Prince Harry’s close friendship with Princess Eugenie has been detailed in a new explosive biography.
The Duke of Sussex, 35, felt the Queen’s granddaughter, 30, had ‘had always been more than a cousin’ and they were ‘also the closest of friends’, according to Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durant, who wrote book Finding Freedom, released today.
The royal became one of the first to know of his relationship with Meghan Markle, 39, with the book detailing: ‘Eugenie who’d long wanted to see her cousin settle down and be happy, told friends she loved Meghan and thought she was “just the tonic” for Harry.’
However the decision taken by Prince Harry and Meghan to share the news of their pregnancy at the Princess’ wedding ‘did not go down particularly well’, according to the authors.
The Duke of Sussex, 35, felt the Queen’s granddaughter, 30, had ‘had always been more than a cousin’ and they were ‘also the closest of friends’ (pictured: Harry with Eugenie and Princess Beatrice in 2015 on Trooping the Colour)
They explained: ‘A source said [she] told friends she felt the couple should have waited to share the news.’
According to the book, Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie had always had a strong bond.
The authors write: ‘Out of all the queen’s grandchildren, Princess Eugenie and Prince Harry have one of the most natural connections. Like Harry, Eugenie is loyal, honest and great fun.
‘The two had many nights out together in London, sneaking into back entrances of clubs, such as Mahiki, where Jack once was manager, or Tonteria, where in one of the VIP cave areas they downed shots from Mexican skull shaped glasses and a giant frozen margarita (with multiple straws).’
Harry confided to his cousin about Meghan in the early days of their relationship. Omid and Carolyn write Beatrice was one of the first members of the royal family to hear about Harry’s new girl (pictured at Eugenie’s wedding to Jack Brooksbank on 12 October 2018)
The authors write that the ‘strong relationship between their mothers brought them together.’
‘Like Harry, Eugenie also struggled to carve out his own identity growing up.
‘Not being a senior role meant that she had to go out into the world and find her own path, which she had done.’
Meanwhile they also detailed how Prince Harry even confided in his cousin early on in his relationship with Meghan.
The book reveals Eugenie was furious about the fact Meghan and Harry ‘stole the limelight’ at her wedding by announcing the Duchess of Sussex was pregnant
The authors wrote: ‘Harry had always confided in his cousin when it came to the women in his life.
‘Not only did he trust her implicitly, but friends said that she gives great advice and has always been ‘beyond wise’ for her years.
‘It’s not surprising then that Eugenie was one of the first in the family to know about his relationship with Meghan.’
These reports are according to Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durant, who wrote new book Finding Freedom
They reveal how Princess Eugenie was ‘nothing but encouraging about his new relationship.’
According to Omid and Carolyn, Prince Harry and Meghan went on several double dates with the couple.’
The Sussexes went to reveal news of their first child when celebrating Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s nuptials with the rest of the Royal family on 12 October 2018.
And the decision to reveal Meghan’s pregnancy was said ‘not to go down particularly well’ with Eugenie, with a telling friends she felt the couple should have ‘waited to share the news.’
It comes after another biography, written by Dylan Howard and Andy Tillett, claimed Meghan ’embarrassed’ Prince Harry after divulging she was pregnant during Princess Eugenie’s wedding day ‘in a huge social gaffe’ which left the bride and her mother Sarah Ferguson ‘furious’.
The pair wrote: ‘Meghan put her foot in it when she decided that it would be the ideal moment to announce that she and Harry were expecting their first child.’
‘This was a huge social gaffe, even if you were not a royal – stealing the limelight from Eugenie, who was furious, as was her mother, Sarah.’
The authors claim the announcement left Prince Harry, who is currently living in LA with his wife and son, feeling ‘embarrassed’.
Meghan and Prince Harry told the public they were expecting their first child on the eve of their royal tour of Australia and New Zealand on October 15, 2018.
The Duchess of Sussex, 38, is said to have revealed she was carrying little Archie, now one, when celebrating Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s nuptials (pictured above) with the rest of the Royal family on 12 October 2018
At the time, some fans criticised the couple for making the announcement so close to Eugenie’s wedding.
‘If Harry and Meghan did actually tell the royal family about their baby at Eugenie’s wedding on Friday, that’s pretty shady,’ one person wrote, while another added: ‘Thunder stealer.’
However, rumours of bad feeling went into overdrive when Princess Eugenie’s mother tweeted a picture of her royal wedding outfit at the exact moment the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they were having a baby.
Kensington Palace officially revealed the pregnancy at 8.40am on October 15, 2018, on what was the 59th birthday of Eugenie’s mother Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York.
The news of Harry and Meghan’s pregnancy was revealed at 8.40am on October 15 2018 – and at that exact time, Eugenie’s mother Sarah, Duchess of York posted a tweet about her daughter’s big day
And at the exact time of the announcement, Sarah posted a tweet thanking the designer of her dress for the outfit worn on her daughter’s big day just days earlier.
She then posted three further messages saying how ‘proud’ she was of her daughter and new son-in-law Jack – but made no mention of Harry and Meghan.
Eugenie’s father the Duke of York, who wished his ex-wife Sarah a ‘very happy day’ on her birthday, also retweeted one of Sarah’s tweets featuring Eugenie and Jack.
Prince Andrew also made no mention of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s news.