A new royal biography has sparked controversy with claims that Queen Camilla once accused Meghan Markle of “brainwashing” Prince Harry. The allegation appears in Tom Bower’s book Betrayal: Power, Deceit And The Fight For The Future Of The Royal Family, which also suggests the Prince and Princess of Wales viewed Meghan as “a threat more than an ally”.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex responded with a scathing statement, calling the author a “deranged conspiracy” theorist and accusing him of being “fixated” on them. However, royal expert Ingrid Seward told the Mirror that the couple’s reaction risks further damaging their already fragile relationship with the royal family. She said: “Harry doesn’t believe in just allowing things to calm down – he is very protective of Meghan… All it does is make the story more juicy.”
Seward also noted the apparent hypocrisy, given Harry’s own memoir Spare, in which he made explosive claims about his family. “Harry’s response is slightly hypocritical because he doesn’t seem to recall what he’s said before,” she said. “If he’s going to make these very strong statements… he needs to remember what he’s said previously, because it may come back and bite him.”
Regarding Camilla’s alleged remark, Seward said it rang true: “My guess is it’s exactly the sort of thing Camilla would have said… Brainwashing is an expression of someone of Camilla’s age.” She added that Camilla is unlikely to be troubled by the fallout, as she and Harry “don’t share a strong bond”. The royal family is not expected to comment publicly on the book’s claims.
