Why A Royal Expert Thinks Meghan Markle Was Lying About Her Life With The Firm
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stunned viewers when they sat down for a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey back in March. During the televised conversation, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex dropped many bombshells about their lives, including some unflattering details about what life was really like for them within the confines of the royal family, per The New York Times. While speaking with the iconic journalist, Meghan admitted that she felt trapped within The Firm and felt emotionally desolate to the point that she began to have suicidal thoughts and feelings. "I was ashamed to have to admit it to Harry. I knew that if I didn't say it, I would do it. I just didn't want to be alive anymore."
The duchess went on to describe her life inside Kensington Palace as lonely, revealing that she felt a bit imprisoned by her royal title. She also confessed that she had no idea about how life would be like when she married Harry. "I didn't do any research about what that would mean," she said. "I never looked up my husband online."
However, in new chapters for his book "Meghan: A Hollywood Princess," biographer Andrew Morton is questioning Meghan's claims of isolation during her time as a working royal.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Royal author calls out discrepancies in Meghan Markle's comments
Newsweek reports that royal author Andrew Morton isn't convinced that Meghan Markle was living a life of isolation during her years working in the royal family. In fact, the expert refutes the Duchess of Sussex's claims of not being able to see friends and barely leaving the house in new chapters for his biography "Meghan: A Hollywood Princess."
"She also claimed that over one four-month period, she had only twice left the house, again indicating that she was a lonely prisoner hidden away by the men in grey. Yet she was seen out on numerous occasions: dinner and lunch appointments in Notting Hill, beauty treatments in Kensington and various shopping trips," Morton wrote. "Though she was snapped by the paparazzi, British newspapers declined to buy photographs of these excursions.
"She also felt silenced and trapped by the system; her passport, driver's license and keys were taken away from her as though she were entering an open prison," the author continued. "That didn't stop her, though, from making numerous speeches on female empowerment, equality and other issues while traveling around the world on private and commercial aircraft. It was a curious kind of muzzling."
It seems that Morton, like others who have spoken out, finds Meghan's claims a bit confusing. However, the duchess has stood firm in her comments about feeling oppressed and seems unafraid to share her story in the months since her royal exit.
Meghan Markle's brother thinks she's exaggerating her hardship
Someone else who isn't fully convinced Meghan Markle suffered as much as she's claimed is her estranged brother, Thomas Markle Jr. The Mirror reports that, during his time in the "Big Brother VIP" house in Australia, Thomas opined, "She kind of knew what she was getting into when she went into it [marrying into the royal family]. If you got a job and you got paid $4 million salary a year to bow and curtsy and shake hands and take pictures and do some charity work here and some charity work there, it's about the highest pedestal you can get to in life. So do your job and don't gripe about it."
Thomas also admitted he didn't "100% buy" Meghan felt suicidal during her stint with The Firm, arguing it's difficult to believe mental health resources weren't readily available. "I can't imagine being that sheltered," Thomas said. Meghan's estranged brother later wrote a letter to her, while still on the show, begging for Meghan's forgiveness and asking to put the past behind them, per The Independent. Meanwhile, royal biographer Omid Scobie defended her against critics, suggesting people save their outrage for the likes of Prince Andrew, who stands accused of sexual assault (via The Independent).
Did Meghan Markle lie about not knowing who Prince Harry was?
Although Meghan Markle claimed to not really understand what she was getting into, by hooking up with Prince Harry the idea she didn't even Google him prior has been called into question several times over. Markle's childhood best friend, Ninaki Priddy, told Express the Duchess has always been obsessed with the royals. Priddy wasn't surprised at all that Markle ended up with Harry, admitting, "It's like she has been planning this all her life." Priddy even provided a throwback shot of the duo posing as teenagers outside Buckingham Palace. According to Markle's former BFF, "She wants to be Princess Diana 2.0."
Priddy also told the Daily Mail the former "Suits" star read books about the royal family and was obsessed with royal fantasy movie "The Princess Diaries." Elsewhere, royal author Katie Nicholl claimed in her book, "Harry: Life, Loss, and Love," that Markle actually studied life at Kensington Palace and regularly watched videos of Diana and Prince Charles' wedding, per Radar Online.
If Markle did lie about knowing who Harry was in advance, it's likely she did so to protect herself from looking like some kind of crazy, royal-mad grifter. However, regardless, being in the royal family clearly wasn't what Markle expected since, if the duchess was really as eager to be one of them as her friends claim, it would surely have taken something truly terrible to force her out for good.