Why was Princess Eugenie shocked to see her personal gift from Meghan Markle listed for sale online?

A handwritten inscription addressed to “Eug & Jack” and referencing Frogmore Cottage marked the item that triggered an urgent phone call between two members of the royal family. The object in question was a first-edition copy of “The Bench,” Meghan’s 2021 children’s picture book, which had been listed online with an asking price of £20,000.

The unexpected eBay appearance

Rob Shuter reported in his Substack newsletter that Princess Eugenie personally called Meghan Markle following the surfacing of the gift on eBay. According to a source cited by Shuter, the listing featured the specific volume originally given as a personal present to Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank.

“The Bench” explores the bond of fatherhood through a mother’s eyes. Meghan has stated that the work began as a poem she wrote for Prince Harry on his first Father’s Day after their son, Archie, was born.

Denial of deliberate snub

Eugenie was reportedly shocked by the listing. A source told Shuter that she made it absolutely clear she would never knowingly sell a personal gift from Meghan. The princess expressed horror that the book had somehow ended up for sale.

An insider noted that Eugenie herself has no answer regarding how the item left her possession. “What mattered to her was making sure Meghan knew this wasn’t some deliberate snub,” the source said.

House moves and unresolved mystery

Sources indicated that Eugenie and Jack have moved house and split their time between homes over the years. This circumstance raised the possibility that the book was misplaced, stored, or passed along without their knowledge.

The two women reportedly maintain a close bond, and the eBay listing has since disappeared. Meghan reportedly accepted Eugenie’s explanation. Even so, the source added, “nobody can explain how the book got there,” and the mystery remains unsolved.