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Meghan Markle took some wild-sounding classes before joining the royal family

Photo credit: EDDIE MULHOLLAND - Getty Images
Photo credit: EDDIE MULHOLLAND - Getty Images

From Cosmopolitan

In today's royal news, we bring you a glorious behind-the-scenes nugget: Meghan Markle apparently had to undergo some very intense-sounding training and classes, as she prepared to officially join Prince Harry's elite family.

New book Finding Freedom, which chronicles the relationship of Meghan and her husband Harry (and their subsequent departure from their senior working roles), says that she was signed up to personal protection course which saw her bundled into a car as part of a staged kidnapping scenario. Yikes!

Authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand say, "Meghan took part in a staged kidnapping, where she was bundled up in a car by a 'terrorist,' taken to a different location, and then 'saved' by officers firing fake guns (the kind used in Hollywood films) for realism." Before adding that one sneaky tactic she was taught during the training was how to build a relationship with any potential kidnappers, presumably to keep them on side and evade any harm.

"During the mock kidnapping, Meghan was taught to develop a relationship with the enemy. She was also instructed on how to drive a car while in pursuit." Sounds terrifying, but equally... that's quite a cool skill to have. No?

Photo credit: Chris Jackson
Photo credit: Chris Jackson

It's believed that Kate Middleton also underwent the same teachings from British Army members, but not until after her wedding to Prince William. Scobie and Durand say the reason that Meghan's training was pulled forward was due to her and Harry sadly receiving an "unusually high number of threats" – which makes us pretty sad to hear.

The training is believed to be a mandatory requirement for all members of the family, excluding The Queen (maybe because she has such high levels of security around her at all times, that a kidnapping scenario is less likely to occur?). We like to imagine that thanks to Meghan's previous profession as an actress, that sweet talking her way out of a tricky spot or learning to nail a car chase could be relatively easy skills for her to pick up – and they're certainly ones it can't hurt to have in your arsenal.

Currently, Meghan and Harry are living in Montecito (based an hour and a half outside of LA), while continuing to keep up their volunteering work. Fingers crossed The Duchess of Sussex won't need to use her secret talents any time soon!

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