Meghan Markle wanted "leading-lady" status after she and Prince Harry enjoyed a successful royal tour of Australia, a new book has claimed.
Shortly after the pair married in 2018, they embarked on a tour Down Under, which also took in New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji.
The trip was deemed a huge success with the pair visiting Bondi Beach, the Sydney Opera House and appearing at the 2018 Invictus Games, which were taking place in the city.
However, according to the new book The Palace Papers by ex-Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown, despite all the positive coverage of the tour, Meghan "apparently hated every second of it."
A former palace employee told the author that Meghan found the engagements old-fashioned, and would have rather put the spotlight on causes she wanted to highlight.
Meanwhile, on the couple's return from the tour, the book claims Meghan couldn't understand why nobody told her "well done".
Brown writes that Meghan drew the conclusion "that the monarchy likely needed her more than she needed them".
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She added: "She had starred in the equivalent of a blockbuster film and wanted her leading-lady status to be reflected in lights."
Just over a year after the successful tour, Meghan and Harry announced their intention to step down as senior working royals and move to America to carve out new lives for themselves.
And since they quit the UK in early 2020, Meghan has only returned once - earlier this month for a fleeting meeting with Prince Charles and the Queen alongside Harry on their way to the Invictus Games in The Hague.
Speculation has been mounting about whether Meghan will return to the UK in June for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Harry said he did not know if he and his family would come to Britain to mark the event in a recent interview on US TV.
However, last week it was reported that Harry’s aides are making plans for him to be by the Queen’s side to attend the Platinum Jubilee.
Sources close to the Sussexes’ camp have confirmed Harry is “in favour” of returning to the UK to take part in the celebrations.
One source said: “Harry is certainly in favour of going, so naturally plans are being put in place for him to make the trip should he want to confirm.
“There is the issue of security and the ongoing court case which needs to be sorted out.
“Previously it was a red line for Harry but there might be a resolution in the offering.
“Everything will hinge on that, but Harry loves seeing his grandmother and wants to spend time with her and his family.”
