A children’s book with a handwritten note to a royal cousin has appeared on the resale market, and it has set off questions about where it came from and how it ended up for sale.
The Listing
A copy of Meghan Markle’s children’s book The Bench, with what looks like a personal handwritten message to Princess Eugenie, has been listed on eBay for almost £20,000. The asking price is £19,999, roughly $26,400, and the seller will consider offers.
The listing is run by Drive Easy’s Signed Books, a London-based dealer. The seller describes the business as a professional bookseller specializing in signed and inscribed books.
What the Inscription Says
The message is written in a black calligraphic hand and calls Eugenie “Eug,” a nickname used by close family including her sister, Princess Beatrice. The note is dated 2021 and addressed to Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank. It speaks of the bond between fathers and sons and says the poem was written at Frogmore. Meghan expresses hope that Eugenie will see the same love there with her own family, and signs off with “All love, Meghan.”
The context matters. Eugenie and Jack moved into the Windsor estate property in late 2020, after the Sussexes left for the United States. Eugenie left the cottage in 2022, after Harry and Meghan renewed their lease on it to March 2022. The note therefore reads as a warm gesture between two households that briefly shared the same home.
About the Book
The Bench was published in 2021 and tells a story of the bond between a father and son, seen through a mother’s eyes. It is widely believed to have been inspired by Meghan watching Prince Harry with their son, Archie.
Meghan is known to have sent copies to people close to her. Before the book came out, she sent copies with personalized notes to family and friends. Photographer Gray Malin shared his, which carried a different message and was signed “As ever, Meghan.” That suggests inscribed copies were a deliberate, personal touch, and the one to Eugenie would fit that pattern.
The Seller’s Claims, and the Doubts
The listing makes bold claims. It calls the book a unique and historically significant presentation copy, inscribed, dated and signed by Meghan.
But no certificate of authenticity comes with it, and the seller insists the handwriting is undeniably Meghan’s. Reports have also noted that it hasn’t been confirmed whether Meghan herself wrote the message and signature.
The inscription looks like her usual calligraphy-style writing, but without independent verification, that is only an impression.
The Price Gap
The asking price stands out against the book’s usual value. Standard copies are still sold online for roughly £2. The seller is asking about 10,000 times that for the inscribed copy. Signed items tied to the royal family can command premiums, but a figure this high depends on proof that the book is genuine, and on a buyer willing to pay for a piece of royal history.
The Big Question: How Did It Get There?
The most intriguing question is how a personal gift to Eugenie and Jack reached a dealer’s shelf at all. The reports I found don’t explain how the book left their hands, and neither the Sussexes nor the York family appears to have commented. Several plausible routes exist, such as a gift passed on, a donation, or a book that went missing. The listing doesn’t say which, and without confirmation any answer is guesswork.
The sale has sparked online debate about the book’s origin. Some social media users have already revisited the story of the book itself, a sign that anything touching the Sussexes’ family relationships draws quick attention. headtopics
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What Happens Next
For now, the book is a talking point rather than a settled story. Collectors will likely want proof of authenticity before spending anything close to the asking price. Royal-watchers will want to know whether Eugenie, Jack or Meghan’s team have anything to say about it.
Until then, the facts are limited but intriguing. A children’s book about fatherhood carries what appears to be a kind note between two families who once lived side by side. It is now priced like a rare treasure, and its journey from a private gift to a public listing remains unexplained.
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