Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive at the United Nations Headquarters on July 18, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
A new biography has claimed Meghan Markle challenged Prince Harry’s friends “without hesitation” after they told sexist and transphobic jokes.
The book Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors, delves into Harry and Meghan’s estrangement from the Royal Family through the “interviews from insiders who have never spoken before”.
It recalls a 2016 weekend at Sandringham, where 16 of Prince Harry’s friends – most of which were from Eton – were invited over for a dinner on Friday, a shoot on Saturday and a lunch on Sunday.
According to author Tom Bower, Harry was excited about the “endless banter”.
But when an outbreak of sexist, anti-feminist and transphobic jokes “ricocheted around the living-rooms and dining-rooms,” Meghan didn’t hesitate to put them in their place.
The book describes Meghan’s standing up to the casual bigotry flung from wall to wall during the party as her lacking “any sense of humour,” while also saying that Harry “had not anticipated Meghan’s reaction.”
“Driving home after Sunday lunch, the texts pinged between the cars: ‘OMG, what about HER?’ said one. ‘Harry must be f****ing nuts!” the book says.
Meghan has long been a fearless advocate for marginalised groups. After an interview with Oprah raised allegations of racism from within the Royal Family, campaigners called for the royals to a special exemptions that means they aren’t obliged to adhere to the Equality Act, which protects workers (and others) from discrimination.
The change would have allowed for the Equality and Human Rights Commission to investigate the claims.
“We need to consider changing race equality legislation to ensure that the Royal Family and also private members’ clubs are brought in line with the rest of society,” equalities campaigner Patrick Vernon OBE told the Independent.
“It was quite clear from hearing Meghan that she had at least three protected characteristics covered by the Equality Act where she experienced discrimination as a pregnant, mixed-race woman with mental health problems,” Vernon continued. “If Meghan was working for the NHS or the Met Police, she would have the right to take forward action.”