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A royal biographer has revealed how Meghan Markle was secretly furious at Princess Catherine after discovering the line of succession meant she would not be the next queen of England. The Duchess of Sussex was reportedly "angry" when she found out that Prince William would be the next king rather than her husband, Prince Harry.

Speaking on the Daily Expresso podcast, ex-BBC star and royal author Tom Bower explained how Meghan struggled to understand how the next monarch of the UK is chosen on a strict and hierarchical system. He said the former American film and TV actress was accustomed to "working hard, pulling the right strings and manipulating people" in order to "get to the top". She was left fuming when she discovered the Princess of Wales would be the next queen instead of her.

Daily Expresso host JJ Anisiobi said: "Well, speaking of him not being king, is it true Meghan was furious when she found out that Harry wouldn't be king? Surely she knew that already."

Bower replied: "No, I think not." He added: "You see, that whole thing, the thing about Meghan is she's based on the Hollywood principle that if you work hard, pull the right strings, manipulate people the right way, you can get to the top.

"She never really understood until probably too late, but before the wedding, of course, that there is a hierarchical principle that you curtsy and show obedience to, and that's the only way the monarchy can work."

As the eldest son of King Charles III, Prince William is the current heir to the throne. This means that Catherine will become Queen Consort, known as Queen Catherine, upon his ascension to the throne.

Bower, the author of the new book, Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family, added: "And she couldn't believe that Kate, who hadn't really done a proper job, unlike Meghan, who struggled in Hollywood, could be the queen and not she. And therefore, she was angry. And that's why, of course, she plotted right from the outset to get out."

The revelation comes after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned home to the US following their trip to Australia. The couple made appearances in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney to highlight causes such as mental health, homelessness and veterans' issues.

The royal-style trip was privately funded by the Sussexes after a number of charities they are aligned with requested that they visit Australia. They previously stepped back as working members of the Royal Family in January 2020 after marrying in St George's Chapel, Windsor, in May 2018.