Prince Harry and Meghan Markle aren’t the only ones speaking their truth these days, as a royal expert has also spoken a *lot* about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex – in particular, the Duke of Sussex’s “obsession” with the media!
According to Valentine Low, the author of Courtiers: Intrigue, Ambition, and the Power Players Behind the House of Windsor which was released just last month, Prince Harry has had an obsession – bordering on paranoia – with the British media long before he met the 41-year-old former Suits actress, and as a result, forced his palace aides to undergo “loyalty tests,” which predictably left them “exhausted” and unhappy. His “mistrust” towards palace courtiers reportedly intensified when he began dating Meghan, which an insider in Low’s book said was another reason he was so obsessed with the press coverage of their relationship.
READ MORE: Prince Harry Reportedly Out For ‘Revenge’ As Spare’s ‘Fierce, Vengeful Attacks’ Make It A Bestseller
Prince Harry Allegedly Always Questioned Palace Aides' Loyalty
"If he had a beef with the media, he’d want them to pursue it," Low told Fox News Digital, in reference to how he allegedly wanted – and expected – those who worked for him to behave. "They would often say, 'Harry, don’t pick this fight. This fight’s not worth having. You don’t have to pursue every slight that’s been done towards you.' And if you didn’t pursue it with the kind of energy that he sought, he could question your loyalty."
Low went on to add: "He wondered if you’d become one of them, one of the others from the other royal households who protected the institution... and not the individual." Yikes!
Allegations Inside 'Courtiers: Intrigue, Ambition, And The Power Players Behind The House Of Windsor'
Inside Low's new book, which Buckingham Palace previously said they had no comment on, a source allegedly recalled how Prince Harry’s "permanent sense of frustration" took a toll on those who worked for the royal family, as he always seemed to accuse staff of being "institutionalized" and therefore going against him.
"He would use this phrase the whole time, 'the palace syndrome,' when you won’t fight the battles he wants, because you have been institutionalized," the insider said, according to Low's book. "Giving in to the media was a key symptom of whether you had developed it. The team fighting all these battles: it was a constant test of loyalty. 'Are you going to protect me? Or have you just become one of them, who won’t fight for me?' It was exhausting."
Prince Harry’s Biggest Issue Was With The British Tabloids And The 'Royal Rota'
As well as the ongoing loyalty tests, Prince Harry allegedly took issue with the 'Royal Rota,' which is in reference to the system that gave royal correspondents access to the royal family, which he reportedly saw "as a cartel" as he felt that the tabloids that previously "ran inaccurate stories about him" in the past had unnecessary entry to important palace events.
"His argument was: why should he cooperate with those papers that made his life such a misery and had such poor professional standards, while other, more respectable outlets – those who did not have full-time royal correspondents, did not get a look-in?" Low asked. "It was a topic that continued to obsess him for years until he and Meghan stepped down as working members of the royal family and stopped cooperating with the rota."
"The media would argue that it was a system that worked perfectly well, giving all media equal access to the royal family without discrimination, while also allowing the palace to control the number of media outlets who attended events," he added. "As for the palace, they simply felt it was a fight that wasn’t worth having."
