Prince Harry reportedly had an “attack of the nerves” ahead of a bombshell phone call with the Queen over his wife’s plans to attack the media.
In 2019 Meghan Markle was set to sue Associated Newspapers Limited over the publication of personal letters between her and her father, Thomas Markle.
At the time the Sussexes, with son Archie in tow, had just finished the first day of a three-day visit of southern Africa in 2019 with the announcement set to be made two days later.
Before it was made public however a nervous Harry had to call his beloved grandmother to inform her of the coming news, according to new royal book Courtiers: the Hidden Power Behind the Crown by Valentine Low.
An extract reads: “Harry often has an attack of the nerves before he has to speak to the Queen.
“So when he joined his team for a drink in the bar that Sunday evening, he sat there, so strung out and nervous that his private secretary, Sam Cohen, told him, ‘You need to have a beer.’
“Harry will also publish a statement of his own, in which he will condemn the media and accuse the tabloids of waging a “ruthless campaign” against Meghan, vilifying her on an almost daily basis…but first, he has to make that phone call.”
In the wake of the announcement the Duke also went on the attack against the media, saying he feared “history was repeating itself”, in reference to his mother Princess Diana.
He said in a statement: “There comes a point when the only thing to do is to stand up to this behaviour, because it destroys people and destroys lives.
“I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is commoditized to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person.
“I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.”
It comes as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex return to California following the Queen's funeral.
The rift between the Sussexes and other members of the Royal Family has been seen in headlines over the past couple of years where Harry and Meghan have been critical of their life in the UK when talking to American media since their move to California.
It was only coincidence that Harry, who was said to be close to his grandmother, was in the UK when the Queen died as he was here for charity work.
The Duchess of Sussex sued Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) for invading her privacy over five articles that reproduced parts of a "personal and private" letter to Mr Markle, 77, in August 2018.
The actress-turned-royal won her case last year and will £1 in damages from the Mail on Sunday when a High Court judge ruled in her favour without a full trial.
ANL brought an appeal and, at a three-day hearing in November, argued the case should go to a trial on Meghan's claims against the publisher - including breach of privacy and copyright.
Three senior judges decided to dismiss the appeal.
Giving a summary of the decision, judge Sir Geoffrey Vos said: "The Court of Appeal upheld the judge's decision that the Duchess had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the contents of the letter."
