Advertisement

Finding Freedom: Meghan Markle’s friend said she would be ‘the most wanted woman’ if she dated Prince Harry, book claims

Getty Images
Getty Images

Meghan Markle’s friend told her she would be the “most wanted woman” if she started dating Prince Harry, a new book has claimed.

Royal journalists Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, co-authored the book Finding Freedom, published on 11 August, based on interviews with over 100 royal sources.

But a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told The Independent the couple were not involved in the book, which details their relationship and royal life.

The authors write that on 1 July 2016, before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met for the first time at Soho House, Meghan told a friend about the upcoming blind date.

The book says she met with her London-based agent, Gina Nelthorpe-Cowne, a restaurant in the capital and over lunch told her about the planned meet-up that evening.

The pair had been friends for two years, and Meghan trusted Gina, reportedly telling her: “I’m sure you know him. It’s Prince Harry.”

According to the authors, Gina asked her friend immediately: “Do you know what you’re letting yourself in for?”

She allegedly tried to impose on the American actor just how the UK tabloid press covered the royal family, saying: “This could be crazy...you will be the most wanted woman”.

To which, Meghan replied: “Well it’s going to be an experience … and at least it will be a fun night.”

Meghan had been set up on the blind date with the Prince by two of her closest friends - fashion designer Misha Nonoo and Markus Anderson, Soho House global membership director.

It was fitting then that the scene for their first date was Soho House’s Dean Street Townhouse, where the couple were reportedly given a private area away from other people.

The authors write: “Naturally both participants in this blind date did their homework with a thorough Google search. Harry, who scoped out Meghan on social media, was interested.

“He liked what he saw but didn’t necessarily think of drinks as anything more than a chance to be introduced to a woman he found attractive. He certainly could not have foreseen that she would be the woman he would one day marry.”

Following the first date, the pair met the next night for another date at the same location in central London. Then, six weeks later, they flew to Botswana together - their third official date.

Finding Freedom is out in hardback now and available to buy here