MEGHAN Markle is “using her new book to show how ‘upset’ Harry was to be stripped of his military titles, says a royal author.
It has been announced that the Duchess of Sussex, 39, has written a children’s book about the bond between a father and son inspired by Prince Harry and Archie.
Read our Meghan and Harry live blog for the latest updates
The Duchess of Sussex penned The Bench after originally writing a poem for Harry’s first Father’s Day from Archie, who will turn two this week.
Phil Dampier, author of Royally Suited: Harry and Meghan In Their Own Words, told Fabulous that Meghan is using the book to highlight how sad Harry is to lose his military titles.
He explained: “The illustration of a red-haired soldier (obviously you know who) hugging his little boy, looks as though he has come home from war after many years and pulls at the heart-strings.
“Mum is in tears as she looks through the window, and sees her husband returning from battle to pick up family life once more.
“It’s a scenario familiar to so many military couples separated by conflicts.
“But of course it wasn’t a reality for Harry, who was in a different relationship when he served in Afghanistan.
“Rather Meghan is probably showing how much the army meant to Harry and how upset he is to lose his military titles.
“The Queen decided he could not be half in and half out of the royal family, and therefore he could no longer continue with his honorary associations, including being Captain General of the Royal Marines.
“For Harry, who put his life on the line and then founded the highly successful Invictus Games for injured servicemen and women, losing the titles was the bitterest part of ‘Megxit.’”
Prince Harry only had the Royal Marines title for 30 months after inheriting it from his beloved grandfather Prince Philip, and Phil said that to lose it was a hard pill for Harry to swallow.
Phil added: “The issue was so sensitive that the Queen decided no men at Prince Philip’s funeral would dress in military outfits as Harry could only wear a civilian morning suit.
“He would have stuck out like a sore thumb as if he was being punished.
“And Meghan is reminding readers that Harry did fight in the frontline.”
Phil also added that Meghan writing the book about military dads returning home is ‘hollow’ given estrangement from her dad.
Meghan has not spoken to her father Thomas, 76, for three years and even embroiled him in a High Court privacy case.
A picture of the book has been posted online ahead of its publication on June 8.
It shows a watercolour picture by award-winning artist Christian Robinson of a bench under a tree surrounded by birds.
Many royal fans were quick to point out part of the book’s text that they feel is a subtle reference to Meghan’s husband.
In the text, she pens the words, “my love,” which is her pet name for Harry,.
This was revealed in August 2018 when Meghan and Harry watched a performance of Hamilton and she asked Harry: “Can you see, my love?”
She writes in her new book: “Looking out at my love and our beautiful boy. And here in the window I’ll have tears of great joy.”
The mum-to-be’s pen name is given as: “Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex”.
She will also narrate an audiobook of the tale, which is published by Random House Children’s Books.
Meghan 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.
“My hope is that The Bench resonates with every family, no matter the make up, as much as it does with me.”
A press release that accompanies the announcement describes it as a story that “touchingly captures the evolving and expanding relationship between fathers and sons and reminds us of the many ways that love can take shape and be expressed in a modern family”.
The publisher also says it is about the “special bond between father and son – as seen through a mother’s eyes. Inspired by her own husband and son”.
A statement describes Meghan as a “mother, wife, feminist, and activist”, who “currently resides in her home state of California with her family, two dogs, and a growing flock of rescue chickens”.
The former actress has experienced voiceover work though – narrating Disney documentary Elephant after stepping down as a senior royal.
Her book is the latest project in a long list of work for the couple since they moved to the US.
They signed a £75million Netflix deal and a megabucks deal with Spotify with a docuseries now planned about the Invictus Games.
And Harry recently got a standing ovation as he appeared solo at a Covid concert – with US fans saying “he belongs to us now”.
