Book claims Prince Andrew called Meghan an ‘opportunist’
A new royal book has alleged Prince Andrew once dismissed Meghan Markle as an “opportunist”, a claim said to have contributed to an awkward encounter with Prince Harry around King Charles III’s coronation in 2023. The allegation appears in reporting about a tense car journey to Westminster Abbey as senior royals arrived for the historic service.
In coverage of author Mr Tom Bower’s book Betrayal: Power, Deceit And The Fight For The Future Of The Royal Family, Hello Magazine reported that the former Duke of York was said to have dubbed the Duchess of Sussex an “opportunist”, with the account placed in the context of a strained relationship between Andrew and his nephew on the day of the coronation.
The report said the passage describes Harry arriving at the abbey with Andrew in driving rain, with the book suggesting relations between the pair “were not good”. The claim about Meghan was attributed in the book to another royal biography, with the overall chapter focusing on divisions between the Houses of Sussex and Windsor.
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex denied the book’s claims and criticised Mr Bower’s approach, according to the same reporting. The statement said the author’s commentary had moved beyond criticism, and argued that those “interested in facts will look elsewhere”. The couple have previously addressed media scrutiny and family tensions through interviews and projects, while more recent coverage has also tracked reactions to their public statements, including when a PR expert criticised Meghan Markle’s statement in a separate report.
The latest allegation adds to continuing debate about relationships within the wider royal family, as new books and documentaries keep coronation-era events and the Sussexes’ departure from royal duties in the public eye.
