Andrew Neil reacts to Meghan Markle’s book on This Morning

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The Duchess of Sussex has penned a children’s book called The Bench about the special bond between a father and son – as seen through a mother’s eyes. Former actress Meghan was inspired by Prince Harry and Archie.

But royal author Penny Junor said it was an “odd thing to have done” given Meghan and Harry’s troubled relationships with their own fathers.

Meghan has been estranged from Thomas Markle since her royal wedding in 2018.

And Harry laid bare his rift with Prince Charles during the bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview – complaining he cut him off financially in the wake of Megxit and saying the heir to the throne was “trapped” in the Royal Family.

Ms Junor told The Sun: “It’s very easy to talk about relationships between fathers and sons when they are two years old.

“But problems come when the children are older — as Meghan found out with her father and Harry with Prince Charles.

“So it is an odd thing to have done.

“She is on dodgy ground because of her relationship with her father and Harry with his.

“But it is also a very schmaltzy book by the sounds of it.”

The ex-Suits star’s book, which will go on sale on June 8, features illustrations by award-winning artist Christian Robinson.

Meghan, who is expecting a daughter in the summer, said: “The Bench started as a poem I wrote for my husband on Father’s Day, the month after Archie was born.

“That poem became this story.

“Christian layered in beautiful and ethereal watercolour illustrations that capture the warmth, joy and comfort of the relationship between fathers and sons from all walks of life; this representation was particularly important to me and Christian and I worked closely to depict this special bond through an inclusive lens.

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“My hope is that The Bench resonates with every family, no matter the make-up, as much as it does with mine.”

One illustration from the book is accompanied by the words: “Looking out at my love and our beautiful boy. And here in the window I’ll have tears of great joy…”

The picture shows a weeping woman watching through a ground floor window as a soldier, in army combat uniform, throws his son in the air, apparently having returned home.

In another painting, a father and son lie asleep on a bench with the young boy lying on his parent’s chest. The text says: “From here you will rest see the growth of our boy.”

Meghan has been estranged from her father since he did not attend her royal wedding.

Mr Markle pulled out following reports he had staged paparazzi photos in the run-up to the big day.

Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain in March, he said he has “apologised about what happened at least 100 times or so”.

The Sussexes are living in California with their young son Archie after quitting royal duties last year.

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