Meghan Markle 'Thought She Knew It All' Before Royal Life Fell Apart, Royal Expert Claims

Meghan Markle's early life inside the British royal family has come under fresh scrutiny after former royal press secretary Dickie Arbiter claimed she was an 'independent woman' who 'thought she knew it all'.

Speaking on the Daily Expresso podcast with JJ Anisiobi, Arbiter said Samantha Cohen, a former assistant private secretary to Queen Elizabeth II who later served as private secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, struggled while advising Meghan.

'Sam Cohen never struggled. But with Meghan, she did struggle because she was a woman - independent woman - who thought she knew it all,' Arbiter said.

He later claimed that warning signs were visible during Meghan's early period as a working royal, saying advice would have been given but that she was an 'independent woman who thought she knew it all'.

Arbiter's remarks are his own assessment and do not establish why Cohen's working relationship with Meghan ended or what advice was exchanged privately. Cohen served as assistant private secretary to Queen Elizabeth II before becoming private secretary to Harry and Meghan in 2018.

What Dickie Arbiter Claimed

Arbiter said Meghan's independence created difficulties for Cohen, whom he portrayed as an experienced royal aide accustomed to advising members of the Royal Family.

He also offered a broader assessment of Meghan's public persona, saying 'once an actress, always an actress'. Arbiter separately suggested that Harry's personal circumstances influenced the relationship, describing him as lonely and saying he wanted a wife.

Those remarks are character judgements rather than established findings about the couple's relationship. Arbiter did not provide documentary evidence from private royal meetings to support his interpretation of Meghan's attitude or explain precisely what disagreements allegedly occurred between her and Cohen.

Cohen's role, however, is established. She worked for Queen Elizabeth II for years before becoming private secretary to Harry and Meghan. She left the Royal Household in 2019.

What Meghan Said About Royal Life

Meghan offered a different account of her transition into royal life during her 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey.

'I went into it naively because I didn't grow up knowing much about the Royal Family. I didn't fully understand what the job was,' she said.

Her comments indicate that she viewed herself as inexperienced in the institution and its expectations. They do not establish whether she accepted or rejected specific advice from royal staff.

Much of the dispute over Meghan's time as a working royal concerns private conversations and events that cannot be independently verified.

Harry and Meghan have previously described pressure from the media and the institution, while critics have questioned their handling of royal conventions and their decision to discuss internal disputes publicly. Arbiter's latest comments add another critical interpretation, but they do not independently resolve the competing versions of events.

Harry and Meghan Remain Non-Working Royals

Arbiter's comments come as Harry and Meghan's status in Britain has again attracted attention following the family's return to the United Kingdom.

On 7 September, a letter issued on behalf of King Charles III confirmed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain non-working members of the Royal Family. The letter said the couple had stepped down from representative duties in 2020 and that there had been no change to their status.

It also stated that their His and Her Royal Highness styles remain in abeyance and are not used. Their charitable activities are undertaken in a private capacity, while the letter described their position as 'akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests'.

The clarification came after the family returned to Britain following six years in the United States and amid questions over whether the couple could resume any official royal role.

The letter does not indicate that Harry and Meghan are resuming official royal duties.

What the Claims Establish

Arbiter's remarks provide a fresh opinion about Meghan's early adjustment to royal life, but they do not prove that her alleged attitude caused the breakdown in relations between the Sussexes and the Royal Family.

The available evidence establishes that Cohen was an experienced royal aide who worked with Harry and Meghan, that Arbiter believes Meghan was resistant to advice, and that Meghan has said she entered royal life without fully understanding what the role involved.

The latest comments therefore add another perspective to a long-running dispute, rather than providing a definitive explanation for why Harry and Meghan ultimately stepped away from working royal duties.