After delighting viewers with never-before-seen images of their early romance and wedding in the first part of their documentary series, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle struck new blows at the royal family yesterday.
Speaking publicly about the infamous “Sandringham Summit” for the first time, the Duke of Sussex claimed Prince William “yelled and yelled at him” after announcing he and his wife were stepping down from the royal family.
Meanwhile, the father-of-two sensationally claimed that King Charles “said things that just weren’t true” after refusing to sign off on Harry’s proposal for a “half, half” Megxit deal.
But while the documentary may have strained Prince Harry’s relationship with the royal family, the series also shed a light on one of the Duke’s most steadfastly loyal relatives – Princess Eugenie.
Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Color in June 2016
Despite being born five years apart, Harry and Eugenie often spent time together as children thanks to the friendship between their mothers Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson, who packed the kids for family vacations together.
The 32-year-old mother-of-one was the only royal to appear in Meghan Markle’s personal photo collection featured in the documentary.
From skiing together as kids to hanging out with their significant other, here FEMAIL takes a look back at Prince Harry’s close bond with his cousin.
In the first episode of the series, Prince Harry recounts a skiing holiday he took with his family in 1995 – where he appears to have felt particularly protective of his cousins Beatrice and Eugenie.
Prince Harry and Prince William pose for photographers with their cousins Princess Eugenie (front left) and Princess Beatrice (front right) in 1995
Discussing how he shied away from the limelight, the Duke said: “Paparazzi used to harass us to such an extent that we had to be forced to smile and answer questions to the traveling press.”
The documentary then shows footage of Prince Harry’s photo op with his older brother and two younger cousins, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who were seven and five at the time.
After being told which camera to smile into, then 11-year-old Harry is heard checking in on his young cousins.
From the off he seems to ask: “Are you all right, Eugenie? Beatrice, are you okay?’
Now reflecting on the experience, Prince Harry said: “The deal was we put our skis on and then they would leave us alone.
Princess Eugenie appeared in two episodes of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Netflix series. Pictured: attending a Halloween party with the couple in October 2016
Meghan Markle and Princess Eugenie pose for photos at a Halloween party in October 2016
“Well, some of them would do that, but then the others would follow us or wait for an accident and whip out their cameras. It was never fair, it never worked.’
Later in the episode, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex explained how they partied with Princess Eugenie and now-husband Jack Brooksbank the night before their romance went public.
Eugenie was reportedly among the first to find out about Prince Harry’s relationship with Meghan, who she already knew through mutual friend Misha Nonoo.
In October 2016, Prince Harry received a call from his communications secretary, Jason Knauf, to say that news of his new relationship had hit the press.
Megan recalled, “Well, if it comes out tomorrow, let’s have fun tonight!”
Meghan later revealed the Halloween party’s theme was “post-apocalypse.”
Meghan Markle poses with Prince Harry, Jack Brooksbank, Princess Eugenie and boyfriend Marcus on her night out in Toronto
Harry added: “We went to this Halloween party together where we could be completely dressed up and no one would know. I wore a headscarf and goggles.’
Sharing photos from their night out, Meghan said: “His cousin Eugenie and her boyfriend from back then Jack and my friend Marcus were there too. It was great. Just a silly joke.’
Speaking of the party last year, Meghan told Ellen DeGeneres, “He came to visit me in Toronto and our friends and his cousin Eugenie and now her husband Jack, they came too and the four of us just sneaked out in Halloween costumes spend a fun night on the town before the world knew we were a couple.
“It was a post-apocalypse theme, so we had all these very bizarre costumes on and just had a fun last night.”
In the final episode of the Netflix series, Princess Eugenie reappears when she visits the couple at their new home in Montecito.
Princess Eugenie was captured in the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Netflix documentary spending time with her cousin Prince Harry and his son Archie while they were in Los Angeles
She will be filmed attending the Super Bowl in California in February 2022, playing with little Archie on an unfamiliar beach
Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie envisioned watching the Super Bowl together in February
Eugenie is believed to be the only royal to have visited the Duke and Duchess of Sussex since they moved to California and watched the Super Bowl with Prince Harry in February.
A source told Web at the time: “Harry and Eugenie have always been close since childhood. He always makes her laugh. They share a sense of humor. She is also friends with Meghan and was close to his two previous girlfriends, Chelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas. It was Eugenie who helped build Harry and Cressida. She refuses to leave him. She is a very loyal woman. She’s not someone to take sides.’
In the Netflix documentary, Eugenie can be seen at the Super Bowl in California in February before the clip jumps to her game with three-year-old Archie on an unfamiliar beach.
The Royal also makes an appearance in the opening credits of the series, where she enjoys a bike ride with Prince Harry.
Speaking of the royal cousins’ close relationship, biographer Nigel Crawthorne had previously told Web: “Eugenie had to deal with the embarrassing headlines of her father and mother from a young age.
‘Harry also had to deal with his share of headlines and that bond between them was a great comfort to her.’
“Of all the Queen’s grandchildren, Harry and Eugenie share one of the most natural connections,” write Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand in the Sussex biography Finding Freedom. The book also describes them as the “closest friends”.
Meghan Markle said she was already friends with Princess Eugenie before she met Prince Harry in her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey
Mutual Friends: It is believed that Meghan and Eugenie were introduced through their mutual friend Misha Nonoo. Pictured Nonoo with Meghan in 2015 (left) and Eugenie in 2019
“Like Harry, Eugenie is loyal, honest, and great fun,” the book continues. “The two would spend many nights together in London, sneaking into the back entrances of clubs, like Mahiki, where Jack was once a manager, or Tonteria, where they tumbled shots of Mexican skull-rimmed glasses and a giant Frozen Margarita (with several straws).’
“Not only [Prince Harry] Trust her 100%, but friends said she gives great advice and has always been “extremely wise” over the years.
Eugenie received particular praise in the explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which Harry and Meghan criticized the royal family.
Meghan said: “Eugenie and I knew each other before I knew Harry so that was comfortable […] We are friends with them as a couple.”
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank pictured arriving at the Princess of Wales’ Christmas service at Westminster Abbey last night
On Meghan’s birthday last year, Eugenie wrote: “To celebrate dear Meghan’s 40th birthday, I am contributing 40 minutes of mentorship to help women re-enter the workforce.”
The Sussexes, Eugenie and Jack were all guests at Misha Nonoo’s lavish wedding in Rome in the summer of 2019.
They also have mutual friends in the singer Ellie Goulding and George and Amal Clooney, who were guests at Harry and Meghan’s wedding. Jack is the European Director of Casamigos, the tequila brand co-founded by George.
Last year, Princess Eugenie shared a 40th birthday tribute to her “dear Meghan” in a gushing Instagram post.
On that day, the Duchess of Sussex shared a video with Bridesmaid actress Melissa McCarthy on her charitable foundation Archewell’s website to showcase her new initiative, which encourages people to donate 40 minutes of their time to help someone else or someone to take care of in need.
Eugenie took part in the charitable endeavor and wrote: “To celebrate dear Meghan’s 40th birthday I am contributing 40 minutes of mentorship to help women re-enter the workforce.
“In the past two years, tens of millions of women around the world have retired. If you can, please join me in devoting 40 minutes to fellowship, ministry, or ministering.”
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