'Harder than they would ever have imagined': Royal author shares harsh reality behind Meghan and Harry's exit

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex exited the royal family as the coronavirus pandemic took off, stepping down from royal life only to walk through a series of bombshell interviews and family tensions.

Now, co-author of Finding Freedom Omid Scobie has discussed the "hardest part" Prince Harry and Meghan faced in settling into their post-royal life in California, ahead of the release of the book's paperback edition, which includes a brand new epilogue.

READ MORE: Prince Harry and Meghan 'not surprised' by royal family's lack of 'accountability'

"The hardest part for them was taking those initial steps away from their royal roles," Scobie tells People.

"That was harder than they would ever have imagined. They had had it all mapped out in their heads."

Scobie said following the couple's shock announcement in January 2020 and ensuing discussions about their new working model, Queen Elizabeth vetoed their plans to complete both royal duty and private work.

READ MORE: The biggest revelations since Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview aired

The push left the couple stumped, says Scobie, who interviewed over 100 sources close to the couple and the royal family.

"They tried to find a way to compromise, but would that have enabled them to have that level of happiness and security that they have today? Probably not," he says.

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Scobie suggests if the pair kept their ties to the monarchy, they would have faced constant issues about their "financial endeavors" and "business decisions".

The re-release of Finding Freedom, set for August 31, includes a new epilogue, which Scobie calls the "thrive chapter", documenting the couple's life since living in California for over a year.

ITV royal producer Lizzie Robinson shared the news in a tweet, adding, "The publishers say it will cover behind the scenes of Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah, details behind the move to California, and their "heartbreak" over Prince Philip's death."

Duncan Larcombe, author of Prince Harry: The Inside Story, declared there would be "no chance" of a reconciliation if the book contains any more negative stories about the royal family.

"That really will be the final straw," Mr Larcombe told Closer magazine.

"That'll be it. There will be no chance of a reconciliation ever and all trust will be broken."

The Sussexes hit back at claims they have "reignited a rift" with the royals, with their lawyers, Schilling, writing a statement to a major British newspaper informing them the claims were "false and inaccurate."

"It seems to be an increasing trigger point for the Sussexes," a source told The Daily Beast.

"The claims that have been published were sourced from a new chapter in the unauthorised biography, Finding Freedom. The attorneys for Harry and Meghan claim the authors do not speak for them and that the writers have 'written about their take on matters.'"

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