Once in a while, a biography comes along that shakes members of the Royal Family to the core.
This was the case with Tina Brown's The Palace Papers a few months back, and it's the case again with Tom Bower's Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the war between the Windsors, which comes out on July 21 in the U.K. and is already causing more than its fair share of controversy.
Bower is known for painting incendiary portraits of his subjects, which have previously included Prince Charles and Simon Cowell. In Revenge, the author is expected to reveal elements of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex' marriage and royal exit that they likely don't want out in the open, as royal expert Christine Ross explains.
"Bower has spoken to some really interesting and unique sources for this book, giving us insights and access we haven't seen before," Ross tells Marie Claire.
"This book appears to be more about Meghan and Harry's evolution with their own stardom, rather than a retelling of their relationship with the Royal Family. Bower is showing us how Meghan and Harry wanted to live their lives, and unraveling how that went wrong and changed over the course of two years."
For Ross, the Sussexes will likely not be happy about the amount of attention Revenge is getting ahead of its release.
"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shown us time and time again that they want to control the narrative on their lives and their work, so I don't imagine they are enjoying the coverage this book is receiving," she says.
"The book seems to be getting a lot of interest on a topic that even the most ardent royal watchers were growing tired of. If he has spoken to sources who worked closely with the Sussexes, such as Sara Latham, then there is certainly a new and interesting story to be told."
Latham was director of communications for the Sussexes from April 2019 until they stepped down from their royal duties, and now works as a special projects advisor to the Royal Household.
-
Celebrate Earth Month With Our Feel-Good Fashion ReportYour guide to being more sustainable in 2024.
-
Anne Hathaway Details the "Gross" Audition Request She Once Endured"Now we know better."
-
The Emotional Ending of 'Baby Reindeer,' ExplainedNetflix's latest miniseries from Richard Gadd is based on the true story of the comedian and his stalker.
-
Will Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet Appear in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Two New Netflix Series?Filming for both shows—about polo and cookery—began this month.
-
Yes, That’s Meghan Markle’s Calligraphy on American Riviera Orchard’s LogoEverything having to do with the lifestyle brand seems personal to the Duchess of Sussex.
-
Princess Diana Revealed to a Royal Author the Real Reason Why Her Marriage to Prince Charles Ended Not Long Before She Died in 1997And no, it apparently wasn’t Camilla Parker-Bowles.
-
Meghan Markle’s New Netflix Cookery Show Begins Filming Today—But Not Where You’d Expect It to Be ShotThe Sussexes are having a busy week this week, shooting both of their his-and-her Netflix shows and rolling out the first product offering for Meghan’s new lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard.
-
Meghan Markle’s Lifestyle Brand American Riviera Orchard Reveals Its First Product OfferingFifty samples were sent out in the company’s first limited edition run of the item.
-
Meghan Markle Thinks Prince Harry Is "Making a Big Mistake" in Wanting to Reach Out to William, Kate: SourceShe's worried he'll get hurt again.
-
Princess Diana Told Queen Elizabeth Through Tears That Her Then-Husband Prince Charles Was “A Nightmare” and That She “Hated” Him, Royal Author ClaimsIngrid Seward’s new book examines the relationship between mother and son, Her late Majesty and her heir, Charles.
-
King Charles “Desperately” Wants the Sussexes to Join Him at Balmoral This SummerThe castle in the Scottish Highlands, independent of a potential Sussex visit, is undergoing a major change starting this summer.
