Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Photo / AP
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Photo / AP
The long-awaited biography of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, purportedly written in a bid to finally tell "their side" of the tumultuous past few years in the royal spotlight, is finally starting to be drip-fed to the masses ahead of its release.
Over the weekend, the Times and the SundayTimes newspapers in the UK began running a selection of extracts from Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family, in the lead-up to its August 11 publication.
When the book was first announced in May, it promised to go "beyond the headlines … dispelling the many rumours and misconceptions that plague the couple on both sides of the pond".
It's been reported the 320-page biography, written by royal journalists Omid Scobie and Catherine Durand, will portray a positive image of the couple and their explosive decision to step down as senior royals.
"This book is based on the authors' own experiences as members of the royal press corps and their own independent reporting."
Thanks to the publication of the extracts, plenty of stories are already circulating from Finding Freedom. Here's everything we've learned so far:
TWO WORDS THAT SPARKED RIFT BETWEEN WILLIAM AND HARRY
According to Scobie and Durand, a head-over-heels in love Harry was left feeling "p*ssed off" after his brother cautioned him to take things slow with Meghan.
It's claimed in the book that William, who at that stage had only met her a "handful" of times, "wanted to make sure the American actress had the right intentions".
"After all, these are two brothers that have spent their whole lives with people trying to take advantage of them," the source said. "They've both developed a radar to detect that type of person, but as William didn't know a whole lot about Meghan, he wanted to make sure Harry wasn't blindsided by lust."
"Don't feel you need to rush this," William told Harry, according to sources. "Take as much time as you need to get to know this girl."
Those two words – "this girl" – reportedly sparked a rage in Harry, who interpreted them as snobbery.
Prince William, left, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, second left, Meghan Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, right, arrive to attend the Christmas day service at St Mary Magdalene Church. Photo / AP
"Harry was p*ssed off," another source said. "Pissed off that his brother would ask such a thing. Some felt it was an over-reaction. But then, this sums them up as people — William, the calm and rational one, and Harry, who can't help but take things far too personally."
Another friend had a different interpretation, telling the authors, "Harry could see through William's words. He was being a snob".
However it was intended, and however it should have been interpreted – that conversation helped spark a chain reaction of events that would eventually see the Harry and Meghan step down as senior royals.
On November 27, 2017, a beaming Harry and Meghan announced their engagement to the world.
In a TV interview that same day with the BBC's Mishal Hussain, Harry claimed the low-key proposal "happened earlier this month, just a standard typical night for us," inside their former home of Nottingham Cottage within Kensington Palace.
Meghan added: "Just a cosy night, we were just roasting chicken."
She also described how it was an "amazing surprise".
Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive at the annual Endeavour Fund Awards in London. Photo / AP
"It was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee."
However, Finding Freedom points to a very different story.
It's claimed the couple actually got secretly engaged on a trip to Botswana in August, a whole two months before the "roast chicken" proposal was said to have taken place.
MEGHAN 'SET UP' PAPARAZZI SHOTS
While much of her royal life has been spent waging war on the paparazzi alongside Harry, Meghan would happily "set up a paparazzi photo here and there" during her days as a TV actress.
Late last week, it was reported she and the Duke of Sussex are suing photographers over claims they took pictures of their 1-year-old son Archie with a drone.
The couple are also embroiled in a legal battle over published letters sent to her father in the Mail on Sunday, in which they have blamed the press for relationship troubles.
"While Meghan, before she met Harry, had occasionally set up a paparazzi photo here and there or let info slip out to the press, she did everything in her power to protect the privacy of her relationship with the prince," the book claims.
Prince Harry, Prince William, Meghan Duchess of Sussex and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge leave the annual Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in London. Photo / AP
"She knew that keeping things quiet meant that they could get to know each other without pressure or further worries that came from reporters covering and commenting on their burgeoning romance."
While she was disappointed when their relationship was found out, the book claims, there was a "part of her that was relieved".
SUSSEX'S JEALOUSY OVER WILLIAM AND KATE
Harry and Meghan reportedly felt they were "cut adrift" and overlooked in the royal pecking order, while William and Kate received all the plum official duties.
"There are buckets of bitterness. It will certainly not help relations with the royal family," a source said.
Harry and Meghan were also furious at taking a "back seat" to senior royals like Charles and William, the biography claims.
The Sussexes reportedly believed they'd taken the monarchy to "new heights around the world" but were being held back so they did not "eclipse" the family, it's claimed.
A friend of the couple described the old guard as "the vipers" — while a palace staffer referred to Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, as "the squeaky third wheel" of the family.
The book also details how the Sussexes were angry at being barred from setting up their own office at Windsor, and complained they were victims of a "merciless machine" of staunchly traditional aides and courtiers.
