Before the release of Sussex biography Finding Freedom, by royal correspondents Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, the casual Sussex fan might not have been aware that Meghan and Harry successfully kept their relationship a secret in the early days. While members of the royal family knew the couple were dating—with Harry's cousin, Princess Eugenie, "one of the first in the family to know"—the press was none the wiser until about four months in, meaning the future Sussexes could get to know each other free from media intrusion.
Since Eugenie and Harry shared a particularly strong bond, the former was no doubt devastated to learn she played an inadvertent role in the reveal of her cousin's secret relationship. According to Scobie and Durand, Meghan and Harry were attending a Halloween party in Toronto—joined by Eugenie and her now husband, Jack—when Harry received a call from one of his Kensington Palace aides, informing him that the press was preparing to publicly reveal that he was dating Meghan. And in an unpleasant twist, it was reportedly one of Eugenie and father Prince Andrew's members of staff who leaked the info.
As Tatler reports, Scobie and Durand share in Finding Freedom that Eugenie was an early champion of Meghan and Harry's relationship. "Harry had always confided in his cousin when it came to the women in his life," the royal insiders write. Not only did he trust her implicitly, but friends said that she gives great advice and has always been 'beyond wise' for her years. It's not surprising then that Eugenie was one of the first in the family to know about his relationship with Meghan."
"Eugenie, who'd long wanted to see her cousin settle down and be happy, told friends she loved Meghan and thought she was "just the tonic" for Harry,' Scobie and Durand reveal. "Out of all the Queen's grandchildren, Princess Eugenie and Prince Harry have one of the most natural connections. Like Harry, Eugenie is loyal, honest and great fun."
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