Meghan Markle's Attitude Toward Royal Family Blasted by Biographer Over Her 'Know It All' Approach

Meghan Markle has been accused of adopting a "know it all" attitude after joining the royal family and failing to heed advice offered to help her adjust to life inside the monarchy, OK! can reveal.

The Duchess of Sussex, 45, married Prince Harry, 41, at Windsor Castle in 2018 after previously establishing a career as an actress, most notably in the television drama Suits.

The couple stepped down as working royals in 2020 and moved to North America, although they have recently returned to live in Britain without resuming official royal duties.

Royal biographer Dickie Arbiter, 85, has now challenged Meghan's previous suggestion she entered royal life with little understanding of what was expected of her, arguing Palace officials would have offered considerable guidance.

Speaking on "The Daily Expresso" podcast, Arbiter said: "There would have been advice given but (Markle) was an independent woman who thought she knew it all, you could see in photos when she was made to stand in the back haughtily looking down that the writing was on the wall."

Meghan has previously offered a starkly different account of her introduction to royal life, describing herself as unprepared for the demands, restrictions and conventions which accompanied marrying into Britain's most famous family.

During her high-profile interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, Meghan said she had entered the institution "naively" and insisted she had known relatively little about how the monarchy operated before her relationship with Harry.

She told Winfrey: "I went into it naively because I didn't grow up knowing much about the royal family. I didn't fully understand what the job was."

Meghan also said during the interview she had not researched Harry before their relationship and had failed to appreciate how dramatically her everyday life would change once she became a working member of the royal family.

Her period carrying out official engagements proved relatively short. Meghan and Harry announced in January 2020 that they intended to step back as senior working royals and pursue greater financial independence.

Following negotiations with the late Queen Elizabeth II, Harry's grandmother, the couple ceased representing the monarch as working royals and eventually established a new life in California with their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5.

Relations between the Sussexes and other members of the royal family subsequently became seriously strained amid a succession of public claims about their experiences.

Harry, in particular, detailed disputes involving his father, King Charles III, 77, and his brother, Prince William, 44, in his 2023 memoir Spare.

Despite their recent return to Britain, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have not been restored to their former positions as working members of the monarchy.

Their status was reinforced in recent guidance issued on behalf of Charles, which made clear the arrangements established after their departure from royal duties remain in place.

Harry and Markle therefore continue to pursue their activities independently rather than undertaking official engagements on behalf of the monarch, with their public and commercial work conducted in a private capacity.

Sources claim Harry believes William pushed for Charles' approach behind the scenes.

One royal insider said: "Harry had hoped returning home might eventually create room for a more flexible relationship with the institution. He feels William has helped ensure that door remains firmly closed. From Harry's perspective, his brother could have encouraged reconciliation and greater flexibility. Instead, he believes William has backed the toughest interpretation of the existing agreement."