The royal family has reportedly completely dismissed the forthcoming tell-all about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's time in the UK. Finding Freedom: Harry, Meghan, and the Making of a Modern Royal Family will be available on August 11, 2020.
A source told The Sunday Times, "It was a soap opera. Everyone knows the narrative that's coming. The feeling is that drama and everything that comes with it has left. Let the rest of the royal family get on with it. It's just not a hot topic of conversation in the family. They have had so many books written about them that have lobbed some hefty bombs over the sides. They're used to it."
In other words: No one is surprised because they believe releasing a book is exactly in line with the behavior they feel Meghan and Prince Harry demonstrated while still in the country.
While the book was initially believed to be fully authorized by the couple, their spokesperson has pushed back on this idea.
Reports initially indicated that Meghan and Harry may have authorized the book's publication and even given interviews to the authors, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand. However, their spokesperson has offered a different narrative: that Meghan and Harry know about the book, but didn't exactly give their blessing.
Their spokesperson explained it this way: "There has been no organising from our side in terms of who they have spoken to. It is not an official, authorised or endorsed book. The authors have not had interviews with the duke and duchess. We have asked to see a copy ahead of publication."
While sources for interviews have not been officially confirmed, it's currently believed that several of their friends have participated in interviews with the authors. The book's description states, "For the very first time, Finding Freedom goes beyond the headlines to reveal unknown details of Harry and Meghan's life together."
It also says that the book will be "dispelling the many rumors and misconceptions that plague the couple on both sides of the pond. 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 dedicated to building a humanitarian legacy that will make a profound difference in the world."
In other Sussex news, the pair have also reportedly begun to make repayments on Frogmore Cottage, the home they lived in while working as senior royals. Approximately $3.1 million in taxpayer money was used to renovate the home for the couple. They also intend to keep Frogmore Cottage as their UK home.
Essentially, Harry and Meghan are paying rent. The Mail on Sunday writes that "it has been quietly arranged for the couple to start paying rent on the property, beginning last month." The arrangement the two have set in place is referred to as a "rental-plus" agreement. This means that they would "pay more than what the commercial rate would be, enabling them to pay down those building costs with the excess."
Meanwhile, their family across the pond is generally carrying on in a "business as usual" way, at least in the public eye. The Queen is participating in the first-ever virtual Chelsea Flower Show by sharing photos of the flowers in her garden. For her first photo, she chose lily of the valley.
"The Queen has chosen lily of the valley, pictured here in the Buckingham Palace gardens. Lily of the valley featured in Her Majesty’s coronation bouquet and has held special associations since."
The Queen is also sharing photos from past Chelsea Flower Show events hosted by the Royal Horticultural Society.
"The RHS have been supporting gardeners old and new, with more people than ever accessing the advice pages on their website over recent weeks.
"Her Majesty has been Patron of the Royal Horticultural Society since 1952 – she first attended the show as Monarch in 1955, and has visited almost every year since."
Prince Charles is also keeping busy, and today he announced that the Message of Peace and Goodwill from the Urdd Gobaith Cymru youth organization has been shared.
"The Peace and Goodwill Message is unique to Wales, and has been delivered annually for 98 years by the young people of Wales addressed to young people all over the world. The Urdd, which has 55,000 members aged 8-25, operates through the medium of Welsh."
And several members of the family joined together to mark International Nurses Day with a Zoom call. Participants included the Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Anne, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
