Author claims aide Sam Cohen said dealing with Prince Harry and Meghan was like dealing with teens

Royal author Valentine Low has claimed Prince Harry’s former aide said dealing with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was like ‘dealing with teenagers’.

Speaking to Palace Confidential, the author, who wrote Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown, claimed that Samantha Cohen, who was a highly regarded courtier, was treated “harshly” by Harry and Meghan before they left the royal family and moved to Montecito.

The writer also revealed a little behind the scenes of the mounting tensions that plagued Kensington Palace before Harry and Meghan tied the knot in 2018.

He also claimed that Meghan made “shattering” remarks to a royal aide charged with organizing media coverage for the wedding when she told her: “Listen, if there’s anyone else I can get to do this, I would.’

The writer also revealed a little behind the scenes of the mounting tensions that plagued Kensington Palace before Harry and Meghan tied the knot in 2018.

Highly regarded in the royal household, Samantha worked for the Queen before joining Harry’s team.

Her working relationship with Prince Harry was cordial when she started, Low said.

“When she started Harry knew her well, and she liked her and she liked Harry. Sam is an incredible problem solver, she’s a can-do personality and she just found it really difficult,” he said.

“She was asked to do things a private secretary wouldn’t normally do and I think she was treated harshly.

Samantha Cohen was loved by the royal household, having worked for the Queen before joining Sussexen’s team (pictured in 2021)

“She was verbally abused by Meghan … she allegedly said that hanging out with them was like hanging out with some teenagers,” he claimed.

Low also described the ‘shattering’ expression the Duchess used for one of her team and went into detail about what he thinks really happened during the Tiaragate saga.

“Problems started before the wedding about everything,” he said, “the choir, the food.”

A recurring problem was the way the royal family shared details about the event with the press.

“The palace would give details about the cake, the dress, whatever, to keep the media happy,” he explained.

Samantha attended Meghan’s first ever official engagement to the Queen in the town of Widnes in Halton in 2018

He revealed that the Duchess was not happy with the arrangement and alternative plans were put on the table.

“There was a poor woman who presented an alternative plan and Meghan was very unhappy with the alternative plan,” he continued.

Low then claimed, the Duchess said to the assistant, “Believe me if there was anyone else I could have done this, I would.”

Low also revealed on the show that Harry’s frustrations with his team also stemmed from wanting to make his mark before his “shelf life” expired.

The author claimed that the Duke feared royals would become less relevant as they age and move into the line of succession, and was keen to build a lasting legacy before Prince George’s 18th birthday.

Valentine’s Book Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown, published by Headline, is now out and chronicles the Sussex’s deteriorating relationship with their staff – a “succession of…decent people” who had believed in Meghan and “would have done anything” ” to help the couple succeed.

The respected courtier was among the guests to attend the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on 19 May 2018.

Low claimed courtiers felt they were being ‘played’ by Meghan, who never intended to stay in the royal family (pictured on her and Harry’s wedding day)

But it claims aides came to believe Meghan’s departure was premeditated and that “one of” [her] concern was whether she would be able to make money for herself’.

One ex-employee told the author, “She wanted to be rejected because she was obsessed with that story from day one.”

And sources said her team reportedly repeatedly said of her, “We were played.”

The book claims that staff became convinced the Duchess wanted to show how the institution was failing her — even feeling there was a cynical motive behind her decision to complain to HR bosses, who listened sympathetically but offered no help.

“This was inevitable: HR is for human resources, not for members of the Royal Family,” the book says. “Meghan would probably have known that, so what was she doing there? Laying a trail of evidence would be the cynical answer.’

A former employee told Low: “Everyone knew the institution would be judged on its luck. The mistake they made was that they thought she wanted to be happy.’

In her interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, Meghan highlighted the difference between the Queen and those who surrounded her — those who she said refused to help when she was in her hour of greatest need and perpetuated “falseities” about her.