Prince Harry returns to the hot seat

Prince Harry is in the hot seat (again) thanks to his upcoming $20M memoir and Thomas Markle’s controversial new Fox News interview where he claims he will be petitioning the California courts so that he can meet his grandchildren. Back in the UK, however, everything is moving along swimmingly as the royal family celebrates Prince George’s 8th birthday and the Queen heads to Scotland for her annual summer holiday. Here’s everything you need to know…

What are Harry’s motives for writing the book? Royal experts aren’t exactly sure. Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline Harry was ‘exorcising his demons’ with the book – but queried how one-sided it would be. ‘Will it be his truth or the truth? And will they be the same or different?’ Fitzwilliams asked. Meanwhile, one royal insider remarked tartly: ‘A book by Harry, as written by Meghan.’ Another source revealed that the announcement had provoked ‘much eye-rolling. ‘I think everyone is just tired of being angry when it comes to those two,’ the source said.

Prince Harry said of his project: ‘I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become. I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story— the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned — I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a firsthand account of my life that’s accurate and wholly truthful.’

Sources close to Prince Charles said Harry’s father was ‘surprised’ at the news and that the royals had not been warned in advance that a book was in the offing until the news broke on Monday. Harry’s suggestion that he would be writing about his ‘mistakes’ and the ‘lessons’ he has learned also raised eyebrows. Royal sources said they believed that the prince had ‘never been one to willingly admit’ any mistakes and had spent the last three years ‘blaming everyone except himself and his wife’ for the catastrophic breakdown in relations with his family.