Meghan Markle tearfully told a friend she had 'given up her entire life' for the royal family, a bombshell new biography claims.
An excerpt from Finding Freedom says the Duchess of Sussex made the comment in March, around the time of the tumultuous split from the Firm.
The book covers the period known as Megxit, when Meghan and husband Harry confirmed they would be leaving the UK to live overseas.
Harry and Meghan "liked being in control of their narrative" in the early days of their marriage, the authors say in excerpts published in the Times today.
But being told to operate under Buckingham Palace's umbrella after splitting their household from the Cambridges was "a big disappointment to them".
"As their popularity had grown, so did Harry and Meghan's difficulty in understanding why so few inside the palace were looking out for their interests. They were a major draw for the royal family," the authors write.
Harry and Meghan's relationship became public in late 2016, with his future wife leaving her acting career and lifestyle blog the next year.
Meghan moved to the UK in 2017, leaving behind her beloved mother Doria Ragland as well as other family and friends, and the couple were married the following May.
According to Finding Freedom, she was acutely aware of the sacrifices she made to be with Harry.
"... they still wanted to carry out their duties for the Queen," the authors write. "That was the one thing that they did not want to end — not just because of Harry’s love and respect for his grandmother, but also because Meghan felt she
had given up so much to take her life down a path of service to the monarchy. She didn’t quit when she signed up for a task.
"The media speculated that Meghan was behind the decision for the couple to step back, but few knew how much she sacrificed to try to make it work. As Meghan tearfully told a friend in March: “I gave up my entire life for this family. I was willing to do whatever it takes. But here we are. It’s very sad.”
A spokesman for Harry and Meghan said the couple did not contribute to the book, but he did not deny the content of The Times's extracts.
The spokesman said: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not interviewed and did not contribute to Finding Freedom.
"This book is based on the authors' own experiences as members of the royal press corps and their own independent reporting."
