Meghan Markle latest news – Duchess 'appalled and offended' at being asked to front 'Princesses and Puppies' US TV show
MEGHAN Markle was left "appalled and offended" at being asked to front an animal-themed TV show in the US.
The Duchess of Sussex was asked to front a hilarious sounding show called Princesses and Puppies by a US media firm in 2019.
Meghan and Prince Harry met executives from the firm in January 2019 – despite Meghan claiming the couple “didn’t have a plan” when they moved to Canada last year in a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.
One idea suggested by the firm's founder, Jeffrey Katzenberg, was for the Duchess to host an online show that combined royalty and pets.
But an insider told the Mail on Sunday: "Meghan seemed to find that idea offensive and though she was gracious in the moment, people in the room were a bit appalled that this was the pitch to her."
Read our live blog below for the very latest updates on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry…
- Debbie White
REACTION TO EXTENDED VERSION OF FINDING FREEDOM
There's been anger from some Royal fans over news of a soon-to-released extended version of Finding Freedom – the book about Megxit.
One mocked that the book on the Sussexes, co-written by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Duran, should be renamed 'Funding Freedom'.
Another fan from Australia wrote on the Mail Online's comments: "Can't we boycott the book, Netflix and Spotify? Hopefully these two will fade into obscurity."
With the update expected to cover Prince Philip’s death, one person commented: "Looking like harassment at this stage".
And one unimpressed Brit wrote: "They claim to want freedom from the royals but the only thing they have to sell is the royal family and their connection to it."
- Debbie White
SADNESS OVER DISAPPEARANCE OF BROTHERS’ ‘HAPPY DAYS’
The Duchess of Cambridge’s uncle Gary Goldsmith has lamented the widening chasm between the royal brothers.
Speaking about the closeness of Princes William and Harry, and Kate Middleton, he told the Daily Mail: “Look at how happy they were. You can’t fake that. Kate adored him, and everyone only wanted him to be happy.
“When Meghan came along it should have been more fun. Kate would have been welcoming to her, because she would have wanted Harry to be happy.
“If Harry is happy, everyone is happy. But at the end it became about Meghan. It’s all about Meghan.”
- Debbie White
ANGER OVER PRINCE HARRY 'SLAGGING OFF FAMILY IN UK'
The Duchess of Cambridge’s uncle Gary Goldsmith has slammed Prince Harry for the way in which he's treated his family in the UK.
He told the Daily Mail: "I was angry at them over there [in California] slagging off our Royal Family.
"There was no reason for them to betray the family trust in the way they did [to Oprah Winfrey].
"But seeing him at [his grandfather's] funeral, I was just sad. He looked lost.
"I feel quite emotional even talking about it, but we've all been thinking about mental health, and here we are, watching someone crumbling in front of us. It's not right."
- Debbie White
DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE'S UNCLE 'LIVID' OVER OPRAH INTERVIEW
The Duchess of Cambridge's outspoken – but proud – uncle Gary Goldsmith admits to being 'livid' over the Sussexes' whining interview with Oprah Winfrey.
He told the Daily Mail: "There isn't any self-interest about Kate's work. I wish I could say the same about Meghan."
Describing himself as 'livid' over the tell-all, Goldsmith said there was "no way" that Kate had made Meghan cry – "I just don't believe a word of it.
"The whole interview beggared belief.
"She didn't know the words to the national anthem? Please! Harry has been singing it since he was five."
Gary Goldsmith has said Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview made him 'livid' - Debbie White
DUKE AND DUCHESS OF SUSSEX 'PETULANT'
Sex Pistols’ frontman Johnny Rotten – John Lydon – understands why the Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit the UK for the US.
But, he says, they've gone about it the wrong way.
The star told the Sunday Times Magazine: "It seems like petulance when they flutter their wings and cry 'freedom' – but it's not.
"Everybody seems ever so willing to adopt a side and be spiteful with it."
- Debbie White
HARRY AND MEGHAN 'SHOULD BEWARE THE GUILLOTINE' SAYS JOHNNY ROTTEN
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex should quit griping to the likes of Oprah Winfrey, suggests John Lydon – aka the Sex Pistols' frontman Johnny Rotten.
He told the Sunday Times Magazine: "My advice to them is they should mind their own business, and if you want out of the public awareness, then don't go on the Oprah show.
"It can only end badly for you.
"You don't put your head in the guillotine or the chopping block, dears, because someone will quite happily press that button!"
- Debbie White
NETFLIX DEAL CAN BURGER OFF – HARRY & MEGHAN 'SHOULD WORK AT MCDONALD'S' – JOHNNY ROTTEN
Forget lucrative multi-million-pound deals with the likes of Netflix.
Sex Pistols' frontman Johnny Rotten – John Lydon – says that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex should stop plying their trade to the streaming service, and work for McDonald's!
He told The Sunday Times Magazine: "Listen, there's many a McDonald's both here and in Britain that are more than willing to take on either one or both of them.
"And then they can be truly independent, earning their own money."
Not sure the celeb royals will be lovin' it, flipping burgers at McDonald's - Tariq Tahir
NEW EDITION OF BOOK ‘WILL NOT HELP’
The new edition of the bombshell book on Megxit ‘Finding Freedom’ will ‘not help’, a royal insider has said.
A senior courtier told The Times: “The Oprah interview detonated a bomb under the royal family and most of them are still reeling in shock.
"The book will not help.”
Another senior royal source added: “After Oprah, what else is there to say?”
- Tariq Tahir
OPRAH SAYS MEGHAN WAS ‘TRUTHFUL’ IN INTERVIEW
Winfrey has insisted Meghan Markle was "truthful" in her interview and that she didn't realise the "racist" claims would be so impactful.
The talk show host was surprised the Duchess of Sussex “went all the way there” by accusing a royal of racial bias towards her son.
The 67-year-old told Nancy O'Dell's TalkShopLive show: "I had no idea that it would have the reverberating impact that it has had and continues to have. I did a lot of preparation for that.
"Our shared intention was the truth. They wanted to be able to tell their story and tell it in such a way that allowed them to be as truthful as possible."
- Tariq Tahir
NEW EDITION OF ‘FINDING FREEDOM’ TO BE LAUNCHED
A new edition of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Finding Freedom biography is set to lift the lid on all the latest royal drama – including the Sussexes' bombshell Oprah interview.
The tell-all book by authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand was published in August last year and painted a flattering picture of how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from royal life in 2020.
Read more here.
- Tariq Tahir
MEGHAN REJECTED 'OFFENSIVE' OFFER TO HOST 'PRINCESS AND PUPPIES' SHOW
The Duchess of Sussex was asked to front a show called Princesses and Puppies by a US media firm in 2019.
Meghan and Prince Harry met executives from the firm in January 2019 – despite Meghan claiming the couple “didn’t have a plan” when they moved to Canada last year in a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.
One idea suggested by the firm's founder, Jeffrey Katzenberg, was for the Duchess to host an online show that combined royalty and pets.
The insider said: "Meghan seemed to find that idea offensive and though she was gracious in the moment, people in the room were a bit appalled that this was the pitch to her."
- Joseph Gamp
CHARLES TO STEP INTO FATHER PRINCE PHILIP’S SHOES AND ACCOMPANY QUEEN ON STATE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT
Prince Charles is to formally step into his late father’s shoes — with plans for him to accompany the Queen to the State Opening of Parliament.
Whitehall officials have been asked to designate him a role as his mother’s official “consort” following Prince Philip’s death.
It is part of a strategy for senior royals to help reduce the workload of the 95-year-old Queen.
Charles, 72 — who discussed the future with his father in hospital in the weeks before he died — will shoulder a greater burden of major royal duties before eventually taking over as King.
- Joseph Gamp
HARRY WILL STRUGGLE TO 'HEAL WOUNDS' (CONTINUED…)
Mr Dampier said: "I doubt if the chat they had was more than tentative first steps in trying to repair their relationships following the Oprah Winfrey interview.
"But all the same, before they go into greater detail, they will be worried that anything they say will be leaked.
"Harry and Meghan seem to have everything they could want or need.
"They have a nice house in California, they’ve got a son, a daughter on the way, they’ve got the means of making a lot of money, they’ve got a platform.
"So I’m not quite sure what it is that they want, but I would’ve thought the one thing Harry would want is to repair his relationship with his family."
- Joseph Gamp
HARRY WILL STRUGGLE 'TO HEAL THE WOUNDS' WITH HIS FAMILY, SAYS COMMENTATOR
Another expert said Harry will struggle to "heal the wounds" with his family as Charles and William fear any conversations they have with him will "immediately leak".
Royal commentator Phil Dampier said it will be difficult for Harry's loved ones to speak openly to him after details of private conversations were leaked.
It's understood William and Charles chose to speak to the Duke of Sussex together after Philip's funeral over concerns the chat could be "misconstrued".
And Mr Dampier said: "One of Charles and Williams’ big fears is that whatever discussions they have with Harry are immediately leaked. They will be worried that if they get into any great detail, the next thing they know it will be out in the public domain, which makes it extremely difficult to heal the wounds long-term."
Harry did spend time with his father and brother following Philip's funeral service. However, it's claimed little progress was made, and relations remain icy.
- Joseph Gamp
HARRY AND MEGHAN MAY BE 'CUT FROM ROYAL FAMILY' (CONTINUED…)
The Mail Online reports a slimmed-down version could see just Charles, Camilla, William, Kate, Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte as senior royals.
Others may be urged to look for other ways to help support themselves and could end up losing their highly-valued titles and patronages.
Ms Levin told talkRADIO: "Prince Charles has wanted for a very long time to cut the monarchy down to save costs and to make people be worth the money that they got from the taxpayer.
"I imagine that might be when Harry and Meghan are ditched from being members of the Royal family.
"I think the outer edge, which the Queen has wanted to keep together for a very long time for sentimental reasons, which at her age she didn't really particularly want change which I think is understandable. But he wants to change and I think he will do that."
- Joseph Gamp
PRINCE HARRY & MEGHAN MARKLE MAY BE ‘CUT’ FROM ROYAL FAMILY IN PRINCE CHARLES’ PLAN TO ‘STREAMLINE MONARCHY’
PRINCE Harry and Meghan may be sensationally "ditched" from the Royal family during a streamlining of the Monarchy, says an expert.
Renowned royal biographer Angela Levin claims the Prince of Wales is poised to "cut the monarchy down" in the future to save cash.
Read more here.
- Hana Carter
DIANA ‘WOULD HAVE LIKED MEGHAN’
Princess Diana would have been fond of Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton, it is claimed.
Sarah Ferguson said in a 2018 chat on Good Morning Britain which has recently resurfaced that the late Princess of Wales would have liked her son’s partners.
She said: “Even before they got married, Diana would have been just literally going ‘I can’t believe these boys have done so well. They are such a credit to her. Incredible.
“She had this enormous compassion, and I honestly think she’d be so proud of the wonderful Meghan and Catherine, as well.
“She’d want to embrace them and say, ‘You’re doing well.'”
- Hana Carter
WHAT IS THE AGE GAP BETWEEN MEGHAN AND HARRY?
Meghan is currently 39, and was born on August 4, 1981.
Prince Harry is 36 years old, and was born on September 15, 1984.
But the Cambridges are just five months apart.
- Joseph Gamp
MILLIONAIRE WHO WENT TO ROYAL WEDDING CHARGED WITH RAPE
A millionaire businessman who attended Prince Harry’s wedding has been charged with another count of rape.
Lawrence Jones amassed a £700million fortune through his IT company UKFast and was pictured with Boris Johnson at the Tory Party conference.
The 52-year-old dad-of-four was previously charged with one count of rape and four of sex assault relating to two women between 2010 and 2013.
But he has now been further charged with rape against another alleged victim in 1993.
He denied four counts of sex assault at Manchester magistrates court in January but has not entered pleas for the two counts of rape.
- Joseph Gamp
WILLIAM AND CHARLES ‘MORE UNITED THAN EVER’
Prince William and Prince Charles “more united than ever”, an insider has claimed.
Speaking on True Royalty TV’s programme, The Royal Beat, Kate Nicholl said Prince Philip’s death had “opened up a conversation that would tiptoe around those big future issues about where the monarchy is going to go and that inevitable handing over of power”.
She went on to explain William and his father had grown even closer following the Duke of Edinburgh’s passing, The Express reports.
She said the duo are “more united in their vision for the future of the monarchy than they ever have been”.
And she added: “The sources I speak to say that the notion of ‘sovereign’ is what has reunited them in the wake of Andrew and ‘Megxit’ – that they are stronger now than ever and more focused.”
- Joseph Gamp
CHARLES ‘COULD DITCH HARRY & MEG TO SLIMLINE MONARCHY’
Prince Charles could slimline the monarchy and ditch Harry and Meghan, one royal expert has claimed.
According to WalesOnline, Angela told talkRADIO: “Prince Charles has wanted for a very long time to cut the monarchy down to save costs and to make people be worth the money that they got from the taxpayer.
“I imagine that might be when Harry and Meghan are ditched from being members of the Royal family.”
She continued: “I think the outer edge, which the Queen has wanted to keep together for a very long time for sentimental reasons, which at her age she didn’t really particularly want change which I think is understandable.
“But he wants to change and I think he will do that.”
- Joseph Gamp
CHARLES TO STEP INTO FATHER PRINCE PHILIP'S SHOES AND ACCOMPANY QUEEN ON STATE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT
Prince Charles is to formally step into his late father’s shoes — with plans for him to accompany the Queen to the State Opening of Parliament.
Whitehall officials have been asked to designate him a role as his mother’s official “consort” following Prince Philip’s death.
It is part of a strategy for senior royals to help reduce the workload of the 95-year-old Queen.
Charles, 72 — who discussed the future with his father in hospital in the weeks before he died — will shoulder a greater burden of major royal duties before eventually taking over as King.
- Joseph Gamp
MEGHAN’S WEDDING DRESS ‘COST £110K’
Meghan Markle’s wedding dress allegedly cost £110,000 – and she paid for it herself.
It was designed by Givenchy, created by British designer Clare Waight Keller.
Meghan and Clare worked closely together on the design, which featured a graphic open bateau neckline that gracefully framed the shoulders and emphasised Meghan’s slender waist.
It had a 16ft train and veil which was adorned with the flowers of the 53 commonwealth countries, and it took an incredible 3,900 hours over the course of four months to create.
It was confirmed she wore Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau, made in 1932.
- Joseph Gamp
NEW EDITION OF HARRY AND MEG'S FINDING FREEDOM BIO
The brothers were reunited for two hours after the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral — sparking hopes of peace between them. But further revelations could impact any progress made.
A senior courtier told The Times: “The Oprah interview detonated a bomb under the royal family and most of them are still reeling in shock. The book will not help.”
Another senior royal source added: “After Oprah, what else is there to say?”
Published last summer, Finding Freedom covered the period from 2016, when Meghan and Harry met, to their exit from royal life and move to America last year.
It said Harry was “pissed off” with his brother, who he felt behaved like “a snob” when he advised Harry to “take as much time as you need to get to know” Meghan.
- Joseph Gamp
NEW EDITION OF MEGHAN MARKLE AND PRINCE HARRY’S FINDING FREEDOM BIOGRAPHY TO LIFT LID ON ROYAL RIFTS
A NEW edition of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Finding Freedom biography is set to lift the lid on all the latest royal drama – including the Sussexes' bombshell Oprah interview.
The tell-all book by authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand was published in August last year and painted a flattering picture of how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from royal life in 2020.
It gave Meghan and Harry's account of the events through friends and Sussex sources – and is now being updated with new chapters, The Times reports.
The latest updates are expected to cover the couple's explosive Oprah interview, allegations against Meghan over the bullying of royal staff, which she denies, and Prince Philip’s death. The new edition is also said to take in their new life in America, their multimillion-pound deals with Netflix and Spotify and the Queen’s decision to strip them of all royal patronages earlier this year.
Readers can expect it on sale from August 5, when it will likely cause even more tension within the Royal Family, particularly between Harry and William.
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