British author Tina Brown made claims about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s connection to palace life. In “The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor — the Truth and the Turmoil,” Brown argues that Harry’s resistance to palace norms shaped Markle’s early experience within the Firm. Moreover, it set the tone for the couple’s joint approach towards the customs of royal life, which the Duke of Sussex chose not to guide the Duchess on.
Prince Harry didn’t want Meghan Markle to adjust to royal life, says author
The Royal Palace life is complicated, but the latest revelations about Prince Harry’s decision not to guide Meghan Markle through the royal customs have made headlines. The Daily Mail cited Tina Brown’s book, “The Palace Papers.” In the book, Brown writes, “So why didn’t Harry help navigate Palace culture for his future wife? He didn’t want to.”
“Their new complicity required Meghan to fight all the norms he had kicked against for so long. She was now his comrade in arms,” Brown claims. The author further reports that, as one aide put it, their shared stance amounted to an “addiction to drama.” She believes this contributed to “partially self-inflicted” difficulties for the couple.
In her account, Brown compares Markle’s trajectory with that of other royal spouses who weathered public hostility with support from within the institution. The Daily Mail noted her example of Queen Camilla, who endured years of criticism. However, with then-Prince Charles’ help, she learned to navigate the pressures that come with royal life. According to Brown, Markle lacked that kind of internal coaching from her husband.
The book also revisits tensions around the couple’s 2018 wedding, suggesting that a more pragmatic approach to guest management could have reduced friction. Brown’s thesis is that Prince Harry’s longstanding discomfort with palace protocol found a partner in Meghan Markle. In Brown’s words, Markle became his “comrade in arms,” with their unity escalating confrontations with the media and the institution. This, in turn, compounded the challenges they faced before and after their departure as working royals.
