Princess Eugenie has reportedly made a personal call to Meghan Markle after a signed first edition copy of the Duchess of Sussex’s book The Bench unexpectedly appeared for sale on eBay with a £20,000 price tag.
The Princess of York is said to have contacted Meghan directly after the personal gift, which Meghan had given to Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, appeared online, prompting questions about how the book had ended up on the resale market.
According to royal commentator Rob Shuter, Eugenie was “horrified” to discover that the book had been listed for such a substantial amount and wanted to make her position clear to Meghan.
“Eugenie called Meghan herself,” Shuter claimed, saying the princess wanted to reassure the Duchess that she would never knowingly sell a personal gift from her.
The reported conversation appears to have been aimed at clearing up the situation directly rather than allowing speculation surrounding the book to create unnecessary tension between the two women.
The copy in question is particularly personal because it was reportedly presented to Eugenie and Jack as a gift celebrating their own journey into parenthood and their connection with the Sussexes.
The first-edition copy also reportedly contains a handwritten inscription addressed to “Eug & Jack,” adding a personal element that makes its appearance on eBay particularly surprising.
The inscription is understood to celebrate the relationship between fathers and sons while also making a reference to Frogmore Cottage, where Harry and Meghan previously lived in the UK.
The Bench, published in 2021, was inspired by Meghan’s own experiences of motherhood and explores the bond between fathers and sons from a mother’s perspective.
Meghan previously explained that the idea for the book began as a poem she wrote for Harry on his first Father’s Day following the birth of their eldest child, Archie.
That personal connection may help explain why the reported eBay listing caused such a strong reaction, particularly if the copy was originally intended as a private keepsake rather than something to be sold.
Eugenie’s reported decision to contact Meghan directly also highlights the relationship she has maintained with the Sussexes despite the wider tensions that have surrounded Harry and Meghan’s relationship with other members of the Royal Family.
Rather than responding publicly or allowing the discovery to fuel further speculation, Eugenie is said to have preferred a private conversation with Meghan to clarify what had happened.
The circumstances behind the book appearing on eBay remain unclear, and there is no confirmed information establishing who listed the copy or how it left Eugenie and Jack’s possession.
For Meghan, who is currently in the UK with Harry and their children, Archie and Lilibet, the reported call would have provided an opportunity to hear directly from Eugenie rather than rely on speculation surrounding the unusual listing.
If Shuter’s account is accurate, Eugenie’s reported outreach was ultimately an attempt to protect her relationship with Meghan and Harry while making clear that she had not deliberately chosen to sell the meaningful gift.
The unusual £20,000 listing has therefore raised more questions than answers, but the reported private conversation between Eugenie and Meghan suggests both sides were keen to prevent the mystery from becoming another source of unnecessary royal tension.
