Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s new book could ‘paint Prince William as the bad guy’ and cause a fresh rift within the Royal Family, aides reportedly fear.
The book ‘Finding Freedom’, which Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, are believed to have co-operated with, is soon to be released and charts the couple’s journey among the Royal Family, to the point where they stepped down from senior duties this year.
Royal aides are now said to be increasingly worried about the publication and the potential repercussions for the future monarch Prince William, as report the Sun.
The book, fully titled ‘Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the making of a modern Royal Family,’ is not an official biography though it is believed the couple have worked with the authors – journalists Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand.
Over 100 people from around the Royal Family are understood to have given information for the production of the book, which is believed to be set to show Harry and Meghan in a positive light.
Royal aides are reportedly bracing themselves for the publication of a new book which documents Prince Harry and Meghan’s exit from their duties as senior royals
Speculation is mounting that the publication could see future monarch Prince William ‘painted as a bad guy’ with a section of the book set to focus on the Sandringham ‘Megxit talks’
Kensington Palace have said they would not comment on the book — which is being re-drafted and is set to be released in August.
With large topics set to centre around the withdrawal of Harry and Meghan from senior roles, royal anxiety now surrounds the likely inclusion of the Queen’s ‘Megxit’ showdown talks at Sandringham, in which the Royal Family came together to discuss the transition.
It is felt that Prince William’s role in said talks may not be looked back upon favourably, with England’s future king reported to be the last to arrive and made a swift exit in the aftermath.
The talks resulted in Harry and Meghan being request to drop their HRH titles, before they then moved to Canada, and Los Angeles thereafter.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex then outlined their plans to become financially independent and earn their own income.
Royal sources have said such a possible negative portrayal as William as a ‘bad guy’ against the philanthropic Harry and Meghan would not be fair.
A source told the Sun: ‘They are worried William especially will be portrayed in a bad light. This sort of family spat shouldn’t be out there in public.
‘This shouldn’t happen to future monarchs. The book could be the most damaging thing to the Royal Family since Prince Diana’s interview on Panorama with Martin Bashir.
Royal aides fear book could be the most damaging thing to the Royal Family since Prince Diana’s Panorama interview
‘Unsympathetic, unfeeling and unsupportive are the words being used but of course no one knows exactly what’s in it.’
Kensington Palace have said they would not comment on the book — which is being re-drafted and is set to be released in August.
In the past week Harry and Meghan were dealt another setback after an application to trademark their new charitable organisation Archewell was reportedly rejected.
The royal couple had their application turned down because they did not sign the document and they did not pay all the required fees, documents seen by The Sun revealed.
The paperwork, which was submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on March 3, was also said to be ‘too vague’.
The couple, whose documents were filed by the Delaware-based law firm Cobblestone Lane LLC, have since been sent an ‘Irregularity Notice’ by the patent examiner at the USPTO.
The examiner was asked to review the application for the non-profit organisation, which the couple had hoped to launch this year, on May 26 and has since sent a number of changes which need to be made by their lawyer, Marjorie Witter Norman, by August 22.
The notice reads: ‘The wording ‘providing a website featuring content relating to philanthropy, monetary giving, volunteer and career opportunities’ in International Class 35 is also indefinite and over-broad, and must be clarified to specify the nature of the content provided.’
The examiner added: ‘The application was unsigned, resulting in the application not being properly verified.’
Following the notice, a Non-Final Action was sent to the couple on June 2, and their trademark will be held without being active until the necessary amendments are made.
The couple will also have to pay additional fees to have their paperwork processed.
The latest stumbling block comes just months after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced they ‘look forward’ to getting started with the foundation, which will replace their Sussex Royal brand.
Prince Harry backs move to ban Swing Low, Sweet Chariot: Duke of Sussex signals his support for review of England rugby anthem linked to slavery despite huge backlash from fans
Prince Harry has backed the moves to ban Swing Low, Sweet Chariot from rugby games due to its association with slavery.
He has sung the rugby anthem many times since childhood and he is a fan and patron of the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
Prince Harry has signalled support for the RFU’s review into the song, written by Wallace Willis, a freed Oklahoma slave, in light of the Black Lives Matter movement, The Sunday Times reported.
Prince Harry has backed the moves to ban Swing Low, Sweet Chariot from rugby games due to its association with slavery. Pictured at the Six Nations match between England and France in 2019
The anthem rings around the stands at Twickenham and is being reviewed by the RFU which has launched a wide-ranging probe into racism.
Written by a black slave in the American South during the nineteenth century, the song was first belted out by supporters when two black wingers – Martin Offiah and Chris Oti – became sporting heroes on the pitch at the end of the 1980s.
Prince Harry follows Meghan Markle’s lead as a close friend said that her instinct to leave the UK and move to California makes sense to her now.
She believes she was ‘destined’ to help fight against racism and feels her ‘gnawing urgency to uproot from England’ was fate so she could be at the ‘forefront’ of the movement.
The close friend added: ‘Meghan said her work as a leader is more important than ever right now and that she’s been speaking with Oprah and other community leaders on how she can be part of the solution.
The anthem rings around the stands at Twickenham and is being reviewed by the RFU which has launched a wide-ranging probe into racism
‘Meghan feels like her mission goes far beyond acting. She said she wants to use her voice for change and hasn’t ruled out a career in politics.’
Boris Johnson waded into the Swing Low Sweet Chariot race row yesterday, declaring it should not be banned ‘because no-one knows the words’.
Instead he he wanted people to stop focusing on ‘symbols of discrimination’ and look at the wider picture of racial equality.
He said: ‘Nobody as far as I understand it seems to know the words. Before we start complaining about Swing Low Sweet Chariot I’d like to know what the rest of the words are… ‘’Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, coming for to carry me home’’, then it all dies out.
‘How does it go on? I certainly don’t think there should be any sort of prohibition on singing that.’
Martin Offiah has insisted he does not want to see ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’ banned from being sung at the rugby.
Offiah told BBC Radio 5Live’s Breakfast: ‘It is a very emotive song and stirs up feelings.
‘That is probably something to do with its history and that history is probably not that well known by a lot of people in the UK.
‘I know the RFU are planning to review this song and I champion reviewing it, but I wouldn’t support the banning of such a song. When you do try to ban things like that it makes the song more divisive.’
Former head of the Commission for Racial Equality Trevor Phillips, 66, condemned the RFU for reviewing the popular sporting song.
Boris Johnson called for Swing Low to still be sung because no-one really knew the words. He is pictured at Twickenham Stadium with his partner Carrie Symonds in March this year
Prince Harry follows Meghan Markle’s lead as a close friend said that her instinct to leave the UK and move to California makes sense to her now
He slammed plans to ban Swing Low, Sweet Chariot and described it as ‘Black people’s own culture being cancelled’.
He pointed out the last people to try and ban it were Hitler and the Nazis back in 1939.
Prince Harry became patron of the Rugby Football League in 2016 when the Queen stepped back after decades in the role.
He continued in the role after he and Meghan stepped back from their position as senior royals.
In his first major engagement after the announcement, he returned to Buckingham Palace to host the draw for the Rugby League World Cup.