The highly anticipated Meghan Markle and Prince Harry book, titled âFinding Freedom,â has all the insider scoops and savory tidbits any fan of the couple could hope for in a royal biography.
Journalists Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, who have reported on the royals for years and covered countless trips and appearances, conducted 100 interviews for the book with sources close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. A spokesperson for Meghan and Harry told HuffPost that they âwere not interviewed and did not contributeâ to the book.
The book gives valuable insight into the rift between Harry and his older brother, Prince William, the status of the relationship between Williamâs wife, Kate Middleton, and Meghan, and the tabloidsâ âopen seasonâ on Meghan. But it also includes a lot of lighthearted details and sweet moments that say a lot about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their relationship (though they prefer to keep one part of their love story a âmystery.â)
We learn that the Sussexes reportedly love to watch Disney movies and âGame of Thronesâ (relatable), that Harry was the first to say âI love you,â and that the two were planning their wedding even before they were engaged.
Below are a few more of those sweet highlights:
1. Meghan finds Harryâs very unique emoji etiquette âadorable.â
The Duke of Sussexâs âmessages were often short and full of emojis, in particular the ghost emoji, which he often used instead of a smiley face.â
Though the authors insist that ânobody knowsâ why he prefers the đ» emoji, the only thing that matters is that âMeghan found his texting etiquette funny and adorable, just like the prince.â
2. Harry and Meghan once followed each other on Instagram.
While Harryâs alias â Spike Wells â and a former Facebook account from the prince has been reported before, âFinding Freedomâ reveals the existence of the Dukeâs secret Instagram account: @SpikeyMau5.
âAround the time of their first encounter, [Meghan] began to follow a mysterious-looking Instagram account by the name of @SpikeyMau5,â the authors say. âWith no face visible in the profile photo, just a mouse-shaped helmet, it would have meant nothing to most people. But it was in fact Harryâs private account.â
Scobie and Durand write that the name was reportedly inspired by one of the princeâs favorite DJs, DeadMau5, as the duke is âa big house music fan,â while âSpikeâ was a previous nickname used for him by Scotland Yard officers.
3. Meghan impressed Harry with her âdown-to-earth attitude.â
When the couple dashed off to Botswana early in their courtship, Meghan was more than prepared to rough it in the wild alongside Harry. The book says that Harry was âdelightfully surprised by Meghanâs down-to-earth attitude,â on the trip.
âWhile camping, she cleaned her face with baby wipes and happily wandered into the woodlands if she needed a bathroom break,â Scobie and Durand write, adding that the duchess was already thinking about their mutual needs.
âMeghan made sure to pack sunscreen for both (especially handy for Harry, who burned easily and often forgot to use SPF protection),â the book says. So cute!
4. Harry got Meghan the sweetest first anniversary gift.
In âFinding Freedom,â we learn that the Duke of Sussex purchased a gift to commemorate their first anniversary as a couple just two months after they began dating. He gave her part of the gift two months in and saved the rest for their big milestone.
âJust two months after they had started dating in the summer of 2016, Harry had given Meghan one half of a Van Donna diptych, which depicted a young boyfriend and girlfriend holding hands,â the authors write.
âHe had picked up the $4,500 artwork during a private visit to the Walton Fine Arts gallery in Chelsea, London, and kept the second piece, which simply featured the title of the work, Everybody Needs Somebody to Love, for what would be their first anniversary,â Scobie and Durand report. âIt seemed he had always known that they would go the distance.â
5. The couple enjoys hit shows and self-help books.
Royals, theyâre just like us! Scobie and Durand write that the duke and duchess are indeed mere mortals who enjoy watching TV and movies like the rest of us, including âGames of Thronesâ and âBreaking Badâ and Disney flicks like âMoanaâ and âThe Lion King.â
The self-motivated twosome also like to dive into self-help books, with Harry going for âEight Steps To Happinessâ and Meghan reading âThe Motivation Manifesto.â
6. Meghan introduced Harry to meditation.
The book details Meghanâs faith and spirituality, showing that she led the cast of âSuitsâ in daily prayer every day before the filming of that TV show. Meghan also âexpanded Harryâs spiritual world, introducing him to yoga through her own practice and buying him a book on mindfulness that, like all her gifts, came with a handwritten note,â the authors say, adding that âHarry began, at Meghanâs encouragement, a daily meditation practice.â
7. Meghan and Harry talked to the palace about their wedding before getting engaged.
Not only did the duke and duchess experience what clearly seems like love at first sight, they also began planning their wedding prior to getting engaged, according to Scobie and Durand.
âBy June 2017, she and Harry werenât talking about their wedding as a possibility so much as an absolute,â the royal insiders write. âThey even went so far as to bring the Palace into the conversation, consulting with the princeâs aides about the best time for a ceremony.â
They were also able to keep their eventual engagement secret for three months before announcing it in November 2017.
âFinding Freedomâ is available Tuesday.
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