Queen Allegedly Told Friend Meghan 'Brainwashed' Harry in Explosive New Book Claims
First extracts from Tom Bower's forthcoming book on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex suggest the Queen once told a close friend that "Meghan's brainwashed Harry", as relations between the couple and the rest of the royal family deteriorated significantly. The piece, published on The Times website on Friday, claims tensions escalated dramatically between the Sussexes and the Prince and Princess of Wales prior to Harry and Meghan's departure from royal duties.
Royal Tensions and Alleged Threats
According to Bower's account, William and Kate allegedly considered Meghan "a threat" to the monarchy's stability. The author writes that the Prince and Princess of Wales believed Meghan "lamented Harry's unlikely chances of one day being king, just as she regretted the possibility that she would never be the queen." Bower's new book – Betrayal: Power, Deceit And The Fight For The Future Of The Royal Family – continues his investigation into the strained relationship between the Houses of Sussex and Windsor.
Bower describes Meghan as having become "a divisive agent" within royal circles. "To please her, Harry was ignoring his old friends," Bower writes. "He even changed his telephone number without telling his family. The jovial lad about town became possessed by seeking revenge. Increasingly, his character mirrored Meghan's. Emotionally, he veered towards extremes. Simple dislikes became passionate hatred."
Shock Over Andrew's Downfall and Title Fears
The extract released on Friday – which will also be published in The Times Magazine – also appears to suggest Harry was "shocked" by the downfall of Andrew-Mountbatten Windsor following revelations about his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. "The unpredicted and unimagined humiliation of Andrew shocked Harry," Bower writes. "Rightly, Harry fears that the future King William could remove all the Sussexes' titles and effectively banish him from Britain."
Sussex Setbacks and Financial Challenges
Six years after they quit as working senior royals, the Sussexes are reportedly facing significant setbacks including:
- Depleted finances following the cancellation of their Netflix deal
- Criticism of their California wildfire visit last year as a "photo op"
- Ongoing tensions around the Invictus Games organization
Meghan and Harry signed a contract thought to be worth more than 100 million US dollars (£74 million) with Netflix in 2020. They also secured a first-look deal for film and television projects, meaning Netflix would have first option on Harry and Meghan's projects with their Archewell production company.
Netflix Performance and Brand Independence
The first series of With Love, Meghan launched on Netflix in March 2025 and coincided with the unveiling of her lifestyle brand As ever – with her first products, including raspberry jam, repeatedly promoted throughout the show. However, figures showed earlier this year that the Duchess's Netflix show failed to crack the top 1,000 most-watched programmes on the platform.
The second instalment of With Love, Meghan was the 1,124th most-watched show between July and December 2025, with just two million views according to data released by Netflix. Last week, a spokesperson for Meghan said the duchess's brand was "ready to stand on its own" after the Netflix partnership came to an end.
Upcoming Travel Plans
The Sussexes announced last week they will visit Australia next month for a number of engagements. Their children – Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet – will not be accompanying them on this trip, according to sources familiar with their travel arrangements.
