Royal author Tom Bower has responded to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s criticism of his book, claiming the couple face a tough future in Hollywood
Royal author Tom Bower has spoken out after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle dismissed his forthcoming book as “deranged conspiracy and melodrama”.
Following a controversial piece in Hollywood trade publication Variety, which examined the behind-the-scenes story of the Sussexes’ partnership with Netflix, Mr Bower criticised the couple’s “lack of original talent and suffocating self-importance”.
Mr Bower told the Express: “The Variety article endorses what I described in my book, Betrayal. The Sussexes are reaching the end of the road in Hollywood.
“Their behaviour, lack of original talent and suffocating self-importance has made it even more important for them to return to Britain in July, meet the King and be revalidated as royals.”
Mr Bower added: “That option, I believe, will be denied to them. They face an increasingly tough future. That’s the price of betraying the Royal Family since Megxit.”
Following the initial allegations made in Mr Bower’s new book, Betrayal: Power, Deceit And The Fight For The Future Of The Royal Family, when excerpts were published in The Times before its March 26 release date, the Sussexes swiftly issued their rebuttal.
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Asserting that the author has “long crossed the line from criticism into fixation”, the statement opened: “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.”
Among the initial claims to surface from Mr Bower’s book is the suggestion that Queen Camilla confided in a friend that Meghan had “brainwashed” Harry.
Mr Bower’s remarks follow a series of allegations made by Variety in a damning new report about the couple, including the assertion that Netflix was reportedly “blindsided” by their explosive 2020 interview with Oprah Winfrey, with “many annoyed by the lack of communication”.
The report alleged: “Sources say that the company only discovered at the last minute that the Sussexes would sit with Winfrey and share intimate, headline-grabbing details of their lives.”
A spokesperson for the Sussexes refuted the claim that Netflix was unaware of the Oprah interview as “categorically false,” adding that “Netflix and Archewell had legal counsel involved to oversee the evolution of the deal, as is common practice for any deal changes in Hollywood.”
Another allegation was that Netflix was wary about Prince Harry’s tell-all memoir, which eventually saw release in early January 2023. The Sussexes unveiled their explosive docuseries, Harry & Meghan, just a month prior, in December 2022.
The report stated: “Netflix approached the couple to discuss how a potential book deal would impact the release of the docuseries. Sources say Meghan downplayed the auction, telling Sarandos that any publication would be far in the future, if it happened at all.”
Meghan’s spokesperson rejected this claim as well, describing it as “categorically untrue – there was open communication with Netflix months before release to co-ordinate timing between book and series.” The excerpts cover subjects including Harry and Meghan’s relationship with Prince William and Princess Catherine, along with their commercial and charitable ventures since relinquishing their roles as working royals and relocating to the US in 2020, including partnerships with Netflix and Spotify.
The piece comes after the announcement that Netflix had ended its collaboration with Meghan’s lifestyle brand, As Ever, enabling the Duchess to “continue growing the brand and take it into its next chapter independently.”
Last year, reports emerged suggesting the couple had secured a fresh “first look” Netflix agreement, which was commonly characterised as a “downgraded” or “watered down” version of their original contract. Speaking at Fortune’s Powerful Women Summit in Washington back in October, Meghan shared details about the deal. She informed the audience: “My husband and I were in an overall deal with Netflix… and then the extension of it… was now being in a first look deal, which is also exciting because it gives us flexibility to go to our partners first, and then at the same time be able to shop content that might not be the right fit for Netflix but has a home somewhere else.”
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