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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Jennifer Newton

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 'have no regrets about quitting royal family', claims book

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have no regrets about quitting the royal family, an updated book has claimed.

The couple controversially stepped back as senior royals last year and moved from the UK to California, where they have set up a new life.

Since then they've bought an £11million mansion, signed multi-million dollar deals with the likes of Netflix and Spotify and welcomed their second child Lilibet, a younger sister for son Archie.

They have also given a bombshell interview to Oprah Winfrey, in which they made several claims about the royal family in which Meghan said she was suicidal during her time in The Firm and Harry accused his brother and father of being "trapped".

Meghan and Harry stepped down as senior royals last year (WireImage)

Harry has also appeared on the Apple TV series The Me You Can't See, where he spoke about the royals' "total neglect" and lashed out at Charles's parenting in a chat with the Armchair Expert podcast

Now in an updated version of Harry and Meghan's unauthorised biography, Finding Freedom, sources say that despite the difficulties they've faced, the couple has "no regrets".

In extract from Omid Scobie Carolyn Durand's book, which is published in this week's PEOPLE magazine, it's claimed: "As difficult as recent years have been, sources close to the Sussexes say that neither Harry nor Meghan have any regrets about the decisions they have made.

Meghan and Harry with the Queen on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in 2018 (Getty Images)

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"What started as a fairytale romance became a story that reinvented the genre - a self-made, independent woman playing an equal role alongside her knight."

Finding Freedom, originally published last year, chronicles Harry and Meghan's romance and brief period as members of the monarchy before they broke away to forge a new life in the US.

Meghan and Harry with son Archie, who is now two, in South Africa in 2019 (Getty Images)

It is being re-released later this month on August 31 in paperback version and will include a new epilogue.

The epilogue also sees friends of the couple claim the Queen has not taken "full ownership" of the issues they raised during the Oprah interview.

Following the airing of the chat, Buckingham Palace issued a statement saying she was "saddened" by the allegations, but added that "some recollections may vary".

Prince Harry at Prince Philip's funeral at Windsor Castle in April (Getty Images)

In a new extract from the book, the authors say the statement "did not go unnoticed".

The extract also claims that Harry booked a one-way ticket to the UK for Prince Philip's funeral in the hope he could come together and talk with his family.

Philip died aged 99 in April and Harry travelled from his home in California back to the UK for the funeral service at Windsor Castle. It came just weeks after the Oprah interview.

It is claimed that not knowing how the trip back to the UK would pan out, Harry only booked a one-way ticket - with a return to be planned later.

Prince William, Prince Harry and Kate Middleton at Prince Philip's funeral (BBC)

An extract from the updated book says: "There was a feeling that this trip might also present an opportunity to come together and talk without the filter of staff as go-betweens, a number of whom the Sussexes had come to discover were behind many of the media leaks they dealt with as working royals."

The extract also claims that the chat between William and Harry outside St George's Chapel following the funeral was their first face-to-face conversation in 15 months.

The book adds that they went on to have “at least two further conversations” during his trip back.

Harry was also said to have talked briefly with his dad Charles but the book claims issues between the two remained 'unresolved.'

The authors claim the book was written with the participation of those closest to the Sussexes, however the couple were not directly involved.

Meanwhile, author Omid Scobie has also given an interview to PEOPLE, where he claims that "little progress" has been made in healing Harry's rift with his dad and brother.

He said: "I think he [Harry] is quite willing to own his part in everything, but I have been told that he is also waiting to see some of that on the other side - and as of now there hasn't been that."

Prince Harry and dad Prince Charles, who it is claimed have "unresolved" issues (Getty Images)

Omid also said it was Harry and Meghan's young son Archie that "gave them the energy to stand up for what was right for them, regardless of what the consequences were".

He added: "As we have seen, those consequences have been pretty major."

Harry and Meghan during their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March (VIA REUTERS)

Last month, publisher of the book HarperCollins said the epilogue in the paperback edition will share : "Behind the scenes of Harry and Meghan's groundbreaking interview with Oprah, details behind the couple's move to California (and) the various philanthropic and business endeavours the Sussexes have been involved with since their move and what's to come with Archewell Productions."

It will also feature: "The continuous challenges the couple face regarding privacy and the British press (and) the heartbreak the couple felt over Prince Philip's death."

Meanwhile last night, Harry made his first public appearance since the birth of daughter Lilibet in June at a polo match.

He bagged two goals as he showed his skills at the charity match in Colorado, which raised £2.5million for his charity Sentebale.

Before the match, Harry also said that he would be donating £1.1million from the proceeds of his memoirs, due to be published next year, to Sentebale.

He set up the charity in Lesotho in 2006 to help children in southern Africa impacted by poverty and illness.

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