Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Friends Speak Out in New Book, Finding Freedom

Gareth Fuller-Pool/Getty Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are the subjects of a new book that sheds light on the couple's quest for "freedom."

A first look at Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family, the buzzy new book being published in the U.S. on August 11, appeared in the U.K. newspaper The Times on Saturday.

The book — which features new interviews with friends of the couple — explores the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's journey, from the early days of their fast-moving romance to the intense tabloid scrutiny they faced and ultimately to their decision to step down as senior royals and move to Los Angeles with 14-month-old son Archie.

Queen's Commonwealth Trust Prince Harry and Meghan Markle participated in a recent call with the Queen's Commonwealth Trust.

A spokesperson for the couple said in a statement, “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not interviewed and did not contribute to Finding Freedom. This book is based on the authors’ own experiences as members of the royal press corps and their own independent reporting.”

The excerpt published in The Times on Saturday explores tensions within the royal family that preceded the couple's departure.

Harry, a source tells authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, "feels that there were so many occasions when the institution and his family could have helped them, stood up for them, backed them up, and never did."

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This isn't the first time friends of the couple have chosen to break their silence. In February 2019, five of the Duchess of Sussex's closest friends spoke to PEOPLE magazine about the "global bullying" they saw Meghan facing in her royal role.

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"Meg has silently sat back and endured the lies and untruths," a friend told PEOPLE at the time.

The Times is publishing portions of the book in three installments beginning today.