Tom Bower Claims Sussexes Used Nigeria Trip
Author Mr Tom Bower has claimed Meghan Markle used the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s overseas visits after stepping back from royal duties to reinforce allegations that the Royal Family is racist, citing the couple’s 2024 trip to Nigeria. The claims appear in Mr Bower’s new book, Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family, and have been challenged by the Sussexes through a spokesperson.
In an extract and reporting published by Express, Mr Bower alleges the Nigeria visit was viewed by the couple as “the perfect battleground on which to weaponise a portrayal of the Royal Family as racist”, and claims Meghan discussed a conversation in which two senior royals asked Prince Harry what skin colour their unborn child might have.
The book revisits an allegation raised publicly during the Sussexes’ 2021 interview with Ms Oprah Winfrey, after which Prince William said on an engagement that the Royal Family was not racist. Buckingham Palace also issued a statement at the time in which the late Queen Elizabeth II said the issues raised were concerning and would be addressed privately.
The Sussexes’ response to the book has included a statement from their spokesperson criticising Mr Bower’s past commentary and arguing his work goes beyond criticism. The statement also said people seeking facts would look elsewhere, while those seeking “conspiracy and melodrama” would know where to find him, echoing the couple’s broader objections to the author’s approach.
The latest claims are likely to add to scrutiny of the Sussexes’ post-royal international appearances and the way their public statements continue to intersect with debates about the monarchy and race, with Mr Bower’s book set to keep the issue in the headlines as it is discussed and reviewed.
