Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor caused tension with his nephew, Prince Harry, following reports he had scathingly dismissed his wife, Meghan Markle, a royal author has claimed.
In his new book, Betrayal: Power, Deceit And The Fight For The Future Of The Royal Family, Tom Bower explores the “split between the Houses of Sussex and Windsor”. Betrayal, which is published on 26 March, investigates whether the “broken bonds” between Prince William and Kate, and Harry and Meghan, can ever be repaired. A spokesperson for the Sussexes has denied the claims in the book, criticising the author for his “fixation” on the couple.
In one passage, Bower describes the tense car ride between Andrew, 66, and Harry as they arrived at Westminster Abbey for the coronation of King Charles in May 2023.
In part, the awkward atmosphere was due to reports that Andrew had dubbed Meghan an “opportunist”, with Bower referencing Andrew Lownie’s book, Entitled.
Bower wrote: “In the driving rain, Harry arrived at the abbey with Andrew. The disgraced Prince was, at the time, still refusing the King’s order to move to Frogmore from Royal Lodge, the 30-bedroom mansion he occupied with his ex-wife, Sarah.
“Relations between the uncle and his nephew were not good. In some accounts, Andrew had scathingly dismissed Meghan as an ‘opportunist’.”
Bower went on to describe other reports of the former Duke of York’s rude behaviour, continuing: “More recently, a report had emerged of Andrew’s extraordinary rudeness to Robin Barnett, the deputy ambassador at the British embassy in Warsaw. In front of a group of businessmen, Andrew had spectacularly humiliated Barnett, mocking the diplomat’s club foot as he limped across the room to pass on to the Prince an urgent message from London.”
Denying the claims
Other passages of the novel claim that the Prince and Princess of Wales considered Meghan a “threat” as tensions escalated before the Sussexes decided to leave Britain for a life in Montecito, California, with their young family.
However, in a statement issued on Saturday, 14 March, a spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan rebutted the author’s suggestions and said he “crossed the line”.
“Mr Bower’s commentary has long crossed the line from criticism into fixation,” the statement read. It continued: “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.
“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.”
What does Prince Harry think about Andrew?
Speaking on A Right Royal Podcast last month, The Mirror’s Royal Editor, Russell Myers, said that the two Princes “never had a close relationship” with their uncle. He explained: “William has not been Andrew’s biggest fan to put it mildly, and neither is Harry. They never really had a close relationship with him. Time and time again, it would come up from people I spoke to for the book. William’s personal feelings were that Andrew is a bit of an ignoramus.”
© World Health Organisation via GeIn February, Harry appeared to address the arrest of his uncle for the first time. Speaking to Channel 4 News from Jordan, during a visit with Meghan, Harry said there has been “a lot of stuff in the news”, which may have been referring to the ongoing situation with the royal family back in the UK.
At the start of the interview, however, the journalist conducting the interview said: “I understand you don’t wish to talk about your family, your uncle, things back in London, you’re here because you don’t want to distract from the work you’re doing on the WHO and on Gaza.”
Andrew was arrested at Sandringham the week prior on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
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