All the way down in Australia, Meghan Markle and her husband, Prince Harry, have found themselves in a situation where they must calm nerves and halt the inferno burning through their efforts to have a solid brand and reputation.
The source of the blaze is royal author Tom Bower, whose new book, Betrayal: Power, Deceit And The Fight For The Future Of The Royal Family, has unleashed a series of bombshell revelations that threaten to permanently diminish the couple’s status in Hollywood and the Royal Court.
Amongst the stunning revelations made by Bower is the 2018 Kensington confrontation, where the writer claimed a meeting between the “Fab Four” ended in disaster when Meghan sharply told Prince William to “take his finger out of my face” after he cautioned Harry about the speed of their engagement.
There is also the “brainwashing” allegation pushed by Queen Camilla. The book claims that Queen Camilla privately told a friend she believed Meghan had effectively “brainwashed” Harry into abandoning his family and duties.
The book further highlighted the Netflix “Blindside” plot. After speaking to multiple industry sources, the writer claimed that executives were “blindsided” and “annoyed” by the couple’s bombshell 2020 Oprah Winfrey interview, where they shared the royals’ dirty laundry and their grievances.
The writer claimed the heads of the streaming giant discovered the headline-grabbing details at the same time as the public.
Bower also pushed the theory of a “Financial Cliff,” asserting that by 2025, the Sussexes’ lifestyle required “$3 million annually after taxes,” a sum they are struggling to maintain after the collapse of their major media deals.
Finally, there was the Spare sabotage: the author claims Meghan intentionally “downplayed” the timing and impact of Harry’s memoir to Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos to ensure their docuseries took priority, leading to internal distrust.
Meghan Markle has slammed the book as “deranged conspiracy and melodrama,” but Tom Bower is not mincing his words and is fighting back.
On the couple’s dwindling influence, Bower delivered a blunt assessment: “The Sussexes are reaching the end of the road in Hollywood.”
Bower further criticized the couple’s character, suggesting their only path to survival is a return to the United Kingdom to make peace with King Charles III, Prince William, and Princess Catherine.
He believes they lack the talent to survive financially after losing contracts with Netflix, Spotify, and Lemonada, stating: “Their behaviour, lack of original talent and suffocating self-importance has made it even more important for them to return to Britain in July, meet the King and be revalidated as royals.”
The author also warned that the opportunity for a royal reconciliation may have already passed: “That option, I believe, will be denied to them. They face an increasingly tough future. That’s the price of betraying the Royal Family since Megxit.”
In a sharp rebuttal, a spokesperson for the Sussexes reminded the public of Bower’s alleged bias, noting he once claimed the monarchy’s survival depends on the “obliteration of the Sussexes.”
The statement read: “This is someone who has publicly stated, ‘the monarchy in fact depends on actually obliterating the Sussexes from our state of life,’ language that speaks for itself.”
The Sussexes continued their defense by dismissing Bower’s research as fictionalized drama, with their representative claiming: “He has made a career out of constructing ever more elaborate theories about people he does not know and has never met. Those interested in facts will look elsewhere; those seeking deranged conspiracy and melodrama know exactly where to find him.”
The representative also countered the narrative of secrecy regarding Netflix, citing the involvement of professional advisors, but did not mention the Oprah interview.
The rep said: “Netflix and Archewell had legal counsel involved to oversee the evolution of the deal, as is common practice for any deal changes in Hollywood.”
Regarding a Variety exposé claiming Meghan misled Netflix about the timeline of Harry’s memoir — stating “Meghan downplayed the auction, telling Sarandos that any publication would be far in the future” — the Sussexes’ team hit back with a strong denial: “Categorically untrue – there was open communication with Netflix months before release to coordinate timing between book and series.”
Finally, Meghan Markle herself described the strategic shift in their business model during a recent high-profile summit, explaining that this was always part of the plan to stand alone: “My husband and I were in an overall deal with Netflix… and then the extension of it… was now being in a first look deal, which is also exciting because it gives us flexibility to go to our partners first, and then at the same time be able to shop content that might not be the right fit for Netflix but has a home somewhere else.”
Fighting Fire With Fire
As the Australia tour unfolds amid cheers and some protests, the Sussexes are refusing to be consumed by the “betrayal” firestorm of a book — much like the Royal Family did when Spare was dropped on their reputations and brand.
By deploying sharp legal rebuttals and asserting their commercial independence, Harry and Meghan are aggressively battling to extinguish Bower’s claims and reclaim their narrative.
