Speculation of a Meghan Markle memoir has again reached fever pitch following the release of Jada Pinkett Smith’s and as a book by Britney Spears is due for release.
Prince Harry’s Spare became the fastest selling non-fiction book in history when it was released by Penguin Random House in January.
However, it also caused a collapse in the couple’s U.S. popularity, meaning any prospect of another book release is complicated.
The gossip appears to arise from old rumors dating back to 2021 suggesting there was a four-book deal with the publisher that included one by Meghan.
However, noises coming out of Camp Sussex in recent months suggest a degree of skepticism may be advisable.
The Rumours
Biographer Tom Bower, author of Meghan and Harry’s book Revenge, told GB News in September: “My information is that she is writing her memoirs and it will be a huge money-spinner.”
Since then, the rumor mill has been merrily spinning with one Daily Mail headline reading: “Meghan Markle risks painting herself as ‘bitter’ in rumored memoir if she complains about comparisons with Kate Middleton, royal expert claims.”
However, the idea of a book by Meghan has its roots from much longer ago after a source told the Daily Mail in 2021 that Harry’s own memoir was part of a four-book deal.
That article, however, mentioned a “wellness” guide by the duchess rather than a tell-all that would attempt to trash the reputation of the Princess of Wales.
Interestingly, Meghan’s children’s book The Bench was published by Random House Children’s Books, which is owned by Harry’s publisher Penguin Random House.
So, it is hypothetically possible both books were part of the same deal, though that still offers little to support the contention that a third book is in the pipeline.
It is commonplace for publishers to offer deals spanning multiple books. However, an author of Harry’s fame would likely have a bespoke contract negotiated under the watchful eyes of many lawyers, meaning it could have included anything from four books to one.
Perhaps more to the point, though, there has been no official confirmation of a book by Meghan and no clear reason has been offered to explain why it would not have been announced publicly by now.
What Camp Sussex Says
Harry’s book in January 2023 was a huge commercial success, but left the couple ridiculed by comedians and mocked on social media.
They also plummeted in U.S. opinion polls, while internally the Sussexes parted company with two senior staffers.
Ben Browning, head of content at the Archewell Foundation, oversaw the Harry & Meghan documentary and Fara Taylor, head of marketing, ran publicity campaigns for the series, Meghan’s Archetypes Spotify podcast and Spare.
Ashley Hansen, Harry and Meghan’s press secretary, told Variety in January: “They played a critical role in helping to tell the stories of the duke and duchess thus far and the couple remain hugely grateful for their support on those vital ‘look-back’ projects, as they now look forward.”
A memoir is obviously by its very definition a “look-back” project reviewing a person’s life to date.
The Sussex team doubled down again in April when The Daily Telegraph reported that Meghan was skipping King Charles III’s coronation over a letter about unconscious bias in the royal family she sent to Harry’s father shortly after her Oprah Winfrey interview, in March 2021.
The couple’s spokesperson acknowledged the existence of correspondence between the two sides at the time, but said the letters were not on Meghan’s mind.
“The Duchess of Sussex is going about her life in the present, not thinking about correspondence from two years ago related to conversations from four years ago,” their statement read.
“Any suggestion otherwise is false and frankly ridiculous. We encourage tabloid media and various royal correspondents to stop the exhausting circus that they alone are creating.”
To pivot from “going about her life in the present” to revisiting the whole saga in a bombshell tell-all memoir would be quite the U-turn.
The Markle Family and Old Friends
Meghan would also come up against potential issues throughout her life story starting with her childhood.
Any account she gave of her early life would like draw clap backs from her half-sister Samantha Markle and estranged father Thomas Markle.
In fact, Meghan is still locked in a lawsuit with Samantha over her account of her childhood and Thomas has offered to testify against his royal daughter.
But it doesn’t stop there. Meghan’s school friend Ninaki Priddy, maid of honor at her first wedding to Trevor Engelson, spilled old pictures and an interview to the Daily Mail in 2017.
If Meghan were to revisit the era in which they knew each other, which spanned a significant chunk of the duchess’ early life, she would likely be contacted by the press again.
Then there’s Engelson himself, who has never done a major interview about his relationship with Meghan, but might view the situation differently were his ex-wife to go public with details about their time together.
And then there are thorny issues from her royal life that would be hugely controversial if she revisited them.
Arguments with Prince William, disputes with Kate and the question of what was said about her unborn child’s skin tone by a royal family member she has not named.
And the big lesson for the Sussexes following the U.S. backlash at the start of 2023 was that America is tired of them revisiting their royal story.
So that leaves Suits as the main subject she could write about without controversy, which would be great news for fans of the show, but less so for her publisher who might want a little more for their money.
Needless to say, if Meghan did release a full-blown, tell-all memoir, the commercial success of it would be beyond doubt. From a personal PR point of view, however, it may be more difficult to justify.
Nothing can be ruled out, though, without an on-the-record denial, and it is hypothetically possible she is contractually obliged to deliver a book based on a contract signed before the change of strategy in 2023.
