Stories about Prince Harry getting into a fist fight with Prince Andrew have not been removed from a biography despite Harry saying it never happened, the author told Newsweek.
Historian Andrew Lownie’s new book Entitled charts the rise and fall of Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson with eye popping details about Jeffrey Epstein, mistreatment of staff and more.
Yet it was a few passages about Prince Harry that wound up giving publisher William Collins, an imprint of Harper Collins, a legal headache after the book suggested Harry gave Andrew a bloody nose in a fist fight in 2013.
The book also suggested Andrew said Meghan Markle was an “opportunist” and told Harry marrying her was a mistake.
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Why It Matters
Harry strongly denied the account and, as revealed by Newsweek, sent a legal letter to the Daily Mail, which serialized the book, as well as the publisher.
What To Know
Lownie told an upcoming episode of Newsweek‘s The Royal Report podcast: “Harry wasn’t in my book at all. And I think when the book came in, the publisher said, maybe just out of interest, what was the relationship between Andrew and Harry?
“So I went to my source and they gave me that little paragraph talking about the two altercations in 2013 and then over Megan in 2017. And I put it in and I didn’t think any of us thought that it was anything but a sort of passing moment.
“I mean, I don’t remember the lawyers even raising it but clearly he took umbrage at the suggestion that he had defended his wife’s honor and instead of just asking for a correction or anything, sent off legal letters to Harper Collins, my publishers.
“I had to double down with my source and make sure it was accurate, which we believe it is. Collins have responded in a responsible way, they’ve added a line actually, and I recorded the line for the audiobook a couple of days ago, just saying that Harry denies these allegations. And I I hope that will be the end of it.
“I mean, I don’t think it’s defamatory. I think it actually presents him in quite a positive light and certainly there was no desire to cause offense. It was just a sort of reflection.”
What Prince Harry’s Camp Said
After the book was serialized in the Daily Mail earlier in August, Harry’s team told Newsweek: “Such are the gross inaccuracies, damaging and defamatory remarks made in the Daily Mail‘s story, I can confirm a legal letter from Prince Harry‘s counsel has been sent to the Mail.”
An earlier statement, also sent to Newsweek, read: “I can confirm Prince Harry and Prince Andrew have never had a physical fight, nor did Prince Andrew ever make the comments he is alleged to have made about the Duchess of Sussex to Prince Harry.”
What Happens Next
The book was released on Thursday and time will tell whether Prince Harry does file a lawsuit.
Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek‘s The Royals Facebook page.
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