Meghan Markle ‘moved on’ from royal family drama, author claims
Princess Diana's biographer Andrew Morton, author of "The Queen: Her Story," weighs in on the future for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Meghan Markle’s stunning comments about her engagement interview still leave many perplexed.
In late 2022, the former "Suits" star revealed in her explosive Netflix docuseries, "Harry & Meghan," that her 2017 interview with BBC presenter Mishal Husain about her engagement to Prince Harry was an "orchestrated reality show." Husain recently spoke to Saga Magazine, admitting, "I didn’t know what to make of it," referring to Meghan’s remarks.
The American actress became the Duchess of Sussex when she married the British prince in 2018.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are seen here at The Sunken Gardens of Kensington Palace after announcing their engagement in 2017. (Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)
"Meghan claimed that the interview was an orchestrated reality show and Husain wasn't empathetic or warm enough to do the interview," British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital.
"It seems Meghan put on quite a performance and she and Harry were very much in control of their narrative," Chard claimed. "I believe discrepancies in Harry and Meghan’s story have led people to question why there are so many contradictions. It makes people suspect their motives."
The 2017 interview was organized by Kensington Palace, which used to handle the couple’s office before they made their royal exit in 2020. During that televised sit-down, Husain asked the couple about their relationship.
Meghan Markle became the Duchess of Sussex when she married Prince Harry, 39, in 2018. (DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images)
"I believe discrepancies in Harry and Meghan’s story have led people to question why there are so many contradictions. It makes people suspect their motives."
Meghan, 42, claimed it was staged.
"It was, you know, rehearsed," she said. "So we did the thing out with the press, and then we went right inside, took the coat off, sat down and did the interview. So it was all in that same moment."
Husain admitted to being surprised by Meghan’s remarks.
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The Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan" premiered in December 2022. (Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images)
"When the Duchess of Sussex said that my engagement interview with her and Harry was an ‘orchestrated reality show,’ I didn’t know what to make of it," Husain told Saga Magazine, as quoted by Deadline.
"They seemed to have thought through what their new lives would be like and what marriage would mean for her life in particular," said Husain. "There was nothing that pointed to what would happen… It was two people who were full of joy in each other and life."
Chard said there’s good reason why Meghan’s comments are still being analyzed years after the docuseries premiered. "Harry & Meghan" is still available for streaming.
Mishal Husain, BBC presenter, interviewed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. (Jeff Overs/BBC News & Current Affairs via Getty Images)
"I believe that there have been so many contradictory comments made by Harry and Meghan over the years that everything is now being looked at with a fine-tooth comb," Chard explained. "Mishal Husain is a renowned BBC journalist here in the U.K. Comments that Meghan made in the 2022 Netflix series regarding their engagement interview have baffled and upset the usually calm and strong Husain."
"Recollections may vary," Chard added.
A spokesperson for Husain didn’t immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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"There was nothing that pointed to what would happen… It was two people who were full of joy in each other and life," Mishal Husain told a media outlet. (Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images)
Following Husain’s statements, royal reporter Richard Eden claimed to the U.K.’s DailyMail that Meghan would have preferred Oprah Winfrey to have done her engagement interview. The TV mogul went on to speak with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2021, a year after their royal exit. That explosive interview was viewed by nearly 50 million people globally.
Eden claimed to the DailyMail that he "spoke to sources who worked for the royal household at the time of Husain's interview in 2017." Those sources claimed to Eden that Meghan's "performance" should "have raised more concerns than it did."
"At the time, there was so much excitement about the engagement that no one really questioned some of Meghan's comments,' one source claimed to Eden. "But, if you watch it again now, some of her responses seem insincere and her body language is telling."
The former Prince Charles is seen here greeting Mishal Husain at a dinner in the Natural History Museum in London on December 8, 2011. (LEON NEAL/AFP via Getty Images)
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that we may never know which side was right.
"Richard Eden is a reputable journalist, but in reality, if he has unnamed sources… it is harder to verify the facts," Pelham Turner explained. "I believe Meghan would have strong views… [And] in reality, a certain amount of leeway is offered to the royal family to engage with them for an interview."
"There is an engaged group regularly creating negative commentary regarding Meghan," said Pelham Turner. "[It’s] one of the reasons she fled the country, not being able to deal with this constant pressure. [There’s] no doubt she is still wondering why the royal teams did not find methods of promoting her in the same way they have built up Kate Middleton’s brand."
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Meghan Markle played Rachel Zane in the legal drama "Suits." (Christos Kalohoridis/USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
This wasn’t the first time that Husain had spoken out about Meghan’s statement.
After "Harry & Meghan" premiered on Netflix, she was asked about the allegation by co-presenter Justin Webb on BBC Radio 4.
"We know recollections may vary on this particular subject, but my recollection is definitely very much: asked to do an interview and do said interview," said Husain, as quoted by Deadline.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they were stepping back as senior royals in 2020. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital she understood why Husain is still speaking out now.
"It’s totally safe to speak," Fordwich claimed. "When Prince William referred to Meghan Markle as ‘difficult,’ ‘rude’ and abrasive’ - all traits not appreciated by the British - he had heard from many courtiers and royal staff as to the way they were treated."
"Former staff members even referred to themselves as the ‘Sussex Survivors' Club’ due to difficult work relationships with the couple, with them dreading interaction with Meghan Markle, leaving the room in tears," Fordwich claimed.
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Meghan Markle was accused of being a bully shortly before her interview with Oprah Winfrey aired in 2021. A spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex denied the allegations. (Samir Hussein/Getty Images)
"There is a good reason most royals and aristocrats... retain their staff, in many cases, for generations." Fordwich continued. "This is due to the British culture in which staff are treated with dignity and respect. Indeed, even the national holiday, Boxing Day, originated from servants receiving boxes of gifts given by those they served… This national culture of building lasting relationships is yet another cultural norm Meghan Markle never adjusted to nor appreciated."
"Therefore, the royals, of course, would side with their loyal and dedicated staff," Fordwich added.
In April of this year, Samantha Cohen, who was a Buckingham Palace staffer for nearly 20 years, confirmed she was questioned during an investigation into claims of bullying made against the Duchess of Sussex.
Oprah Winfrey interviewed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for a special in 2021 where they revealed their struggles with royal life. (Harpo Productions/Joe Pugliese via Getty Images)
Cohen, who spoke to Australian newspaper the Herald Sun, left in 2019.
While Cohen didn’t directly speak about the investigation, she revealed the palace was unable to find a replacement aide for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex due to high staff turnover.
"I was only supposed to stay for six months but stayed for 18. We couldn’t find a replacement for me, and when we did, we took them on tour to Africa with Harry and Meghan to show them the ropes, but they left (quit) as well while in Africa," she said.
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Samantha Cohen worked at Buckingham Palace for nearly 20 years. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
A representative for the Duchess of Sussex didn't immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment at the time.
Buckingham Palace launched the investigation in March 2021 after reports alleged that Meghan had driven out two personal assistants and that staff had been "humiliated" on several occasions during her time living in Kensington Palace. The claims were published by The Times of London, days before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sat down with Winfrey.
Meghan's lawyers denied the bullying allegations when they were made.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reside in the wealthy coastal city of Montecito in California with their two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. (Reuters)
"The Duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself, and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma," a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital at the time. "She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good."
WATCH: MEGHAN MARKLE ‘MOVED ON’ FROM ROYAL FAMILY DRAMA, AUTHOR CLAIMS
A spokesperson for the Sussexes also told the Times, "Let’s just call this what it is – a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation. We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of The Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet. It’s no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining The Duchess are being briefed to the British media shortly before she and The Duke are due to speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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