Meghan Markle revealed to Oprah Winfrey that she never saw her passport, driver's license and keys when she joined the royal family as she was not allowed to go out because she was all over the news.
However, insiders debunked her claims and said that Meghan had 13 trips abroad during her time in the Palace. Of these 13 trips, at least 10 were personal holidays to Botswana, Canada, Italy, Ibiza, New York and Amsterdam, sometimes with Prince Harry and sometimes with just herself. The other three trips were her official royal tours with Prince Harry to Australia, Fiji and South Africa.
Two months before Meghan gave birth, she flew to New York for the baby shower hosted by her friends. Four months after she gave birth to Archie, the duchess also took a trip to watch and cheer on her best friend, Serena Williams, at a tennis match in the U.S.
The Sun posted photos of all the trips Meghan took abroad while she lived in the U.K. Buckingham Palace, however, did not officially comment on Meghan's statements that she wasn't able to leave her house for months.
According to royal sources, Meghan had to give up her passport for safekeeping. It was protocol for the courtiers to keep the royal family's passports so it won't fall into the wrong hands. But they could actually leave and could even use private jets loaned by big-time friends or chartered at the expense of Buckingham Palace.
Royal expert Robert Lacey said that Meghan also had to give up her driver's license and keys because she's not allowed to drive on her own for security reasons. She cannot leave on a whim without her security people knowing because she will have no protection outside of the Palace gates. Thus, her security team has to know where her driver's license and keys are at all times.
Robert Finch, who heads The Monarchist League of Canada, said it has always been assumed that valuable personal documents and effects of the royal family are guarded by Palace security. While Meghan's narrative alluded that she was isolated and trapped in her royal home, Finch said this was, in fact, routine, and she could access her personal effects whenever she needed it.
Meanwhile, the day after the interview came out, photos of Kate Middleton surfaced where the Duchess of Cambridge is seen driving out from the gates of Kensington Palace followed by a security team. Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, also had a photo where she's sitting at the passenger's seat as she headed for a royal engagement.
