Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Bash Royal Author Over Claims Made in Bombshell New Memoir: 'Deranged Conspiracy and Melodrama'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are once again at the center of a royal media storm — this time over a new book by author Tom Bower that has prompted a sharply worded response from the couple, who dismissed the claims as “deranged conspiracy and melodrama.”

In a statement issued through their spokesperson, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex accused Bower of crossing a line “from criticism into fixation.”

“He has made a career out of constructing ever more elaborate theories about people he does not know and has never met,” the statement read. “Those interested in facts will look elsewhere; those seeking deranged conspiracy and melodrama know exactly where to find him.”

The backlash follows excerpts published in The Times from Bower’s forthcoming book, Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family. Among the claims: that Queen Camilla once told a friend Meghan had “brainwashed” Harry, and that Prince William and Princess Catherine viewed Meghan as “a threat rather than an ally.”

The book also raises questions about the couple’s finances, media ventures, and the Invictus Games, the international sporting event founded by Harry in 2014 for wounded, injured and sick service members and veterans. One passage suggests the 2025 Games in Canada were overshadowed by attention on Meghan — an assertion the Invictus Games Foundation rejected.

“It is disappointing to see The Times give prominence to commentary that appears driven by a long-established agenda rather than a genuine understanding of the Invictus Games and the community it supports,” a spokesperson said.

While the Sussexes’ response was unequivocal, communications experts say the tone and frequency of such rebuttals can shape how long a controversy lingers.

“When celebrities push back on claims like this, the key is discipline. A short, confident response that sticks to the facts can shut down a story quickly — but if it becomes emotional or turns into a back-and-forth, it only fuels more headlines,” says Scott Glick, president and founder of boutique communications and public relations firm Glick Strategy Inc.

“Strong, measured responses help contain a story, while repeated statements or escalating, emotional language keep it alive,” Glick adds. “It’s not just about what you say — it’s about knowing when to stop saying it.”

Evan Siegfried, president of strategic and crisis communications firm Somm Consulting, echoed that caution, warning that “the cardinal rule of reputation management when facing a dispute or allegation is the same as in medicine: first, do no harm.”

“A sharply worded public response runs the risk of becoming a self-inflicted wound — and every story it generates will dutifully repeat the accuser’s allegations all over again, and inadvertently gives them legitimacy and further exposure,” Siegfried notes.

For Harry and Meghan, the latest dispute underscores a familiar dynamic, particularly since their exit from royal duties and move to California in 2020: high-profile criticism followed by equally high-profile rebuttal, playing out across headlines and social media.

But public back-and-forths can have “real economic consequences, from brand partnerships to business deals to audience goodwill,” Siegfried says. “The smartest responses are often the ones that never make headlines.”