Over the weekend, Sussex biographer Omid Scobie tweeted: “Any ‘insider’ claiming to know what’s in the book is simply throwing guesses out there.” I briefly wondered what that was about, and then I saw this story in the Sun – the Sun’s sources claim that Omid and Carolyn Durand’s book will “shatter the notion” that the Duchess of Sussex was the driving force behind the Sussexes’ exit from royal life. So let me get this straight: the unhinged, racist, misogynistic British tabloids smeared Meghan for two years and tried to bully her out of the country. When Harry made it clear that he will always “choose” his wife over those petty racists, those same tabloids created a narrative where Evil Meghan “forced” Harry to leave his country. And now those same tabloids are saying “wait, Harry wanted to leave.” This whole “Megexit” term was just something made up by racist lunatics and then adopted by the worst press outlets and now they’re treating Harry’s ability to make up his own mind as some brand-new information. Ridiculous.
That’s not all from this weekend’s shenanigans. As I’ve been covering for weeks now, Katie Nicholl has been giving some very curious interviews to American and Australian outlets, trying to shill some “exclusives” about the Sussexes. It’s interesting because she really doesn’t have an inside track on Harry and Meghan at all, but she genuinely has an inside track on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. So why is Vanity Fair’s senior royal reporter giving away “exclusives” to other outlets, and why is she writing an exclusive report for the Sunday Times?
This long piece in The Sunday Times on Meghan and Harry’s new life in America by Vanity Fair’s Katie Nicholl claims the couple planned their North American escape when they returned from Africa at the end of last year, a trip during which Meghan famously told ITV that it was “not enough to just survive something.” Among the article’s other striking claims: Harry wanted to live in Africa but Meghan wasn’t keen, fearing political instability; they dropped the notion of living in Canada after the queen nixed their half-in, half-out vision of royal life; and the longed-for reconciliation between William and Harry may yet happen.
The piece also contains an alarming description of Meghan’s life in the U.K.: Meghan Markle believed there was a “conspiracy” hatched against her by royals once she moved into Kensington Palace during her courtship with Prince Harry. Markle, 38, began to fear the palace’s courtiers were out to harm her reputation due to her American style of management once the couple moved into Frogmore Cottage.
“She was convinced there was a conspiracy against her and so she basically put herself in self isolation when they moved to Frogmore,” a friend told The Sunday Times. “I think she felt like an outsider from the start. This wasn’t the life she was used to and she wanted out.”
She also began to feel isolated and missed her mom and friends in LA. One friend told The Sunday Times that Meghan’s financial independence was a driving force behind her and Harry’s decision to leave the royals and flee the UK for sunny California.
“One of the things Meghan struggled with was not earning an income,” said a friend. “She has always worked and I think she felt unfulfilled. Having financial freedom was a big part of them wanting to leave.
Despite reports that Harry, 35, was struggling in LA , the couple developed a friendship with Adele, and the Duke of Sussex has befriended the Silicon Valley crowd and even Leonardo DiCaprio, who he met at last year’s Google Camp, reports The Sunday Times. “I am sure their social life will consist of dinner parties with people they can trust and connect with,” Melanie Bromley, head of news operations for NBC’s E! channel told The Sunday Times. “They are going to be very wary about opening up their social circle too much, as fraternizing with the wrong people has the potential to be hugely damaging to their image and plans.”
[From The Sunday Times & Page Six]
I mean… what is Nicholl doing here? Is she trying to paint Meghan as paranoid and crazy? Because I think Meghan probably did feel isolated and like there was a conspiracy against her, and she had good reason to feel that way: there was legitimately a conspiracy against her. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the palace courtiers, even Prince Charles and his people, they were all working against Meghan at various times for various reasons.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, WENN and Avalon Red.
She’d be blind if she DIDN’T think there was a conspiracy against her.
And I don’t think Meghan struggled with not earning an income (nice feeding the gold-digger narrative there Katie), but if she was being told to slow down, not be so keen (lol) to get going and get working so that she didn’t show others up, yes I can see that being frustrated for someone who’s always been motivated and hardworking.
I don’t think it makes her sound like a gold digger, the opposite actually, that she is used to providing for herself. I also think it is true because I know it was something that I struggled with when I became a SAHM, not having any money that was “mine”, even though my husband is great and considers all money ours, there is this part of me that misses having my own income and it makes sense to me that Meghan would feel the same way.
I think she probably did struggle with not earning an income. Not so much because she wanted a lot of money, but because she wanted the independence. Imagine being an independent adult and then having to adjust to your father in-law controlling the purse strings. I can see that being a very uncomfortable situation.
Agreed. No gold digger image painted here, I think the exact opposite. And it is difficult to adjust to that. I had worked and always had my money to do as I pleased. Then I got married and after our first born came, I stayed home while my husband worked. That was a major adjustment. So I get it.
Yeah, I agree with you Ainsley. I can imagine that was a weird position for Meghan to be in, especially when her spending was so scrutinized. She was probably so used to spending her money how she wanted (as was her right) so it was probably a big adjustment to not only be reliant on her father in law, but to face criticism for her spending choices (and we can argue whether the criticism was valid or not, but we know that at least while Meghan was in the UK, Kate was NOT getting the same criticism.)
I cannot even imagine being in a position where anyone had that level of control over me. I totally agree that there must have been people with an agenda. I suspect that the courtiers saw it as a Wallis Simpson 2.0 situation and I think many Royalists felt the same. She ended up in a gilded cage.
It is not paranoia if people are actually actively working to diminish you and your work.
It’s also not a Conspiracy when it’s so damn transparent.
Yeah, this was not a quiet paranoia. This was a conspiracy in the way that D-day was a fist fight. They really were all stabbing her in the back.
And as the saying goes, just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean someone isn’t out to get you.
Yeah – when patients come in and we read they are paranoid first thing we do is check if their feelings are or could be objectively or subjectively accurate
She wasn’t paranoid – she was in a horrible situation as she was accurate
I definitely do think they’re trying to make her sound unhinged and crazy. Didn’t they do this with Diana after the divorce/her death (although I do suspect that Diana legitimately had problems)?
But like you said: she’s not wrong. Didn’t Seward say recently that they thought Meghan would leave after 5 years and go back to the US but she also says that they didn’t count on Harry going with them. (By “they” she probably means the courtiers, aristos etc etc)
But again this is from Nicholl who seems to be trying to land a gig somewhere, so I’ll wait for the details in Omid’s book
They are jumping out ahead of Omid’s book with their version of what they think might be in it. Their actually was a conspiracy so it’s best to paint a Meghan as paranoid and at fault before people read what actually happened in Omid’s book.
I don’t think Omid will actually reveal much about the smear campaign. He seems wishy washy.
I agree-palace& their press friends are trying to get ahead of what they think is in the book hence the comments in the Times last week about the family being used to missives etc & trying to portray her as a paranoid crazy Diana style.
Like you Aurora I don’t expect Omid/Carolyn’s book to go into the smear campaign too much especially as relates to the palace’s involvement. Omid has talked about how things could have been different if they had the palace’s support& can’t see them going much further. Omid& Carolyn still have to work with the palace& the rest of the rota journalists& can’t see them totally alienating them. They aren’t exactly hard hitting journalists. And think it’s more likely a story for the Sussexes to detail directly which I couldn’t see them doing whilst Queen is alive.
Also agree with Ainsley that having working since 13, probably was hard to rely on her father in law for money. But as outlined on their website, I think financial independence was more to do with how the press used taxpayers money to justify intrusion eg publishing her letter to her dad. And also to claim ‘ownership’ over the royals& therefore the right to demand eg Lindo wing appearance. The press have also stirred up resentment about any money spent on her so think not relying on sovereign grant was aimed at tackling that.
Option a) she’s realised the Cambridge’s aren’t all that and has switched allegiances. *snort*
B) she’s still Team Cambridge, but recognises that she can do better financially reporting on the Sussexes right now, so writes very grey man pieces that you can’t tell if it’s pro or against, so she can easily switch back to Team Cambridge when the Sussex craziness dies down.
C) Partly B, but she’s just waiting to see what’s in the BOOK! If it’s damning to members of the RF, she’ll move more to speaking about H&M, if it’s not…ten bucks that she’s back to being her usual self.
££££$$$$$€€€€€
It’s definitely option B. She’s riding the fence cause it’s in her best interest financially to report on the Sussexes but she doesn’t want to lose that Cambridge connection
I think American media in particular know the money lies with Meghan. Her edition if British Vogue was the fasted selling and biggest selling in a decade and she wasn’t even on the cover. Magazine Publications would be aware of how much of a cash cow she is and to get her onside. Katie probably wants to work with those same publications but spewing hate about Meghan isn’t going to cut it anymore.
But there is no way she Katie will piss off the kate and the middletons, they’re her only inside source. So I think she is masquerading before she gets a steady gig, whilst still throwing passive aggressive shade at Meghan. But she’ll never betray her bff waity.
M&H have been so quiet over the last few weeks, yet these papers continue to dedicate so much editorial space to them. As a fan, I’ve enjoyed the quiet and not seeing new outrage about whatever mundane thing they’ve done. But these papers are obviously starving for stories.
They could write about Andrew but for some reason the palace wants to protect that creature.
I think this negativity toward Megan- you know Harry gets a pass- is all about Andrew. People not talking so much about him and Epstein are they?
there was a legitimate campaign against her and damn near everyone was involved. I’m sure they gaslit the hell out of her in private as well. thank god harry got her out of there. If she was paranoid, she had every right to be. I’d be afraid of even speaking around them cause they were attacking her for any and everything and the palace was fueling it.
So the gaslighting has circled back to focus on Meghan again? Did Harry look too happy?
I guess Meghan is also too fragile.
Yes, racism and petty jealousy are “conspiracy theories.” Not like Charles’s Communications Secretary was caught liking tweets about how humble Charles, Camilla’ William and Kate are as opposed to Meghan and Harry. Or the budget plane stunt. Or the nonsensical tiara story.
That family was performatively nice and then dropped her by the time the Hub Cookbook came out that summer. Meghan did too well too quickly instead of being “humble.”
Imagine harassing someone and when they complain, shrugging it off by concern trolling about whether they rushed into things and weren’t properly prepared.
Absolutely infuriating
Yup they tried to use her as their stage prop for their silly photo ops like they’re used to doing with POC but dropped her once they realized she was the main act.
Then there was the Meghan “upstaging” Eugenie at her wedding by announcing the pregnancy –I found this to be a total fabrication. IF Kate had announced she was pregnant it would be great joy in the media and a “double celebration” with Eugenie so happy that Kate is pregnant.
I think there might be a new edition of Katie Nicholl’s book on Harry (updated when he got engaged) about to be released and that’s why she’s everywhere promoting herself as their biographer.
Hmm the media was reporting that palace staff had nasty nicknames for her& were leaking about alleged diva behaviour around the wedding, about her work style, of senior royal source calling her a degree wife, that Charles thought Harry was whipped. And that some wanted her as far away as possible& contemplating if the Sussexes could be shipped to Africa. With no word from palace that has responded to much less& with many in the rota saying the negativity was coming from the palace. Gee wonder what would give her idea that the people were working against her. So much gaslighting here.
We spent the last couple of years watching the conspiracy unfold, we have eyes (and so does Meghan, she’s not stupid). I wish this were a public acknowledgement of that but given the source there is obviously a different motive. My money is on trying to get ahead of the book and building the ‘paranoid’ picture to continue the gaslighting. The Sussexes are SO much better off over there with you guys in the States.
Melanie knows as much as Katie knuckles about the Sussexes plans
Meghan was not in space, and even there you can still communicate to earth.
Meghan was actually working while at Frogmore Cottage, it just that they selective with who they wanted to visit FC.
The way you found out who visited, was if the visitor disclose the information.
They had KP staked out and yet she was able to go to and from for her wedding dress fittings, the same at FC and she was able to leave, have a baby and returned home.
Of course the courtiers were working against her. Its why so many of the leaks stopped when they separated from Kensington Palance/Will and Kate.
Oh man, is this the new point of attack? Questioning her sanity? Like we are in the Middle Ages. There was so much these people could have done with a beautiful and chic princess with a strong work ethic. They could have had years of great fashion stories and feel-good moments involving charity work, childrearing, etc. But that’s not what people want, is it? People only feel better about their own miserable lives if they can be made to believe that someone like Meghan is also leading a miserable life. Ugh.
For the umpteenth time, Katie damned Nichols is full of sh!t. Nuff said.
I think the tabloids know that Omid is going to tell what REALLY happened and they are now actively trying to turn their lies around. It’s probably why they were having meltdowns when this book was announced.
Of course the RF was working against Meghan and making her feel isolated. I’m glad they both got out. I feel Harry has been unhappy in that family his whole life.
My armchair diagnosis is Harry was in a codependent relationship with his family and as he slowly got better and began asserting boundaries, the family freaked out.
@SILAS basically. He dared to grow up and stand up for his wife.
Harry said, he saw what was done to his mother and he saw that the same is being applied to his wife and he will not let it happen again. Meghan cannot have made the decision, since she was not there and doesn’t know, what happened to Diana.
Well, there was.
Yes there was and there still is a conspiracy.
If it walks like a duck, looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then you identify what is fact. There was/is a conspiracy against Meghan and it’s being recognized for what it is.
I want to propose an exercise of seeing the bright side: from all this snafu, at least we got:
1) incandescent with rage Will;
2)Church-approved conversion therapy for indiscreet sons with defective armpits
3)Petty Betty
4) Kate and her love for literal clothing
5)epic pictures of Meghan and Harry looking out of the world perfect as a couple.
Only here to say Meghan is so gorgeous in this photo
My late grandmother, died 10 years ago at the age of 81, always told me “never ask money to a man because there goes your independence”. She was right.
So I have always supported myself, that’s why I can see Meghan struggling with this “no income life”: she is a feminist and a strong independent woman.
No more job, no money and only a protocol to follow. Bye independence.
And everyone in his/her right mind would feel isolated in that family.
Well she isn’t stupid. I can also see how.it would be an adjustment having your financials scrutinized after being a grown woman earning your own money for a while without having to justify how it was spent.
Again I’ll direct everyone to the hacking case being heard at high court since last week. Yes Hattie is on a mission (clearly set by her handlers at KP/BP/CH) to taint Meghan’s image and also the upcoming book. The idiot thinks using the same tactics as she does in UK will work🤦♀️if anything the low clicks & responses+reporting on tv networks is clue to her failing at this miserably.
She’s so desperate that she tried to push her lies via Harper’sbazar uk site but was countered with recipts of her phone hacking scandal and proven lies.
The Nicholl minion is doing the dirty work because the BRF is worried its image took a hit outside the UK and they are scared of Omid’s book. When the day comes when its fully revealed Harry is suing Katty Nichol for phone hacking the BRF will throw her under the bus, claiming she made it personal by going after Meghan to press Harry to drop the suit. My tin foil tiara today.
She felt like there was a conspiracy against her because there was one.
Newsflash: there was a conspiracy against her.
Everyone knows there was a conspiracy against Meghan from the very beginning the moment the relationship was leaked . The daily mail started with their straight out Compton headlines they started with the racist articles and William spokesmen Dan said on Twitter that Harry relationship with Meghan was nothing more than a fling so from the very beginning the palace and the Cambridge’s were working overtime to undermine Harry and Meghan relationship. By the time the wedding was happening the courtiers and the Cambridge’s tried to use Meghan father against her with all the antics. And then once Meghan married in the courtiers with the help of the tabloids were trying to run Meghan off . Once Meghan becoming pregnant all bets were off the courtiers and the Cambridge’s the palace were relentlessly in their efforts to continue to smeared Meghan they didn’t care that she pregnant they wanted her gone . What the palace and the courtiers didn’t expect was that Harry would leave with Meghan and Archie they thought Meghan would leave .
Katie Nicholl knows this. She’s one of those who conspired to knock out and kick out Meghan of U.K. Not to mention jealous bully brother William, the courtiers, and the Royal Rota. Nicholls can’t pretend to be Julius Caesar and wash her hands clean of the crime. They’re all out of their depths now because Harry leaving UK wasn’t part of the plan.
It was so obvious there was a campaign to hate on Meghan and drive this woman out of the U.K. and the Royal family. They’re still at it. They used the national press and broadcast media to smear this woman daily, and still use resources to do that during a pandemic, even though she has not lived there for the last 6 months ,and there are more pressing and urgent issues to cover. They barely mention Andrew and the twisted mess of his life and finances, or some issues with the Royal Foundation, with some charities folding and one recently having left their umbrella. Just another smear of the day by Katie Nicholls of the gender fluid baby. Look at how their government is conducting themselves during this pandemic, yet these elected officials have never been held to the same scrutiny as Meghan Markle. Such assholes, with Katie Nicholls earning the honor of prize sow.
I read Fergie’s book, the same thing happened to her. She called them the gray suits.
This is particularly evident when she was staying in Canada and British paparazzi was trying to get to her there. Its absolutlety disgusting what humans have amounted to.
I mean… yeah girl was convinced because House of Petty and House of Lazy made it pretty damn obvious that they were conspiring against her.
Kate not getting to do the school run is funny to me. Once there gossip that William does the school run so that he can hang out at gym with the young mothers?