In a revealing account from royal expert Tom Bower's book "Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War between the Windsors," new light has been shed on the complex media strategy employed by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in the early stages of their relationship.
The book details a particularly tense moment surrounding Meghan's 2017 interview with Vanity Fair, which apparently led to a "hysterical" reaction from the future Duchess of Sussex when the published article deviated from Prince Harry's strict guidelines.
According to Bower, Prince Harry had established clear boundaries for Meghan's interview with journalist Sam Kashner, which took place just two months before their engagement announcement. The Prince reportedly instructed Meghan to avoid discussing three sensitive topics: Donald Trump, race, and their relationship – with particular emphasis on not mentioning Harry himself. Bower writes, "Knowing that Diana and Sarah Ferguson had ruined their reputations in interviews, Harry had asked Meghan to keep quiet about sensitive subjects."
However, despite these precautions, the interview's publication led to unexpected consequences. The Vanity Fair cover featured the headline "She's Just Wild About Harry," which reportedly incited fury at Buckingham Palace. Bower describes Meghan's reaction: "Within hours, Meghan called Ken Sunshine [founder of Sunshine Sachs Consultants] and Keleigh Thomas Morgan. Hysterically, she described Buckingham Palace's fury at 'Wild About Harry'."
This incident highlights the delicate balance the couple was trying to maintain between public interest and personal privacy during the early stages of their relationship. It also foreshadows the more open approach to media engagement that the couple would later adopt.
The stark contrast between Harry's initial desire for privacy and his later willingness to share intimate details of royal life is exemplified by the publication of his memoir "Spare" in 2023. The book, filled with candid revelations about the royal family, represented a significant shift in the couple's media strategy. Harry even suggested at the time that he had enough material for a second book, though recent reports indicate he may have abandoned these plans.
The evolving nature of Harry and Meghan's relationship with the media and public disclosure has been further complicated by recent events within the royal family. With both King Charles and Catherine, Princess of Wales, facing cancer diagnoses, Harry has shown a return to a more guarded approach in discussing family matters. During a February interview with Good Morning America, when asked about his father's health, Harry responded, "That stays between me and him," echoing his earlier stance on privacy.
This oscillation between guarded privacy and public revelation has become a defining characteristic of the Sussexes' post-royal life. It reflects the ongoing challenges they face in balancing their desire for independence and control over their narrative with the intense public interest in their lives.
As the couple continues to navigate their roles outside the traditional royal framework, their media strategy remains a subject of intense scrutiny. The revelations from Bower's book provide valuable context for understanding the complex dynamics at play in the Sussexes' relationship with the press and the public.