Finding Freedom might have only been released yesterday, but authors of the new royal autobiography on Harry and Meghan have already become household names and some of the most talked about people of the year. So, who are Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand?
The authors, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, wrote Finding Freedom: Meghan and Harry and the Making of a Modern Royal Family as an explosive tell-all book, to shed more light on how the couple met and the challenges they faced leading up to their departure from the royal family earlier this year.
Both got to know the royal couple increasingly well over the last few years and have been given exclusive insights into their world through press tours and personal interviews in the past. However, authors Omid and Carolyn have been quick to assure that Harry and Meghan were not officially interviewed for the book and instead, their insights come from over 100 other sources and their own experience of them.
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The book offers deeply personal insight into the couple lives and even includes details never reported before, such as the text that Harry sent to Meghan after their first date and how the couple had to fire Archie’s nanny in the middle of the night once for “unprofessional” behaviour.
So who are the authors behind this revelatory release?
Who is Omid Scobie?
Omid Scobie is the Royal Editor at Large for Harper’s Bazaar and has reported on the lives and work of the younger members of the royal family, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as well as Prince Harry, for over eight years.
He also make regular appearances on Good Morning America as a Royal News Contributor and hosts his own podcast, The Heir Pod.
Before this, he was a celebrity reporter at Heat magazine.
Omid is considered to be Meghan’s ‘mouthpiece’ in the press because of his close relationship with her, which began when they first met at a fashion show in 2013 before she became a member of the royal family.
He was one of the few reporters who was told about baby Archie’s video call with the Queen for her birthday in May.
You can find Omid Scobie on Twitter for the latest about the book, @scobie.
How old is Omid Scobie?
Not much is known about the journalist’s private life, however according to reports, Omid Scobie is between 33 and 39 years old.
In an interview about his upcoming book, the Daily Mail reported that Omid said he regularly ‘knocks six years off his age’.
Where was Omid Scobie born and what is his nationality?
Royal reporter Omid Scobie was born in England and is a British journalist with Iranian roots.
It is thought that he now lives and works in London.
Who is Carolyn Durand?
The co-author of Finding Freedom is American journalist, Carolyn Durland, who has covered the royal family for the last 15 years.
She writes for ELLE and Oprah magazine, as well as producing interviews with members of the royal family.
Carolyn is also considered to be a strong advocate for Meghan, with much of her time spent over the last few years following the work and life of the former Sussex royals.
You can find Carolyn on Twitter to keep up with all the latest on her work and the book, @CarolynDurand. You can also find her on Instagram, where she shares some personal videos and snaps from her travels with the royals around the world.
Did Harry and Meghan talk to the authors of Finding Freedom for the book?
Along with reps for Harry and Meghan, the authors of Finding Freedom Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, have been quick to assure the public that the couple had no input into the book.
All the information they say comes from the two’s own time with the former Sussex royals and over 100 other insiders. These include friends of Harry and Meghan and palace officials, who have lived and worked alongside the couple.
However, some believe that this might not be entirely true. Some believe that the couple gave these insiders their approval to speak to the journalists and even gave an unofficial and off the record interview for the book themselves.