further painful revelations.
