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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Jennifer Newton

Nine bombshells Prince Harry could drop in memoir - racism, rift and protecting Queen

Almost a year ago, Prince Harry unleashed a "tsunami of fear" in royal circles by revealing he was to release a tell-all book.

Harry has been working on the “intimate and heartfelt memoir" with the help of ghostwriter JR Moehringer – a Pulitzer Prize-winning author - and he promises it will be an "accurate and wholly truthful".

He said: "I'm writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man, I have become.

"I've worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story - the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned - I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think."

Prince Harry announced last year he would be releasing a memoir (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

But 12 months on since the initial announcement, there has been no update on a release date, leading one insider to claim it has been delayed.

A royal insider said in The Sun: “If this book’s coming out this year as originally planned it should be in the publisher’s marketing and promotional list — unless they’re planning a surprise or there’s been a delay."

A spokeswoman for Transworld, part of Penguin Random House, said: “We don’t put every book on the list so there is nothing to be extrapolated from that.”

Harry, 37, has yet to shed much light on the contents of his memoir, but if he and wife Meghan Markle's explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey is anything to go by, the memoir is also likely to contain several bombshells.

Here we look at what some of these bombshells could be...

The 'royal racist'

Harry and Meghan Markle are interviewed by Oprah Winfrey (Harpo Productions/Joe Pugliese v)

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One of the most shocking lines from Harry and Meghan's bombshell tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey in March was a claim that Harry had "conversations" within the royal household about how dark son Archie's skin might have been before he was born.

During the interview, Meghan refused to say who the conversations had been with, saying it would be "very damaging to them".

Later in the chat, Harry also said he would never reveal the details of the conversations - although it was later reported the comments were not made by the Queen or the late Prince Philip.

After the interview aired, a statement was issued by the Queen, which read: "The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. Whilst some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.

"Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved family members."

Meanwhile, Prince William hit back at the claims and insisted they were "very much not a racist family" when asked by a reporter.

But will Harry reveal more details about this in his new book?

What really happened at the Sandringham Summit?

Harry with his brother Prince William and dad Prince Charles (Getty Images)

In January 2020, Harry and Meghan made the shock announcement that they would be stepping down as senior royals and would become financially independent.

This prompted the Queen to host crisis talks with her grandson at Sandringham in a bid to find a solution to Meghan and Harry's future roles.

They were joined by Prince Charles and Prince William in what was dubbed the Sandringham Summit.

After the two-hour meeting, the Queen released a rare statement, where she said they had “constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family”.

It added: “My family and I are entirely supportive of their desire to create a new life.

“Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life while remaining a valued part of my family.”

In Robert Lacey's book, Battle of the Brothers, there are claims that Prince William felt betrayed and refused to eat lunch with his brother.

Will Harry tell all about what happened at the summit?

What caused the rift with William?

William and Harry when they were both working royals (Getty Images)

There has been much speculation about the growing rift between Harry and his older brother William.

It was reportedly sparked by William's concerns over Harry's fast-developing relationship with Meghan and the tense row quickly boiled over.

The younger prince then claimed in the Oprah interview that his brother was "trapped" within the royal system.

According to friends, William was "very upset" and "reeling" over the claims, with his head "all over the place".

Will Harry's book go into more detail about what caused the feud and if it's still bubbling?

What really happened before the wedding that made Kate and Meghan cry?

Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle at Wimbledon in 2018 (Daily Mirror)

There were numerous reports that Meghan made the Duchess of Cambridge cry during a bridesmaid dress fitting in the lead up to her wedding to Harry.

But during her one-on-one with Oprah, Meghan claimed it was actually Kate that made her cry.

Meghan said she has now forgiven Kate, adding that she's a "good person" and that Kate sent her flowers to apologise for the incident.

Meghan says that the incident was a "turning point" in terms of her time in the royal family.

It's something that has fascinated fans, so people will be keen to see if Harry sheds any more light on it.

What happened with Meghan's dad?

Meghan's dad Thomas Markle (ITV)

Ever since she married Harry in May 2018, Meghan has been estranged from her dad Thomas, who lives in Mexico.

In fact, Prince Harry has never actually met his father-in-law and it is believed Thomas has not met his grandchildren Archie and Lili either.

Thomas was infamously absent from the couple's wedding after suffering from a heart attack triggered by "emotional stress".

He was also caught up in a media storm before the wedding as he was caught staging photos for the press.

He gave several TV interviews, including chats on Good Morning Britain, during which he called Harry "rude" and accused him of failing to protect his daughter.

After the Oprah interview, Thomas appealed to his daughter and son-in-law for a reconciliation saying he was keen to be in contact with them.

Earlier this year, he was due to come to the UK at the same time as Harry and Meghan for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, but was forced to cancel after being rushed to hospital following a suspected stroke.

So will the book reveal if they have made contact?

Who does Harry want to protect the Queen from?

Harry and Meghan with his grandmother the Queen (Getty Images)

Earlier this year on their way to the Invictus Games in the Netherlands, both Harry and Meghan made a quick stopover in Windsor so the prince could see his grandmother, the Queen.

And days later in a tell-all interview with American TV network NBC, he said he wanted to make sure the monarch is "protected" and "has the right people around her"

During the revealing chat, he told TV anchor Hoda Kotb: "Being with her, it was great.

"It was just so nice to see her. She’s on great form. She's always got a great sense of humour with me and I'm just making sure she's protected and got the right people around her."

However, Harry was not pressed on who exactly he thought he was protecting the Queen from - with some royal experts even branding the comment as having a "deeper, more sinister meaning".

So who could Harry have been referring to? And will he reveal all in the book?

What was it like reuniting with the royals at the Jubilee?

Harry at a service of thanksgiving during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Last month, the country came together for the Queen's Platinumn Jubilee celebrations - with Harry and Meghan also jetting in to take part with their children Archie and Lilibet.

However, they were barely seen at Trooping the Colour and only made one public appearance - at a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral.

They were no shows at the Platinum Party at the Palace as well as the Jubilee Pageant and their children were not seen in public at any events.

It later emerged they actually headed home before the festivities finished and that Mike Tindall - the husband of Harry's cousin Zara - referred to his behaviour of that of a b***end during the Jubilee.

Will Harry shed any light on what went down with the rest of the royals at the Jubilee?

Why has there been no photo of Lilibet and the Queen?

Harry's daughter Lilibet (Misan Harriman/Duke and Duchess of Sussex HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
Harry and Meghan with son Archie and daughter Lilibet (alexilubomirski/Instagram)

During the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, she finally got to meet her great-granddaughter and Harry and Meghan's second child, Lilibet.

However, unlike her older brother Archie, no picture of Lilibet and the monarch has been released.

It follows reports that the Queen banned Harry and Meghan from having a photographer present when she met great-granddaughter Lilibet for the first time.

The Sussexes were apparently keen to bring a photographer to the pair's first face-to-face meeting at Windsor Castle but the request was refused.

So how and why did the photo request end up being refused?

What are his thoughts on Camilla's future Queen title?

Harry is yet to congratulate Camilla on being announced as the next Queen Consort (UK Press via Getty Images)

Although nobody knows for definite what will be covered in the book, some experts have predicted one person that could be in for criticism is his stepmother, Camilla.

Royal author Tina Brown said Harry can't stand" his father's second wife and doesn't want her to be Queen.

On the eve of her Platinum Jubilee in February, the Queen released a bombshell statement, saying it was her "sincere wish" that Camilla would be Queen Consort when Charles takes to the throne.

But tellingly, Harry has not said a word about the dramatic news that Camilla, 74, will in effect become the next Queen when his father Prince Charles, 73, ascends the throne.

His silence “speaks volumes” says one pal, who alleges Harry, 37, is still not close to Camilla.

And Tina Brown told The Telegraph : "William has accepted Camilla in terms of what she means to his father. He’s been grown-up about it. “My father loves this woman, I can’t fight it, so I won’t.”

"Harry, on the other hand, can’t stand Camilla, he doesn’t want Camilla to be queen, he’s very angry that it’s happening. He has not made his peace with it and he probably never will."

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