Meghan Markle and Princess Eugenie's Friendship Endures Through Royal Upheavals

The friendship between Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, and Princess Eugenie has persisted through a series of notable royal events and personal changes. This bond has been described as unlikely, given the shifts in the Sussexes' relationship with the British monarchy.

One instance cited as a potentially awkward moment involved the Sussexes' announcement of their first pregnancy. According to authors of the book Finding Freedom, Princess Eugenie felt that the couple should have delayed sharing their baby news until the excitement surrounding her own wedding had subsided. The pregnancy announcement, made on Valentine's Day 2021, became the dominant royal news story, overshadowing Eugenie's wedding on February 6, 2021. IMAGE3

Another curious episode has surfaced regarding a signed copy of Meghan Markle's children's book, The Bench. A personalized copy of the book, reportedly signed by Princess Eugenie, appeared on eBay. The listing has since been removed, adding another layer to the narrative of their closely watched association. IMAGE6

Prince Harry's memoir, Spare, also touched upon the complex dynamics within the royal family. In it, Harry expressed frustration over his father, Prince Andrew, retaining his security detail while he and Meghan had lost theirs. IMAGE2

Princess Eugenie and Meghan Markle first met in 2016 at a Halloween party in Toronto. IMAGE4 This event is noted as having occurred shortly before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's relationship became public knowledge.

Further illustrating the informal nature of their initial interactions, Harry's book recounts an anecdote where Meghan mistook Prince Andrew for an assistant. This occurred when Prince Andrew was carrying the Queen's handbag to the door upon their meeting. IMAGE5

Meghan Markle has previously shared that her inspiration for The Bench stemmed from a poem she wrote for Prince Harry on his first Father's Day. IMAGE7