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Meghan Markle news latest – New Year's photo 'convinced paranoid Prince Harry that Queen & William were now against him'
PRINCE Harry became convinced key members of the Royal Family had turned on him thanks to a New Year's photo, it has been claimed.
At the start of 2020 the Queen released a photograph of herself, Prince Charles and Prince William to mark the beginning of both a new year and a new decade.
Although the photo was clearly an innocent image depicting the future of the Monarchy, it has been claimed that a "paranoid" Prince Harry and Meghan saw it as a secret signal that were being quietly pushed out of the Royal Family.
In his unauthorised biography, Meghan: A Hollywood Princess, author Andrew Morton said "The royal couple suspected that the entire institution was conspiring against them. As they saw it, the evidence was all around them.
"The unspoken code was straightforward: the future of the monarchy was assured, with or without Meghan and Harry."
Within a matter of days, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made the sensational announcement that they were stepping back from their roles as working royals – a massive blow for the Queen and the Monarchy as a whole.
Read our Meghan Markle live blog for the latest news and gossip
Louis Allwood 4 minutes ago
Queen's Platinum Jubilee guests
A royal expert has claimed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are keeping their schedules free for the Queen's invite to her Platinum Jubilee celebrations later this year.
Royal commentator Neil Sean said on his YouTube channel: "According to very good sources and palace courtiers, they tell me that they've received word get this from Harry and Meghan that they are going to keep their diaries free should, of course, they be called upon now."
Louis Allwood 24 minutes ago
'Low key' celebration for Duchess
According to a royal expert, The Duchess of Cambridge will have a 'low key' celebration for her milestone birthday next week.
Royal expert Duncan Larcombe told OK!: "Kate and William are not the sort to go away to celebrate on their own and leave the kids at home.
"I think the same will apply to Kate's birthday as it does to Christmas – it will be low key and it will be focused entirely on the family."
Prince Andrew tried using four technicalities
PRINCE Andrew attempted to weasel his way out of his bombshell sex assault lawsuit through at least four technicalities, a court heard yesterday.
The royal's attack-dog attorney Andrew Brettler was unleashed in a hearing against the duke's accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre.
But Mr Brettler was met with scepticism at almost every turn as he made his arguments, with Judge Lewis Kaplan telling him at one point: "That's not a dog that's going to hunt here."
Mr Brettler argued that a newly-disclosed £371,000 secret agreement between Ms Giuffre and late financier Jeffrey Epstein in 2009 released the royal from any legal action.
And he said the settlement had resulted in a similar lawsuit from Andrew's accuser being dismissed.
Judge Kaplan said last night that he would rule on the future of the lawsuit "pretty soon".
Louis Allwood Today, 19:00
Andrews family out and about
Prince Andrew's sex abuse case has been heard in court this week, with his family away on a ski holiday.
Eugenie and Beatrice were spotted out and about in the swish Swiss ski resort of Verbier with their respective husbands Jack Brooksbank and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
Insiders said the Sarah Ferguson, 62, was in constant contact with Andrew, as he followed proceedings in New York remotely from his home at Royal Lodge, Windsor.
The group flew out from Heathrow to Geneva on Boxing Day and were spotted on the commercial flight by several other holidaymakers heading for a festive break on the slopes.
Harry left 'shocked' when Prince Andrew once 'barked at staff'
Darren McGrady, who worked for the royals for 15 years, said a young Harry would "pull a face" when Andrew would "bark at staff" and demand food.
Darren was a private chef for the Queen, Princess Diana, Prince William and Prince Harry, and said Diana tried to raise her sons with impeccable manners.
He told biographer Chris Hutchins for his 2013 book Harry: The People's Prince: "[Diana] would often bring William and Harry down to the kitchen to say thank you after a meal they'd enjoyed."
Darren claimed that a young Harry would "pull a face" over how rude Andrew was to staff.
He said: "Andrew always came straight to the point and told you exactly what he wanted.
"Whereas Harry had been taught to say 'Please may I have…', Andrew would bark, 'Where are my mangoes? I want my mangoes."
"I'm not surprised that Harry has turned out to be the same as Diana. She doted on him."
Who is Andrews attorney?
The Duke of York's attorney Andrew Brettler presented his motion in court in New York yesterday to dismiss Virginia Giuffre's sex assault civil lawsuit.
Mr Brettler is a notable Hollywood lawyer and senior partner with Lavely & Singer, who has previously represented several celebrities accused of sexual assault.
These include actor Armie Hammer, and singer-songwriter Ryan Adams.
Duchess set to become guest editor on magazine
The Duchess of Cornwall will be acting as guest editor of Country Life magazine later this year, and is expected to highlight the grittier side of rural life.
She will act as guest editor in July, in honour of her 75th birthday, where according to Country Life the special edition will "reflect the duchess's love of horses and dogs".
Speaking about the project, a royal source has said that Camilla should focus on more controversial issues, particularly those faced by women.
They told The Telegraph: "She loves the country life, but it won't be just horses and dogs and lovely countryside.
"There is that slightly confronting side of the difficult issues the countryside faces. She wants to have a bit more about the challenges facing people, particularly for women."
Meghan & Harry charity earnings
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry raised less than $50,000 for their Archewell charity in its first year, filings reveal.
And filings to the IRS in the US obtained by the Mail show Archewell received its first deposit the following month.
Harry and Meghan's charity this month told the IRS its gross receipts for 2020 amounted to less than $50,000 (£37,000), the outlet reports.
But sources close to the Sussexes last year told the Telegraph they would properly launch Archewell "when the time is right" due to the Covid pandemic.
Describing how a public launch was "off the cards" in the summer of 2020, a source said: "What's absolutely clear is that they want to get it right and there's no point in rushing.
"They are settling into a new life, a new era. This is about getting it right and making sure they are able to make the difference they want to make."
Could Meghan give evidence?
The Duchess of Sussex could also be called to give evidence in the case against Andrew.
David Boies, the lawyer representing Ms Giuffre, told the Daily Beast that Meghan Markle "is somebody we can count on to tell the truth".
Mr Boies said there are three reasons she may be deposed: "One; she is in the U.S. so we have jurisdiction over her."
He added: "Two; she is somebody who obviously, at least for a period of time, was a close associate of Prince Andrew and hence is in a position to perhaps have seen what he did, and perhaps if not to have seen what he did to have heard people talk about it.
"Because of her past association with him, she may very well have important knowledge, and will certainly have some knowledge.
"Three; she is somebody who we can count on to tell the truth. She checks all three boxes."
But Mr Boies stressed no final decision had been made on who would be called, adding that Meghan was just "one of the people we are considering".
"It could not have gone worse"
Mitchell Epner, a former federal prosecutor who now works as counsel for law firm Rottenberg Lipman Rich, told The Times: "From Andrew's point of view, it could not have gone worse.
"Judge Kaplan made it very clear that he did not accept the arguments that Prince Andrew's counsel was making with regard to the settlement agreement.
"There were a number of times where Andrew's counsel was reduced to saying, 'Well, I respectfully disagree'.
"In the courtroom, respectfully disagreeing with the judge means you are about to lose."
Family could be called to give evidence
Royal expert Angela Levin said Princess Beatrice, Andrew's daughter, could be called to court to give evidence.
Ms Levin told talkRADIO: "If the case goes ahead, one, it's not going to be heard until the autumn and secondly, it will involve Beatrice being brought to court and all sorts of other family members.
"He said he was having a pizza and couldn't have gone with Virginia to a nightclub, and you have to prove this and then have to get his own family there to support him.
"I think for a senior royal to rely on a technical couple of words in a court case looks absolutely appalling."
She also said the judge is unlikely to throw the case out.
Ms Levin said: "It looks very doubtful, and if you think this civil case could be closed at any time, it's easy for [lawyers] to say, 'Ok, let's work together between two lawyers and get rid of it'.
Most googled engagement ring
Meghan Markle owns the world's most Googled royal engagement ring according to new research.
A spokesperson for Design Bundles commented exclusively on the findings for Express.co.uk.
They said: "Royal engagement rings represent some of the rarest and most desirable pieces of jewellery ever seen.
"With few financial limits and a wealth of dazzlingly expensive precious gems passed down through the centuries, the Royal Family can enjoy what is definitively the finest, most enviable, and most unattainable collection of engagement rings in the world.
"From The Queen's glittering ring, with its three-carat diamond plucked from the tiara of Princess Alice of Battenburg to Princess Diana (and now Kate Middleton's) iconic sapphire sparkler, each piece is more unique and extraordinary than the next.
"However, the fact that Meghan Markle's stunning trilogy engagement ring dominates over every other royal ring, even beating Princess Diana's iconic Ceylon sapphire and diamond halo ring, which Prince William famously gave to Kate Middleton, is hugely revealing of the public's fascination with her and every element of her style."
Andrew Brettler's arguments
Prince Andrew's attorney, Andrew Brettler, yesterday argued that:
PRINCE Andrew was covered by the "other potential defendants" clause in the settlement;
GIUFFRE'S lawsuit against lawyer Alan Dershowitz was dismissed when the agreement was produced;
HER claims were too "vague", adding: "She doesn't allege what this abuse was". He called the way she filed them "unconstitutional";
FORMER New York governor Andrew Cuomo acted unconstitutionally when he extended the Child Victims Act deadline to August 2020. It allowed Ms Giuffre to file her lawsuit. Otherwise, her claims would have fallen outside New York's statute of limitations.
"I appreciate the arguments and the passion."
At the end of the hearing in New York yesterday, Judge Kaplan, who addressed Lawyer David Boies, representing Ms Giuffre, in a far less urgent tone than Andrew's attorney Andrew Brettler, said: "I appreciate the arguments and the passion."
Legal experts indicated they believed the judge would let Ms Giuffre's lawsuit continue.
US lawyer Lisa Bloom said: "I am optimistic that Virginia will get her day in court."
Five witnesses including Andrew's FAMILY who could be called in
PRINCE Andrew's own family could be called as witnesses in the rape lawsuit against him in a bid to blow apart the royal's Pizza Express alibi.
Legal experts said Andrew's hopes of having the lawsuit dismissed were on the ropes last night after Judge Lewis Kaplan ripped apart his lawyers' case.
Yet Judge Kaplan appeared mostly dismissive of this argument.
If the case goes ahead, here are five witnesses – including members of Andrew's own family – who could be called to give evidence.
Princess Eugenie
Anonymous nightclub witness
Read the article in full here.
Milica Cosic Today, 15:45
How much it costs to rent Harry & Meghan's Montecito mansion
As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly plan to move out of their exclusive, £11 million mansion, new research conducted by accommodation experts Luxury Hotel reveals how much they could rent it out for.
· The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's luxurious, £11 million California mansion would cost £121,000 a MONTH to rent, and £1.5 million a year
· It would cost as much to rent Harry and Meghan's Montecito home for just two months as it would to buy the average UK home
· Harry and Meghan are reportedly planning to leave their 18,000 square foot mansion, and move elsewhere – and the study estimated that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could make at least £121,000 a month ($164,000) and 1.5 million a year in rent on their enviable property.
Royal news you may have missed
The Queen has also not yet had the chance to meet great-granddaughter Lilibet, who was named after her. The tot was born last June.
We previously shared how the Queen's New Year photo convinced Prince Harry and Meghan Markle that royals were 'against them', royal author claims.
Royal expert Neil Sean says the Sussexes may well fly back for the celebrations, which will include a four-day weekend in June.
Harry's 'shock' when Andrew once 'barked at staff'
A FORMER royal chef at Kensington Palace claims Prince Harry was left "shocked" over how Prince Andrew would speak to kitchen staff.
'You can't make Andrew resign'
The Sunday Times reported that royal insiders said it would be difficult to persuade the Queen to take away the title of Duke of York as "it was held by her father, George VI, before he became king and she bestowed it on her favourite son – But he has disgraced that title".
One source told publication: "If he loses the case, the question is what do you do with him?
"You can't make him resign like you would a normal person but he would be asked to put his dukedom into abeyance."
Prince Andrew faces mounting pressure to quit military roles
Prince Andrew faces mounting pressure to quit his military and charitable roles as the case against him ramps up.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told The Sun Online: "What might happen to Andrew is a form of 'internal exile', where he might, for example, manage the royal estates or something similar.
"He would lose his remaining links with charities and his military links.
"In a worse case scenario, if he were to lose the civil case against him, it might be agreed that he would keep his HRH but would not use it."
Royal courtiers were last week reported to have discussed plans to send Andrew into "internal exile" — including stopping him using his title and other options, such as giving up all his charity links.
Prince Andrew could be 'stripped of his titles'
The royal faces mounting pressure to drop the Duke of York from his name after being accused of sexually assaulting Virginia Giuffre three times when she was 17.
One royal expert has said it is "highly improbable" Andrew would ever lose his official title – as the case would need to pass through parliament first.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told The Sun Online: "If he's going to step down from all royal links permanently, as Meghan and Harry have, then you look at the situation where they kept the HRH and didn't use it.
"They've set the precedent in that sense.
"That may apply if he were to lose this case or were to be perceived to lose this case."
Andrew has fiercely denied the allegations against him and says he has no memory of even meeting alleged victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre.
Kate Middleton compared to Diana
A royal expert has compared the Duchess of Cambridge to Diana, complimenting her patience and 'ability to listen'.
Royal expert Ingrid Seward said: "She is patient, and has the ability to listen.
"And she has discovered she has this ability with people, she is very good with the very young and the very old.
"That is like Diana was."
Kate overcoming a major royal hurdle
According to a royal commentator, Kate Middleton has worked hard to overcome a major hurdle as she continues to blossom into her royal roles.
Royal expert Ingrid Seward said that Kate had to "overcome her shyness" and take to the royal spotlight with "confidence and poise".
She told The Mirror it was the counsel of the Prince of Wales that had likely steered Kate in the right direction.
Ingrid continued to say that: "On the advice of Prince Charles, you don't have to rush into taking on hundreds of charities, you can take your time and enjoy your family, and I believe having her family has helped her gain confidence."
Kate Middleton's 'main mission'
A royal expert has claimed that The Duchess of Cambridge is already showing what her work will be like as Queen Consort to Prince William.
Kate has been focusing her attention on how early childhood shapes our future, and even launched the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood last year.
The Daily Mail's royal editor Rebecca English reported on Kate's "royal calling".
She stated: "It's taken her a while to find her voice, that's been quite deliberate on her behalf because she didn't want to go in all guns blazing.
"She wanted to learn about her craft, she wanted to become more confident with public speaking and this convening power that she has been given.
"This is not a flash in a pan; this is her future and what she will continue doing as Princess of Wales and, eventually, when she becomes Queen."
Kate snubs Meghan's 40th birthday
According to an expert, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, is planning a "deliberately modest" 40th birthday celebration.
On Sunday, Kate will celebrate turning 40, and royal author Duncan Larcombe claims her celebrations are expected to be "low-key".
Duncan told OK!: "Kate and William are not the sort to go away to celebrate on their own and leave the kids at home.
This contrasts with the way Meghan Markle celebrated her 40th birthday last year.
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