The Duke of Sussex’s Team Vehemently Rejects New Book’s Allegations of a 2013 Brawl and Andrew Calling Meghan an “Opportunist,” Amidst Ongoing Royal Family Tensions.
August 2, 2025, London, UK: The gossip mill about the royal family is going crazy again, but this time Prince Harry is fighting back hard. A new book makes alarming accusations about a fight between Harry and his uncle, Prince Andrew, and says that Meghan Markle was the recipient of nasty insults behind the scenes. A representative for the Duke of Sussex, on the other hand, has quickly and strongly denied these shocking claims in order to clear the air.
A spokeswoman for the Duke of Sussex told PEOPLE magazine, “I can confirm that neither of those things are true.” Prince Harry and Prince Andrew have never fought each other in person, and Prince Andrew never said those things about the Duchess of Sussex to Prince Harry. It’s a clear, strong counterattack against claims that might be really harmful.
The Book’s Bold Claims: A Bloody Nose and “Opportunist” Comments
The denial is a direct response to Andrew Lownie’s latest book, “Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York.” An excerpt from the book that was published in the Daily Mail makes things sound really dramatic. It says that there was a “heated argument” between Harry and Andrew during a family event in 2013. What was meant to be the flashpoint? “Something Andrew said behind Harry’s back.” The book says that this fight got so bad that “punches were thrown” and Andrew ended up with a “bloody nose.”
But the book goes on. It also says that Prince Andrew privately had misgivings about Harry’s relationship with Meghan, calling her a “opportunist” and chillingly predicting that their marriage wouldn’t endure. These claims are quite personal and might affect Harry and Meghan’s relationship.
Wider Royal Rifts: Andrew’s Controversial Position and William’s Alleged Push
Lownie’s book says that the supposed problems between Prince Andrew, 65, and his two nephews, Harry and Prince William, 43, had been going on for years. The book even says that Prince William has been discreetly working behind the scenes to get Andrew out of Royal Lodge, the beautiful Windsor home where he lives now. It also says that William has privately spoken bad things about both Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, 65, which paints a picture of a family that is very broken.
PEOPLE contacted the appropriate palaces in reaction to these broad assertions. Kensington Palace, which speaks for Prince William, didn’t respond, and Buckingham Palace, which speaks for the rest of the Royal Family, didn’t respond right away. The fact that the palaces haven’t said anything, together with Harry’s strong denial, makes things much more interesting.
The book Entitled also goes back to Andrew’s very problematic history and looks into his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Because of all the attention he’s getting, Andrew’s reputation has taken a big hit. He has lost most of his formal duties and is no longer in the public eye.
A Wish for Peace in the Middle of Ongoing Trouble
This new book is only the latest in a long series of books and news stories that have caused a lot of trouble by talking about the problems within the British Royal Family. A lot of these familial problems have gotten worse since Harry and Meghan made the big decision in 2020 to leave their royal duties and start a new life in California.
Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, are now living in Montecito and taking care of their two kids, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4. They have mostly focused on charitable work and starting their own businesses, which has allowed them to break free from the rules of royal life.
Prince Harry has openly said that he wants to make up with his family, even though there have been long-standing and often severe disagreements between them. But he is still very focused on what he perceives as his main job: keeping his wife and kids safe. “I would love to make up with my family.” In May, Prince Harry told the BBC, “There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore.” This was a touching comment that showed how much he wanted peace, even as new accusations keep coming up.