Prince Harry allegedly ditched an old friend for gossiping about his future wife Meghan Markle.
The claim is being made in the upcoming bombshell book “Finding Freedom,” written by royal reporters Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand.
Numerous palace insiders reportedly came forward to the two journalists and detailed what led to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s departure as senior members of the British royal family.
The couple currently resides in Markle’s native Los Angeles with their son Archie.
The U.K.’s DailyMail reported on Monday the Duke of Sussex, 35, was stunned by the reception given to his then-girlfriend by his own social circle, as well as by the public. According to the book, the British royal was especially concerned about “the ugliness of racism…both unconscious and intentional.”
Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive at the annual Endeavour Fund Awards in London on March 5, 2020. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
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“Harry, sensitive to even the slightest hint of prejudice, had fallouts with his own circle,” wrote Scobie and Durand, as reported by the outlet.
However, the worst of it allegedly came when an old male friend “spent an afternoon gossiping about Meghan.”
“Word got back to Harry and the prince immediately cut him off,” the authors wrote.
The outlet noted that some of Harry’s relationships with other pals cooled off or ended altogether after they showed signs of prejudice against Markle, 38.
In 2016, Harry condemned the media for subjecting the American actress “to abuse and harassment,” issuing a rare statement that confirmed their relationship, while expressing concern for her safety.
Harry’s office said that while the prince understood there was significant curiosity about his private life, a line had been crossed in terms of media intrusion.
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Britain's Prince Harry (Stefan Rousseau/Pool via AP)
"Prince Harry is worried about Ms. Markle's safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her," said the statement from Kensington Palace at the time. "It is not right that a few months into a relationship with him that Ms. Markle should be subjected to such a storm."
Tabloids in Britain and beyond jumped on the story and speculated about the relationship for weeks, with many commenting on her mixed-race heritage and contrasting her background with the prince's. The palace said the harassment was "very public — the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments."
While it was initially reported that Harry and Markle cooperated with the authors, People magazine noted the couple released their own statement denying taking part in the publication.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not interviewed and did not contribute to ‘Finding Freedom,’” said the statement. “This book is based on the authors’ own experiences as members of the royal press corps and heir own independent reporting.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be splitting their time between the U.K. and North America. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty)
According to the book’s description, “Finding Freedom” aims to set the record straight about the royal couple.
“For the very first time, ‘Finding Freedom’ goes beyond the headlines to reveal unknown details of Harry and Meghan’s life together, dispelling the many rumors and misconceptions that plague the couple on both sides of the pond,” read the book's description. “As members of the select group of reporters that cover the British Royal Family and their engagements, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand have witnessed the young couple’s lives as few outsiders can.
“With unique access and written with the participation of those closest to the couple, ‘Finding Freedom’ is an honest, up-close, and disarming portrait of a confident, influential, and forward-thinking couple who are unafraid to break with tradition, determined to create a new path away from the spotlight, and dedicate to building a humanitarian legacy that will make a profound difference in the world,” the description added.
In a statement sent to Fox News, the book publisher said Scobie is a London-based writer, royal editor for Harper’s Bazaar, an ABC News contributor, “Good Morning America” regular and host of ABC’s popular royal podcast, “The Heir Pod.”
Durand is an Emmy Award-winning producer and writer who has spent nearly two decades working in London covering Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Clarence House and other major international events. During that time, she produced multiple interviews with members of the royal family including Harry. She contributes to O, The Oprah Magazine, Elle magazine and other American and British news outlets.
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Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during a walkabout with Britain's Prince Harry on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, Scotland, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018. (Andrew Milligan/Pool Photo via AP)
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“The aim of this book is to portray the real Harry and Meghan, a couple who continue to inspire many around the world through their humanitarian and charitable work but are often inaccurately portrayed," they wrote in a statement. "Our mission has been motivated by a desire to tell an accurate version of their journey and finally present the truth of misreported stories that have become gospel simply because of the amount of times they have been repeated. It is thanks to our sources that we have been able to share the definitive story of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex."
“Finding Freedom" is set to be released by Dey Street Books on August 11.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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