LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, have hit back at the author of a new book on Britain's royal family, describing his writing as “deranged conspiracy and melodrama.”
In a strongly worded statement issued on Saturday, Harry and Meghan said author Tom Bower “has long crossed the line from criticism into fixation.”
In extracts of Bower's book published in the Times of London on Friday, the author claimed that Queen Camilla once told a friend Meghan had “brainwashed” her husband. He also alleged that Prince William and his wife Catherine “evidently saw Meghan as a threat rather than an ally” as tensions soared ahead of the Sussexes' decision to leave Britain for the United States and split from the royal family.
“This is someone who has publicly stated, ‘the monarchy in fact depends on actually obliterating the Sussexes from our state of life,’ language that speaks for itself,” Harry and Meghan's statement said.
“He has made a career out of constructing ever more elaborate theories about people he does not know and has never met,” it continued. “Those interested in facts will look elsewhere; those seeking deranged conspiracy and melodrama know exactly where to find him.”
The extracts from Bower's book included passages critical of the couple's financial situation, their charity work and Harry's Invictus Games, an annual sporting competition he founded for wounded, injured and sick military veterans.
Bower previously published “Revenge: Meghan, Harry, And the War Between the Windsors” in 2022.
Britain's Kate, Princess of Wales, and Prince William visit the Fabal Beerhall at the Bermondsey Beer Mile in London, Thursday, March 12, 2026.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung, Pool)
Britain's Queen Camilla attends the second day of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire, England, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (Eddie Mulholland/Pool Photo via AP)
ÅRE, Sweden (AP) — Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin won her record-equaling eighth World Cup slalom of the season Sunday but her main rival in the overall standings was second to keep the pressure on the American star.
Shiffrin dominated the last race before the World Cup Finals to beat Emma Aicher of Germany by 0.94 seconds, with Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener a second off the pace in third.
“That was really amazing. I was like pretty nervous, pretty excited, but in the end it was challenging to ski,” Shiffrin said. “I pushed really hard. Quite happy to get to the finish, too.”
Second place marked the career-best result in slalom for Aicher, who in recent weeks has become a threat to Shiffrin’s quest for what would be the American’s record-equaling sixth overall title.
With four events remaining – one race in each discipline – the German all-rounder trails leader Shiffrin by 140 points, with each race win worth 100 points.
Shiffrin had lost five points of her advantage when she finished one spot behind Aicher in fifth in Saturday’s GS, before gaining 20 on her rival following Sunday's win.
Focusing on slalom and GS this season, and two starts in super-G, Shiffrin has amassed 1,286 points in total, including 880 from the slalom discipline. She already locked up her record ninth slalom globe in January, weeks before the Olympics.
Aicher has gathered nine podiums this season across slalom, super-G and downhill, with three wins from the speed events.
Shiffrin also won eight slaloms in the 2018-19 season, a feat previously only achieved by Croatian great Janica Kostelic 25 years ago.
Shiffrin raised her career tally to 72 wins in slalom and 109 overall — both are World Cup records.
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United States' Mikaela Shiffrin, center, winner of an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, poses with second placed Germany's Emma Aicher, left, and third placed Switzerland's Wendy Holdener, in Are, Sweden, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin listens to the national anthem on the podium after winning an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Are, Sweden, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin reacts after winning an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Are, Sweden, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
Austria's Katharina Truppe speeds down the course, during an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Are, Sweden, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
Germany's Emma Aicher speeds down the course, during an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Are, Sweden, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin prepares to start, during an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Are, Sweden, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course, during an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Are, Sweden, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
