On the latest episode of Royal Exclusive my guests described how the public have “yearned” for their return after Harry and Meghan’s summer of “havoc”.

And we discussed and how the royals through service and public engagements can “stay above the fray” and avoid getting sucked into the Sussex “tornado”.

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Fergie is moving back to Britain seven months since she was exiled from Royal Lodge, I can exclusively reveal.

The 66-year-old former Duchess of York has been hiding out in Austria and Switzerland after damaging Jeffrey Epstein scandals.

In The Sun today we reveal she is returning to restart her life and is renting a new bolthole in the Home Counties.

I will not reveal the location of the new home but safe to say she has landed on her feet.

But she is not living with former husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor or at a royal property, is all I can say for now.

Her vast home may not be as luxurious as Royal Lodge but has ended an ‘extended period’ where she has lived abroad.

Yet it is the kind of property fit for a former royal wanting to rebuild her life.

The gated home has six bedrooms, manicured grounds, multiple bathrooms and £10,000-a-month rent.

Sarah has a habit of reinventing herself and landing on her feet. She is a survivor.

I understand she has done some soul-searching in the time she has been abroad.

But I don’t believe the questions back home about Jeffrey Epstein have gone away.

We first found her in Austria in April as she fled the UK when she was booted out of Royal Lodge after she was stripped of her titles.

After her 90-day visa in the EU expired she moved to Verbier, Switzerland, staying at former lover Paddy McNally’s chalet.

Despite claims to the contrary, I understand she has not travelled to Portugal to see her latest granddaughter Adelaide.

She also avoided Paddy’

s funeral this summer, with daughter Beatrice attending instead.

Fergie didn’t want to cause a distraction at either, I’m told.

I understand she hoped to move back to Britain unnoticed as all the attention would be on another red-headed royal. Tough luck.

Harry and Meghan landed on Wednesday with Archie and Lilibet.

Meanwhile, removal vans began unloading Fergie’s belongings at her rented home.

They also picked up possessions that had been stored at Andy’s exile in Marsh Farm, Sandringham.

So, we have Harry and Fergie with new homes in Britain. Two scandal-hit red-headed royals. Autumn will be busy on the royal beat (I’m still allegedly on my annual leave by the way…)

What do you think Fergie will be doing when she comes back? Is she welcome? Should she answer questions? Is the Epstein scandal forgotten?

For the full story read me at www.thesun.co.uk

Thanks for reading. Matt

William and Catherine have always been the Royal Family’s jewels in the crown but how did a simple hop to the Caribbean in March 2022 land so, so badly?

This week it was announced The King and Queen are travelling to the Caribbean.

They will carry out an overseas tour to Antigua and Barbuda in the autumn, with Charles also undertaking solos trip to the Bahamas, and then Guyana.

I was on William and Catherine’s ill-fated tour with royal reporter Kate Mansey, now of The Times, and we debated what went wrong, on this week’s episode of Royal Exclusive Rewind.

It is a story of bad organisation, a social media frenzy, misrepresented photos and a political ambush. But I can’t fault the couple.

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But when the Sussexes left for the US six years ago after Megxit, Harry later confessed “we didn’t have a plan”.

Now they’ve arrived back in Birmingham, on a private jet, we ask again what’s the plan?

This is my understanding of what to expect this time for what has been dubbed ‘Regrexit’.

There are three number of motivations at play; family, schooling and work.

Let’s start with work. The couple need to find ways to earn money quick.

They will not receive any funding from the Sovereign Grant because they are not working royals. And there will be no changes to their official status, palace insiders say.

Talks continue on Meghan appearing in Netflix drama ‘The Gentlemen’ filmed in the UK, I understand.

But preliminary talks to appear on a show can’t be the sole reason for return and is not a guaranteed money-earner.

It remains early days and the proposal came recently, I’m told.

If acting roles in the US have dried up after their Netflix deal was downgraded 12 months ago to a ‘first look’option then maybe there are genuinely work opportunities here.

All of Harry’s patronages and charities are in the UK from WellChild, Scotty’s Little Soldiers and the Invictus Games is held in Birmingham next year. But none of those provide an income.

He ended his Chief Impact Officer (Chimpo) role at Silicon Valley mental heath coaching start-up BetterUp 12 months ago. Harry doesn’t have a job.

He has carried out paid speaking engagements in the US which but presumably could continue. It is clear his focus is on Britain. But he needs work.

As Ever will apparently continue running with Meghan in the UK and we are told it is profitable but that is not going to run an expensive household

They arrive without taxpayer-funded armed bodyguards and worrying overheads include security and a hefty legal bill after his failed case against the Mail.

I don’t think the Bank of Dad is open.

Next is schooling. To enrol children in school needs planning so there must have been months if not years of thought. Changing schools for a five and seven year old, let alone country, is not done on a whim.

A stable education would be ideal rather than moving multiple schools in different countries.

Could they really just stay here for six months? Seems an unlikely risk for Archie and Lilibet.

They have found accommodation. But we don’t yet know where or whether it’s been rented, borrowed or bought. Yet getting a new home also takes time to arrange.

How about family? His dad has cancer and they had their Highgrove family reunion but no one else is talking to him.

This move was not even discussed when Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet were reunited last month, we are told.

The King as only informed last Sunday, just three days before even I found out about it.

William and Catherine remain unfussed and will ‘keep calm and carry on’. The couple have more important things to do than invite the Sussexes to Forest Lodge.

They have a new perspective on life over the last six years. And as I wrote here last week, William has on several important occasions offered the olive branch to his brother, which conveniently get forgotten.

The family dynamic is by far the most prickly element of their return as they are not being welcomed with open arms.

There has been no official response from Buckingham Palace or the Royal Family who have all been at Balmoral,

Plus, there is still so much recent bad blood to overcome, namely Oprah, Spare and their Netflix doc.

I was recently reminded by a friend of an episode of their Netflix six-parter ‘Harry & Meghan’, when producer pal Tyler Perry was interviewed.

The Hollywood mover and shaker is close enough to the couple to become Archie’s godfather and loaned them his mansion when they had apparently has “just 13 suitcases” and nowhere to live after fleeing UK and then Canada during Covid lockdown in 2020.

Perry has never met the British Royal Family but gave his opinion on how perceived they treated Harry and Meghan, saying: “I saw my mother be abused for years; I knew the symptoms. I knew what it was like.”

“This woman was abused.”

On rushing to Meghan’s aid, he said: “I could hear the fear. It was palpable. I mean, I could hear it.”

He compared the Royal Family’s treatment of the couple to a “batterer”.

Where did he get this idea from? How did he form this opinion?

Harry and Meghan’s company Archewell Productions was one of three companies listed as producing the series, let’s not forget, which allowed his interview to be aired.

And yet they are still returning without addressing, denying or distancing themselves from such accusations.

These wounds are not healed, on either side of the Atlantic.

We hear it’s a ‘extended period of time’ of maybe as short as six months, or Harry has a 15-year plan. Does anyone really know? Do they know?

Their dogs are coming to Britain but their chickens stay in Montecito (so not putting all eggs in one basket?)

Just a final thought. We’ve had an amazing summer in Britain. Endless days of sunshine. Anyone can come spend a week in July wandering the countryside of Althorp, driving round the Scottish Highlands, the endless warm nights. They would think it is a paradise. Summer in Britain is special. And this one was best in living memory.

Try the same experience between November and April under grey skies when the sun barely emerges. Let’s see of the p;an works under stress. Just a thought…

What do think?

Thanks for reading. Matt

But talks are still continuing over plans for Meghan to appear in Guy Ritchie’s Netflix drama ‘The Gentleman’, I’m led to believe.

I freely admit I have little inside knowledge of the nuance of how TV deals are done… but I imagine they take time.

I also imagine nothing is settled until there is ink on contracts.

The time gap between leaks revealing Meghan was in ‘talks’ to appear on ‘The Gentleman’ to stories she has been ditched due to ‘backlash’ was alarmingly short. Just a matter of hours.

Nothing has been signed, as far as I’m aware, and so talks go on, again, as far as I’m aware.

Surely it would be daft to base a whole career move to the UK on a television deal that has no chance of materialising. But what do I know!

What I do know is, however awfully toe-curling  ‘With Love, Meghan’ was, it gained a lot of attention and decent numbers (for series one, at least).

While six-parter ‘Harry & Meghan’ may have torpedoed the Sussexes reputations as they traded trade royal secrets for princely sums, it was a ratings winner.

Using my imagination again, you’d think the likes of Netflix would be queuing up to attach themselves to Meghan’s return to acting. In the showbiz world, isn’t that a big deal?

I might be living in dreamland. But this story is over yet until It is.

Meghan was once briefcase model number 24 on Deal or No Deal and we still don’t know if the

gentleman a banker.

What do you think? Thanks for reading. Matt 

But, the symbolism of unity this summer is timed to perfection because in just a short few days Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet will return to the UK.

Sure, this week is not a 2020 Sandringham Summit-style gathering. Nowhere near.

But you don’t have to be a psychic to guess that Harry’s return will likely be informally discussed at the family barbecues, walks around the Highlands, car journeys and meal times.

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But seven months after The Sun first revealed he will get a review of his security arrangements - it has finally taken place just days before his return.

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Meghan, who made her name on drama Suits, gave up acting when she met Harry ten years ago.

Questions have been asked what is in it for Meghan when the couple return at the end of the month.

Harry will spend more time with his father and their children have been enrolled in schools.

But… Meghan has an acting job, it has been confirmed.

The details of the project have not yet been released.

She had minor movie roles in her time in USA and also appeared as a suitcase girl on Deal of No Deal.

Last October The Sun she had signed on to appear in a small cameo as herself Amazon MGM Studios’ production Close Personal Friends.

So it is worth remembering these five relevant facts:

1) It was William who invited Harry and Meghan to join him and Catherine and make

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The Prince and Princess of Wales have arrived in Balmoral, following the King’s arrival there on Tuesday — just two days after Harry first told his father the news.

While William and Kate were stunned at the news, I understand the couple plan to “rise above it” and not let the Sussex drama derail their “commitment to service and duty”.

Sources tell me that all the Waleses have been through with Kate’s cancer diagnosis over the past few years “has put everything in perspective”.

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The disgraced royal turned down a summer holiday in the Highlands moaning he feels "abandoned" and would only be treated as an "outcast" if he made the trip to Scotland, friends said.

The King has not seen his disgraced brother - who…

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Sharing photos on Instagram the 36-year-old princess revealed her newborn’s name had royal connections.

Adelaide Elizabeth Annina Brooksbank was born in Lisbon, Portugal on August 3.

She was named after people she and Jack “love and admire, past and present”, it is un…

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But Princess Beatrice, dressed all in black. attended the service at St James’ Church, Sevenhampton, in Wiltshire today.

Former motorsport tycoon Paddy, an ex-lover and long-time friend of Sarah Ferguson, died last month aged 88 years old.

Sa…

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Now, realise the next guaranteed generation to take the reins are George, 13, Charlotte, 11, and Louis, 8. And ponder by the time all three are called up for duty, Catherine and William could be in their 60s, while Anne, Camilla and Charles their 90s.

With the Sussexes abroad, Beatrice and Eugenie sidelined and Zara and Peter  sidestepping the Firm, it means James Earl of Wessex, 18, and Lady Louise, 22, now starting their careers, are logically next in line and an excellent fit.

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In just a few weeks, she was forced to hide on her trip to the UK then left without a photo with the King, and now she has been blasted by Martha Stewart, while her Cookie Queens docu-film was beaten in the box office by… cat videos.

Rewind exactly ten years and Meghan's career and life were both on a legitmate high. She was enjoying her so-called 'single girl summer' in 2016, travelling around glam spots in Europe and documenting it all on her blog The Tig - before going on her first date with Harry.

As she gushed on her Netflix ‘Harry & Meghan’ series years later: "Talk about a plot twist."

But now the story line in this real-life drama series is in a downward spiral. I debated her dogged days of summer with Samara Gill and Bronte Coy on this week's show Royal Exclusive, now online.

Firstly, take her doc Cookie Queens which took a strikingly bad £500 at the box office losing to a series of viral cat videos - despite Meghan's huge personal promotional push.

Samara told the show: "Every cookie that she touches crumbles.”

She added: “Unfortunately, it does seem like she's having a summer of discontent."

I’d much rather watch a series about viral cat videos all day long. There was no competition. But Is the fact that Meghan and Harry's name is attached to a production unhelpful?

Samara added: "Meghan has presented herself as not a commercially viable producer in that sort of way.

"Everything that she has done apart from when she moans about the royal family hasn't done very well.

“Harry's polo documentary was also not a massive success by any sort of stretch of the imagination."

She added: "They believe that they can just put their name on something and it will immediately turn to gold. But that's not the case."

As Ever bombed badly on Netflix (although intriguingly it has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy) and it appears everything Meghan touches has the opposite to the Midas touch.

Bronte added: "There's probably a very strong lesson being learned, which is that as much heart and worthiness as these topics have, The Heart of Invictus and the Cookie Queens, I don't think that there is a market for it from them."

So far Meghan and Harry's only success was the six-part docu-series on Netflix four years ago.

While 'Harry & Meghan' may have been lucrative for their bank accounts, it was calamitous for their reputation and demolished their trust with the rest of the Royal Family

Meanwhile, Martha Stewart should be a role-model for Meghan but even this American hero has cast doubt over Meghan's qualities. And her disapproval has got to hurt.

The businesswoman gave an interview to People magazine - usually a publication that lends their wholehearted support to the Sussex - which was not only unflattering but alleged Meghan was breaching the confidentiality terms of her Highgrove showdown with Charles and Camilla.

Martha told them: "If you're an actress, it's hard to then transition to a princess and then from a princess into a homemaking guru on a television show. It doesn’t sort of follow. So go from there.”

Ouch. Meghan. Ouch.

Bronte said Martha’s dismissal would be "bruising" for the Duchess and her foray into being a lifestyle guru as it is “implying Meghan doesn't have the experience or expertise" to succeed.

The only way Meghan can silence her critics is through success, which is not forthcoming because the crumbling cookie is not Meghan's only summer disaster.

She travelled back to the UK last month but far from enjoying a heroic return she was not seen in public and then unable to share publicly any details from her family reunion with the King.

But Martha was not finished with sticking the knife in.

She revealed People magazine: "I had dinner with Meghan Markle the other night. We were both guests at a dinner party in California. And she had just gotten back from the palace. I didn’t talk to her really more than to say a couple words, but I know she was talking about it."

The 'it' means the confidential King reunion, right. Meghan couldn’t help herself?

Bronte said: "If Meghan has gone to a dinner party and even casually spoken about it, this has huge implications for their relationship with the royal family.”

She added: "It's a massive deal. I just can't believe that Martha would make that up because it's such a random thing to say."

Meghan's team, of course, hit back saying Martha was sat nowhere near the royal, that  Meghan only spoke about her holiday in Europe, and worst of all, that 85-year-old Martha was "confused".

Recollections may vary. Again.

The thing is, despite denials it is completely believable that Meghan would talk about the trip. When she was made to hide from public view in the UK that was humiliating. Then she posted a string of photos to tell everyone she was there and having a wonderful time.

So of course she would want people to know what she had done, especially esteemed peers at a Montecito dinner party.

Her chattiness displayed a ‘lack of restraint", Bronte (politely) called it, on Royal Exclusive.

I wrote the other day here on Substack that for her birthday Meghan needed friends and losing people as influential as Martha Stewart proves my point.

Harry and Meghan are now marking ten years together. Back in 2016, Meghan was celebrating her 'single girl summer' before meeting Harry.

Appearing on the Netflix series ‘Harry & Meghan show she said: "I had a career, I had my life, I had my path… then came H." She then added: "Talk about a plot twist."

But the plot is twisting badly for the Duchess of Sussex this season and from now it appears she is suffering A Midsummer Night's (Bad) Dream.

To watch this week’s show visit:

https://youtu.be/uEfSD4hG-3o?is=5NbgMH-k5a3GIJq7

Thanks for reading. Matt

The palace often leapt to Harry’s defence after ugly incidents made the front pages yet to many his escapades splashed across the tabloids…

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1) The Reluctant King, by Sarah Bradford 

An absolute gem of a book about King George VI. I picked it up in a charity shop for £1 and couldn’t put it down. Published in 1990 nearly 40 years after his death it looks back on his journey as the ‘Spare’ who was catapulted onto the throne due to scandal and rose to the occasion with a sense of duty and purpose. He led Britain through World War II and died aged 56. Churchill gets plaudits for rallying the nation in the war but remember the crowds gathered at Buckingham Palace at VE Day not Downing Street. 

2) Our King, by Robert Jobson

There are some absolutely immense chapters in this book because Robert understands what makes Charles tick and it shows. I know Jobbo well, and honestly, reading his prose is just like sitting down with him over a cup of tea and listening to him speak with passion and insight about Charles, which I’ve done on many occasions.

3) Rebel Prince, by Tom Bower

Critical, well-researched and richly written, Tom goes deep, deep into some uglier aspects of Charles’s life as Prince of Wales. At times the chapters are so thick with detail you have to read them twice. Can be quite cruel towards Charles at times. But provides a more rounded and unvarnished look at the man before he was King.

4) William & Catherine, by Russell Myers

The Wales story is a love story, right? This is a vital look at how William and Catherine’s partnership got them to where they are. It’s very up to date tackling recent issues such as Catherine’s cancer struggles and Meghan’s departure. Russell, like me, is on the daily rota reporting with front row access so it’s a great study of the ‘now’. It will be great to return to this book in a couple of years and compare  where and how the couple have travelled.

5) Entitled, by Andrew Lownie 

A book so powerful it which quite literally shook the foundations of the House of York and Royal Family. Timing is everything, they say, and coming out at a time when Andrew and Sarah’s life fell apart so dramatically, Lownie’s scoop-filled book deserves all of its accolades because it’s a change-maker.

6) To Tread on Royal Toes, by Ray Bellisario

Ray was Britain’s first royal ‘pap’ grabbing photos of the family away from the carefully curated images put out by the palace. This 1972 book was given to me by a photographer friend and after reading Ray’s pioneering work and seeing the astonishing photos included in his book and stories behind them, I had a new found respect for the work carried out every day my much-maligned royal photographer colleagues.

7) Diana Closely Guarded Secret, by Inspector Ken Wharf with Robert Jobson

Ken knew Diana as well as anyone did and had the right to tell his story. Controversial, groundbreaking, brave, insightful, it stands out from the crowd as a royal memoir. Nothing like it has been written before or since. I picked this up on eBay a few years ago and read it knowing I was going to meet Ken for the first time.

8) Finding Freedom, by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand

A book frozen in time from those heady Megxit days. It has a place in the furniture that comes with the crazy controversy-laden era when Harry and Meghan chose to walk away. Blasted as a ‘hagiography’ and not universally popular it certainly captures the moment. But like its subjects, the book became highly controversial itself, after questions were asked if Meghan and a Harry had contributed. We later found out via a court case against her father that they had indeed, which makes it even more intriguing. (My copy is at work so taken a stock photo!)

9) The Diamond Queen, by Andrew Marr

This was the first book I picked up when was made a royal reporter. I have a lot of affection for Marr’s telling of the late Queen life as I have a lot of affection for the Queen. It was written for her 2012 Diamond Jubilee. Clear, concise, engaging and still relevant.

10) The Royal Encyclopaedia 

Ok, ok, not a book you will take to the beach and won’t fit in your holiday hand luggage either. It has 1,000 entries in alphabetical order from, But I turn to it regularly as it’s the most vital encyclopaedia on the royals. Remember, not everything is on the internet! The 1991 book contains facts, facts, facts and more facts. From Abdication to Zoological Gardens. If it’s not The Royal Encyclopaedia the it’s not important. It was given to me by a veteran journalist on the royal beat and every expert, reporter or anyone who writes about the institution, needs this on their bookshelf.

And finally…. a bonus book!

Spare by Prince Harry 

Thought I’d throw in an eleventh choice. Every single chapter of Spare is gold for a journalist. I have a PDF version saved on my computer desktop which i can visit and search for passages whenever I need to. And I do a lot. Sure, it was a mistaken endeavour and backfired. But there is no greater insight into Harry than 416 pages of his own words, expertly translated by ghost writer J.R. Moehringer. If you can try to understand the book then you can try to understand Harry.

What do you think of my choices? What have I missed? Will you be turning to any on your summer holiday?

Thanks for reading. Matt 

The teenager has been driving tractors on the King’s 2,700 hectare Sandringham estate while waiting for his A-level results.

James, 18, who is largely kept out of the public eye by his paren…

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