Meghan Markle has weathered years of harsh press, often managing to brush off the negativity. But according to royal commentator Neil Sean, one particular remark reportedly cut her to the core because it came from someone she deeply admired.
Sean told The Express that Meghan was “inconsolable with tears and at the same time outraged” after Tina Brown, the celebrated former editor of Vanity Fair and Tatler, tore into her publicly. Brown, who was close to Princess Diana and authored the bestselling biography The Diana Chronicles, held a special place in Meghan’s life. The duchess had studied the book as she prepared to join the royal family, hoping it would help her better understand Prince Harry and his late mother.
That’s why Sean says Meghan was left “bereft” by Brown’s words. “She admired Tina Brown and, in particular, read her books simply because of her connection to Princess Diana… she wanted to find a better connection so she could understand her husband Prince Harry and how he felt about his mother.”
On The Ankler podcast last October, Brown, who also wrote the 2022 bestseller The Palace Papers, didn’t hold back. She claimed Meghan “has the worst judgment of anyone in the entire world” and went further, saying Meghan is “flawless about getting it all wrong. All of her ideas are total c—, unfortunately.”
Brown also turned her attention to Harry, describing him as “impetuous” and suggesting his departure from royal life was inevitable. “He was so fragile, so combustible, he was so unhappy, frankly, in the constraints of the royal family,” she said. According to her, Meghan’s influence gave him the push. “He was terribly impressed by Meghan. He thought that she knew all. She persuaded him that she was the savvy Hollywood wheeler-dealer who could come in and make them stars… and he just sort of blindly followed her like a child, really.”
Still, Brown acknowledged Harry’s unique talent within the monarchy. “The thing about Harry is he’s very good at being Prince Harry. And that’s the tragedy of all of this; he is the most talented member of the royal family, without doubt, in terms of being a prince… he’s really sort of flawless at it.”
She suggested his return could boost the monarchy, but believed it would only be possible without Meghan. She noted Harry still shines when representing himself internationally: “When he goes on these much-mocked foreign trips, he’s just really good at it. He’s charming, he’s funny, he’s sweet, he’s authentic again. He has a real sense of being true and real, and he’s flawless at it.”
Brown lamented the irony of the situation, saying it’s sad Harry can’t return to a role the monarchy “desperately needs” given King Charles’ cancer, Kate Middleton’s ongoing recovery, and Prince William’s heavy responsibilities. But she also pointed out a familiar issue within the family. “He does upstage William. There’s no doubt about it.”
In past interviews, Brown has speculated that Diana would have worried about Meghan’s influence. She told The Daily Beast in 2022 that Diana “would have been very, very protective of Harry and I believe very anxious about this direction they [he and Meghan] have taken,” adding that Diana might not have been the fan Meghan imagined.