We take a read of the recent biography that has made global headlines, On Freedom by Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie
As sweet as a cup of English Breakfast with two spoonful’s of sugar, On Freedom by Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie also ends up spilling the tea on what happened behind the palace walls since the meeting of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. So, let’s open the pages of this tale and see if it really sorts the princes from the frogs…
One element that lends particular gravitas to this tell-all biography, despite denials of the involvement of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex themselves, is the amount of insider knowledge and access the authors divulged concerning their travels with the royal couple, as well as the events surrounding the Sussexes’ wedding and their decision to step down as senior members of the Firm. Furthermore, to add to the royal credentials, both authors have played a rich part in royal reporting; as Royal Contributor for ELLE.com and OprahMag.com, Durand has had many crowning glories as a producer and writer who has been covering the royal family for nearly two decades, and Scobie has a title of importance amongst reporters as the Royal Editor at Large for Harper’s Bazaar, a ABC News contributor and Good Morning America regular, and host of the podcast, The Heirpod. Some, in this case, have questioned the reporting’s objectivity, given the authors’ close relationship with the Sussexes, while others have argued it’s about time someone helped share their side of the story.
This is reflected in the prose of the work, which is refreshingly candid and big on the little details. On Freedom is more like a long-form magazine article or first-hand account from a friend than hard-hitting analysis, however, this lends to its charm and provides emotional connection for readers to enjoy. Despite any leniency towards the Sussexes, though, it can’t be denied that the reflection on the reporting of the Duchess of Sussex is truly shocking and forms a key argument concerning the need for media to be held responsible and their biases questioned. Not to mention, due to the publication date, it is incredibly recent reporting, even including the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, addressing the emotional impact of such reporting and retelling the fairy-tale love story with previously unknown, juicy details gives the biography everything an avid fan of the Sussexes could desire.
A divine read that goes down as easy as a high tea, On Freedom is a must read for those interested in knowing more about the couple that has captured the world’s imagination. All you have to do is don that tiara and sip that tea.
This blog post was originally created for Figurati
