SnapJolt

While the world was busy falling in love with Meghan Markle's fairy-tale princess origin story with Prince Harry, his brother, Prince William, felt that things were moving too fast and had a feeling that the American actress wasn't quite ready for all the responsibilities that came with being a part of the British royal family. In her new book, The Palace Papers, royal expert Tina Brown explains that while Harry and Meghan were dating, William had the inkling that Meghan wasn't cut out to be a duchess.

"A person close to the Duke of Cambridge told me that William thought she should have more time to build up a life in the U.K. and make friends who didn't always have to be brought in confidence to the Palace," Brown wrote. What gave him that idea? Well, he did have to make sure his wife Kate Middleton could navigate it all, too, Brown added. "It had been hard enough for Kate, but Meghan was a glamorous actress who would be the first woman of color to join the Royal Family, factors that would add enormously to the pressure."

Sources also noted that William felt like Harry's mental state wasn't in a place where he could prep Meghan — or himself — for the pressures of the British paparazzi and pressures from inside the Firm.

"Unspoken to Harry, the person said, was the older brother's fear that Harry's mental fragility was such that he wouldn't be strong enough to handle all of that on her behalf, as well as his own issues," Brown wrote.

Apparently, William brought that up to his brother, whose solution was to get Meghan official protection as soon as possible. How, exactly? By marrying her.

"To his brother's concerns, Harry's riposte can be summarized as, I am told, 'Well, actually the best way that I can protect her is to marry her as quickly as possible, because as soon as I marry her she will then get police protection,'" Harry said, according to Brown's book.

By now, everyone knows how the fairy tale ended (with the Sussexes retiring from official royal duties). It's clear that whether or not Harry and Meghan were "ready" for life at the palace in William's eyes, they did what was best for their family, including son Archie and daughter Lilibet, by getting away from England and landing in California.

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