Princess Anne's Brutal Assessment of Megan Markle's 'Red Carpet Fever' Revealed: 'Nothing… Would Deter her Search for the Spotlight'
Princess Anne quickly noticed Meghan Markle's love of red carpet attention before marrying Prince Harry.
March 30 2026, Updated 3:45 p.m. ET
King Charles III's no-nonsense sister, Princess Anne, clocked Meghan Markle as a desperate attention seeker before the cable TV actress' wedding to Prince Harry, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
"Meghan was gripped by red carpet fever,” Anne reportedly told a friend in London after Harry proposed to the California native in 2017, royal author Tom Bower writes in his new biography, Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family.
Hobnobbing on Red Carpets Over Royal Marine Duties
Markle beamed at having the likes of Beyoncé and Jay-Z greet her at 'The Lion King's London premiere.
"Anne predicted to a friend exactly what would follow. Meghan, she said, was gripped by red carpet fever. Nothing, it seemed, would deter her search for the spotlight," Bower writes about Markle, who finally found fame after she started dating Harry in 2016.
Markle's love of red carpets was never more obvious than when the couple chose to attend the 2019 London film premiere of The Lion King despite it conflicting with a prominent Royal Marines memorial event that Harry was expected to attend as the ceremonial Captain General of the military wing.
The couple infamously walked the yellow carpet with Markle grinning wildly at being the center of attention, then schmoozed in the receiving line with the likes of Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and longtime Disney CEO Bob Iger.
Prince Harry's Pitch for Meghan Markle to Get Work in Hollywood
Prince Harry openly pitched work for wife Markle to Disney's CEO at 'The Lion King' premiere.
It was at the premiere that Harry and Markle claimed they were using the event to "pitch" her skills in Hollywood.
"You know she does voiceovers," the prince said, clearly, to Iger, who looked surprised and responded, "Oh, really?"
"Did you know that? You seem surprised," Harry pressed on, adding about his wife, "She’s really interested."
As Markle responded, "That’s why we’re here – is the pitch!" Iger responded, "Sure. We’d love to try."
The move by the then-working royals was slammed by some in the UK at the time, with Piers Morgan sharing the video and grousing, "The more you watch this, the more cringe-making it gets. Especially when you know Harry missed a big Royal Marines (he's their Captain General) memorial service to be at this Lion King premiere, hustling his wife's voiceover skill."
The former Suits star later landed a voice-over deal with Disney, where she narrated the 2020 documentary Elephant.
Meghan Markle Is Undeterred From Attending Red Carpets Even During PR Crises
Markle smiled and grabbed a friend's pregnant belly on a red carpet right after the scathing 'Variety' article dropped.
During Bower's March 26 appearance on the Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered podcast to discuss his book, the host pointed out that Markle remains undeterred about attending red carpets to this day, even in the face of bad publicity.
Schofield noted the day after a scathing Variety piece documented the Sussexes' dramatic downfall with the streaming giant Netflix, Markle was all smiles and dressed to the nines on a red carpet at the Alliance for Children's Rights gala in Beverly Hills, supporting her honoree pal Kelly McKee Zajfen.
"I couldn't believe after that incredible Variety piece that within like hours, Meghan Markle was on a red carpet in Los Angeles. Anyone in their right mind would duck and hide when you know what hits the fan," the royal expert observed.
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Meghan Markle Is a 'Survivor' When It Comes to Bad Publicity
Author Tom Bower said Markle never allowed herself to be seen looking 'down' or 'defeated' while in public.
Bower responded to Schofield, saying that Markle is a "survivor" and that she won't allow any amount of bad publicity to cause her to appear dejected.
"You never see Megan looking down. You never see her defeated. You never get a hint of vulnerability," the author pointed out.
He added, while making a slight dig about her wardrobe choices, "She disappears and only emerges all well-dressed and all the rest of it when she can put a big smile on, or at least look serious and, well, she thinks to be glamorous, and I think to that extent, you know, she's an extraordinary survivor."
