Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Criticised New Royal Book, Says It's for 'Those Seeking Deranged Conspiracy and Melodrama'

The release of a new biography by investigative journalist Tom Bower has prompted a formal response from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who have taken the rare step of publicly denouncing the work and directly challenging its credibility. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex issued a statement dismissing the book as a collection of fabrications designed to profit from their global profile.

Bower's new book, 'Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family,' makes several claims about the couple, who stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and relocated to California. The statement from their spokesperson represents one of their more direct public responses to royal reporting in recent months.

Sussex Rep Dismisses Bower's New Royal Book

On 13 March, The Times published a serialisation of Bower's new book. Just days after publication, a spokesperson for the Sussexes issued a statement directly challenging its credibility and intent.

'Mr Bower's commentary has long crossed the line from criticism into fixation,' the Sussexes' spokesperson said in a statement to People. 'This is someone who has publicly stated, "the monarchy in fact depends on actually obliterating the Sussexes from our state of life," language that speaks for itself.'

The representative argued that the narrative serves only 'those seeking deranged conspiracy and melodrama,' rather than providing an accurate historical record. 'He has made a career out of constructing ever more elaborate theories about people he does not know and has never met. Those interested in facts will look elsewhere; those seeking deranged conspiracy and melodrama know exactly where to find him,' the spokesperson added.

Baby Brain Comments and Claims of Brainwashing

The content of 'Betrayal' includes a series of specific, personal anecdotes that paint a picture of deep-seated animosity behind palace walls. One of the most contentious claims involves the future British king allegedly being offended by Markle's 'baby brain' comment to Kate Middleton.

The book also addresses perceptions held by senior royals, specifically Queen Camilla. It is alleged that Queen Camilla holds a deeply critical view of the Duchess, reportedly believing she was a 'divisive' figure who brainwashed and manipulated Prince Harry.

Tom Bower Continues His Scrutiny of the Sussex Narrative

This is not the first time Bower has directed his investigative lens toward the Sussexes. He previously published the controversial 'Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War between the Windsors' in 2022, a work that frequently polarised readers and critics alike and established him as one of the most prominent chroniclers of the royal family's internal tensions.

In a review for The Times, Melanie Reid described the previous work as a relentless prosecution of the couple, depicting Markle as 'shallow and lacking rigour' and as 'a merciless opportunist who found in Harry the perfect vehicle for personal advancement, and in doing so caused irreversible damage to a thousand-year-old monarchy.'

Reid found Bower's book 'an undeniably gripping read, but it's also brutal and ultimately sad, adding that readers would feel 'almost sorry' for Markle.

Bower's latest offering appears to follow a similar trajectory, aiming to deconstruct the public image the Sussexes have worked to build since relocating to the United States.