Meghan Markle: Royals 'don't want to ruffle feathers' says Nicholl

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Fans of the Duchess of Sussex have been sharing a resurfaced interview between US broadcaster Gayle King and long-time contributing editor at Vanity Fair Sam Kashner following the publication of the extract of an upcoming book by Mr Bower. In the biography titled ‘Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War between the Windsors’, the investigative journalist made claims regarding the behind the scenes of the interview led by Mr Kashner for the September issue of the magazine in 2017.

The interview, which became that issue’s cover story, took place in Toronto, where at the time Meghan used to live and work as part of the cast of TV procedural show Suits.

In the extract published by The Times, Mr Bower claimed the experienced interviewer “began to sense a reversal of roles” after the then actress started “pummelling him with questions about his school, marriage and work”.

Before he sat down to eat with Meghan, who had cooked lunch before the interview began, Mr Bower claimed Mr Kashner “felt uneasy”.

After explaining Meghan had been barred from speaking about certain topics with Mr Kashner including the Duke of Sussex, her then fiancé, and Donald Trump, Mr Bower wrote: “Both knew that a lot was riding on the interview, and both understood that the critical issue of Harry had been vetoed.

“Meghan spoke, he realised, knowing that she had the winning ticket but avoiding giving an impression of triumphalism.”

Mr Bower claimed the interview took place at a time Prince Harry had already proposed to Meghan in the kitchen of Nottingham Cottage, the house he used to live in on the grounds of Kensington Palace.

However, the engagement had to be kept a secret until the Duke could ask his grandmother for the formal approval, and was not mentioned in the Vanity Fair cover story.

Hours after the publication of the extract, fans of Meghan have been sharing on Twitter what Mr Kashner said of the Duchess during the programme CBS News Meghan Markle: An American Princess. 

The journalist appeared on the documentary, first aired in 2018, as the only interviewer to have had, until that point, sat down for a one-on-one interview with the Duchess.

In the clip being shared by fans of the Sussexes, Mr Kashner said of Meghan: “She was incredibly welcoming, I mean I got a hug immediately.”

Asked about his first impression of her, Mr Kashner said: “That she had a genuine warmth, an unstressed elegance about her, which you pick up on right away and that she is just an interesting and welcoming person.”

Commenting on the resurfaced clip, Twitter user @ArchiesServants wrote: “That’s all”.

Another Twitter user, @JackieN51306587, said: “Even observing her from just a distance, one can tell that about her.” 

In her interview with Mr Kashner, Meghan briefly opened up on her relationship with Prince Charles’s second son.

Harry himself had confirmed in November 2016 he was dating Meghan as his office issued a statement denouncing a “wave of abuse and harassment” she had been receiving following rumours of their relationship.

However, the now Duchess’ interview with Mr Kashner represented the first time she could speak publicly about the blossoming romance.

She told him: “I can tell you that at the end of the day I think it’s really simple.

“We’re two people who are really happy and in love. 

“We were very quietly dating for about six months before it became news, and I was working during that whole time, and the only thing that changed was people’s perception.

“Nothing about me changed. I’m still the same person that I am, and I’ve never defined myself by my relationship.”

During the interview, Meghan also said she was not reading articles about her.

She said: “I don’t read any press. I haven’t even read press for Suits.

“The people who are close to me anchor me in knowing who I am. The rest is noise.” 

Despite mentioning her relationship with the royal, the Duchess wanted the focus of the interview to be on her activism and work as a philanthropist, Mr Bower claimed.

However, Meghan was unhappy when she discovered the article led on the romance with Harry rather than on her philanthropy, the author also claimed.

Recalling her reaction to the story, Mr Kashner was reported in the Times’ extract of Mr Bower’s book saying: “She complained because she wasn’t presented in the way she wanted.

“She demanded that the media do what she expects. I felt manipulated.”

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