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‘Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family’ by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, published by HarperCollins PublisherRead review
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‘Finding Freedom’ book: Royal titles to read after the Prince Harry and Meghan Markle biography
From King Edward VIII to Princess Diana, these non-fiction tomes document the lives of the other members who removed themselves from the fold
Eva Waite-Taylor
Monday 08 March 2021 08:58 GMT
Our Top Picks
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‘The Crown in Crisis: Countdown to the Abdication’ by Alexander Larman, published by Weidenfeld and NicolsonRead review£14 - 3
'Diana: Her True Story – In Her Own Words' by Andrew Morton, published by Michael O'MaraRead review£94
'Prince Andrew: Epstein and the Palace' by Nigel Cawthorne, published by Gibson Square Books LtdRead review£20 - 5
'My Story' by Sarah Ferguson Duchess of York and Jeff Coplon, published by Pocket BooksRead review£6
Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family, published on 11 August, is the latest tell-all, unofficial biography about Harry and Meghan.
The hotly anticipated book provides a unique insight into what led the couple to exit from royal life.
On 8 January 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex issued a statement on Instagram declaring that: "After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution.
"We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty the Queen."
The news that the couple would be stepping back from royal duties came as an unprecedented surprise, even to Buckingham Palace.
But, Harry and Meghan are not alone in their endeavour to leave royalty behind. Princess Diana, for example, sought to live a more independent life, while King Edward VIII famously abdicated in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson.
Ahead of publication, Finding Freedom was serialised by The Times and The Sunday Times, which exposed details of the book, including how the Sussexes felt their complaints were not taken seriously, and that they believed other members of the royal household were leaking stories about them to the press.
From courtship to controversy it is a powerful expose into "Megxit" and the inner workings of the royal family. Take it from us, once you've finished reading it, you won't want to stop there, so here's a round-up of the other biographies about the other royals who have taken a step back from their duties – but all for very different reasons.
You can trust our independent round-ups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.
1‘Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family’ by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, published by HarperCollins Publisher
Finding Freedom promises to dispel the misconceptions about the Sussexes and depict the frustrations behind closed doors as the pair planned their exit from royal life.
The biography, written by royal reporters Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie, documents the early days of Harry and Meghan’s courtship, the culture of increased tension between the Sussexes and other members of the royal family, and the resentment that grew between Harry and Meghan and William and Kate.
While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not interviewed for the book and made no contributions, it’s based on quotable sources close to Harry and Meghan, as well as the author’s experiences as members of the royal press.
Uncovering everything from the courtier's open dislike for Meghan to Harry's friends having reservations about his relationship, this is a must-read for anyone looking to find out the truth behind "Megxit".
2‘The Crown in Crisis: Countdown to the Abdication’ by Alexander Larman, published by Weidenfeld and Nicolson
The abdication of King Edward VIII had seismic repercussions for the royal family. King for just 326 days, he avoided a constitutional crisis by stepping down as the monarch to marry two-time divorcee Wallis Simpson. The Crown in Crisis uses previously unpublished and rare archival material, as well as interviews with those who knew Edward and Wallis. It explores how an unthinkable event tore the country apart. Documenting the personal and national reverberations of the love affair, it's an engaging, detailed, and suspenseful read; one that is equal parts empathetic and entertaining. You will be gripped.
3'Diana: Her True Story – In Her Own Words' by Andrew Morton, published by Michael O'Mara
In 1993, Princess Diana announced she was reducing her official royal duties at the height of her recognition to live a more private life following her separation from Prince Charles. During her time in the royal family, she was best known for her humanitarian efforts and her attempts to famously reshape the monarchy in a positive way in order to show its emotional side. Diana: Her True Story documents the princess's long term legacy through revealing never-before-published material from original interviews, as well as an account of the events that surrounded her death. Just when she was finding her freedom and happiness her life was cut short, making this a hard and heartbreaking story to read about.
4'Prince Andrew: Epstein and the Palace' by Nigel Cawthorne, published by Gibson Square Books Ltd
In November 2019, following an interview on BBC's Newsnight, the Duke of York announced he was withdrawing from public duties for the "foreseeable future" after allegations arose of his association with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender. Prince Andrew: Epstein and the Palace goes behind the headlines, documentaries, and mini-series to expose the unknown details of the Prince's life and connections with Epstein. What makes this biography so powerful is the painstaking detail the book goes into. An investigative look behind the key players, allegations, and counter-allegations, it documents a different departure from the royal family to the others in this round-up.
5'My Story' by Sarah Ferguson Duchess of York and Jeff Coplon, published by Pocket Books
Prince Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, was reportedly frozen out of the royal family following the break down of her marriage in 1996. Following the couple's divorce, Ferguson became known as the Duchess of York but no longer held any royal privileges. My Story is a tell-all book that exposes her divorce from Prince Andrew and documents the Duchesses's experiences as a member of the royal family – the frustrations, humiliations, and occasional joys of life as a Windsor, while also outlining how she felt she was continually undermined by the press.