Harry and Meghan book: Duchess had to undergo kidnap training after receiving ‘stomach-churning’ threats
MEGHAN Markle was forced to take SAS training – including a staged kidnap – earlier than planned after receiving “terrifying” and “stomach-churning” threats, a new book has revealed.
Meghan, 39, undertook the intense two-day security course – which all members of the Royal Family must take – much sooner than Duchess of Cambridge took hers – as she and Harry, 35, had received an “unusually high number of threats”, according to bombshell biography Finding Freedom, out today.
“There have been some absolutely terrifying and stomach churning threats made to Meghan since she started dating Harry,” one aide said.
Meghan had to be bundled into the back of a car by a pretend-terrorist then rescued by officers firing fake guns, according to the book.
She was taught how to develop a relationship with her captors and even drive a car “while in pursuit” during the training at SAS headquarters in Hereford.
Meghan found the experience “extremely intense and scary” a source told the book authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand – but she was grateful she had undertook it.
Finding Freedom claims revealed today include:
- Harry felt like he and Meghan were ‘thrown under the bus’ to protect the royal family
- Meghan felt like people wanted her to serve her child “on a silver platter” after Archie was born
- Prince Harry was “delightfully surprised” when Meghan reportedly peed in the wood on their luxury camping trip in Botswana
- Harry was stunned after Meghan’s estranged family gave a series of interviews criticising the duchess
- Meghan had to undergo kidnapping training after an unusually high number of threats
- The Duchess of Sussex saw Prince Charles as a ‘second father’
While Meghan had to complete the training shortly after her engagement to Prince Harry was announced, Kate did not have to do the training until after her wedding to William.
The book reveals other preparations Meghan made to become a members of the royal family, including undertaking “informal training” on how to curtsy and how to “gracefully exit your chauffeured sedan while wearing a pencil skirt”.
Meghan had also wanted to take etiquette lessons, but “curiously” the book says – they were not on offer.
The bombshell biography also gives an insight into how Meghan prepared to meet the Queen for the first time.
Meghan and her friend Jessica Mulroney, who was recently involved in a race row on Instagram, apparently went “back and forth over iMessage” about what she should wear for the important meeting.
They swapped dozens of photos and voice messages on a secret second phone that Jessica kept just for Meghan.
They finally settled on a “conservative pastel dress”, according to the book.
Meghan had been practicing how to curtsy a dozen times before the meeting but any nerves soon disappeared when the Queen’s corgi Willow and her two dorgis – dachshund-corgi mixes – Vulcan and Candy came and nestled at her feet.
The Queen is described as being “warm and loving” towards Meghan and the meeting went so well it overran by 10 minutes, according to the book.
The new insight comes from Meghan and Harry’s unofficial biography, co-written by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand.
Meghan and Harry have insisted they had nothing to do with the book, from which The Times published extracts two weeks ago.
Scobie, who has close ties to Meghan, also said he had not spoken to them directly.
However the book’s prologue, written by Scobie describes how close he was to the royal couple – even meeting Meghan before Harry back in 2015 during a Fashion Week event in Toronto.
He recalls how Harry nicknamed him “Passport” after he lost his passport at the airport during a royal tour to Sao Paulo, Brazil, and the prince found it and sent one of his royal protection officers to drop it to him at his terminal.
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Scobie also describes giving Meghan a “farewell hug” at Buckingham Palace following her last royal engagement before stepping back from the royal family.
Meghan’s parting words were: “It didn’t have to be this way,” Scobie writes.