Meghan 'set up odd paparazzi photo' before meeting Harry, book claims

The Duchess of Sussex set up "a paparazzi photo here and there" before she met Prince Harry, according to a controversial new biography of the couple.

The book also suggests the Duchess had "let info slip" to newspapers when working as an actress on the hit legal drama Suits.

The claims come as the Duke and Duchess strive to protect their right to privacy as they start a new life in California. Last week they announced they were taking legal action to prevent the sale of photographs of their son, Archie, taken by a drone flying over their home.

In the final extract of the biography,  Finding Freedom, the authors allege the Sussexes shared a "main worry" that the Duchess's then home in Toronto would be "besieged by photographers" after news of their relationship broke in the UK in October 2016.

The book claims she received a text from a paparazzo in the Canadian city asking her if the news was true.

It adds: "While Meghan, before she met Harry, had occasionally set up a paparazzi photo here and there or let info slip out to the press, she did everything in her power to protect the privacy of her relationship with the prince."

The Telegraph understands that the new biography is likely to be drawn into the privacy action against The Mail on Sunday over whether the Duchess's friends, aides and public relations team spoke to the authors or acted on her behalf.

In the court case against The Mail on Sunday, she has denied that she gave the green light to the "Five Friends" to speak to People magazine.

But her case would be potentially undermined if The Mail on Sunday could show the new biography was based on information provided by well-placed sources with the couple's consent.

In a statement, Prince Harry and his wife, who now live in California, have tried to distance themselves from the book.

A spokesman has insisted the couple "were not interviewed and did not contribute to Finding Freedom", adding: "The book is based on the authors' own experiences as members of the Royal Press Corps and their own independent reporting."

A source close to the Sussexes said the claims in the book "are not coming from the couple".

But royal watchers will be intrigued by levels of detail raised in the book, written by Omid Scobie, a British journalist said to be close to the Duchess’s inner circle, and Carolyn Durand, an American television journalist.

Mark Stephens, a leading media lawyer and partner at Howard Kennedy solicitors, said: "I think … The Mail on Sunday lawyers will look to introduce this book as similar fact evidence.

"Private briefings and curation of her reputation is going on through anonymous spokespeople and friends."