Jack Royston said the nation went “crazy” when the Duchess stepped out for her first Royal duties at the end of 2017.
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But despite a dream start and a May 2018 wedding to Harry, The Sussexes quit the firm a year and a half later.
Speaking to The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, Newsweek’s Chief Royal Correspondent said: “The whole of the beginning of 2018 she had her first big introduction to the UK.
“We were calling it Meg Mania at the time because everyone was going crazy.”
But Mr Royston says he struggles to get his head around how despite the warm welcome, Meghan’s time in The Firm ended in disaster.
He said: “It was just so random for me to look back on that time, when she was so adored in Britain, and see how far she has fallen in terms of the way they are viewed in this country.”
After quitting the Royal Family in January 2020, the Sussexes moved to Canada before settling in $14.5 million mansion in Montecito, California.
Reflecting on their departure, Mr Royston said it would be wrong to suggest the couple were “hated” by Brits.
He explained: “If you were to listen to the way Harry and Meghan talk about it, you would’ve thought everyone hated them.
“But actually people loved Harry and Meghan.
“They lined the streets on those early Royal jobs in Cardiff and Brixton – I was there for all of those.”
Mr Royston praised the Sussexes for giving “a lot” while on engagements for the family, adding they would “throw themselves into it”.
“They were good value”, he added.
NIGERIA TOUR
The Sussexes are currently on the second of a three tour of Nigeria.
The pair touched down in the capital Abuja on Friday morning to promote the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver, Canada.
After watching a sitting volleyball match in the capital Abuja – Harry was invited to have a go himself.
The event – which sees injured servicemen and women compete in a range of athletics events – was founded by Prince Harry and is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
The Sussexes began their “faux-Royal tour” with a visit to Lightway Academy, a primary and secondary school in the capital.
On Saturday, Harry showed off his competitive side at an Invictus Games sitting volleyball event – just days after Prince William also tried his hand at the sport.
It came as the pair visited Nigeria’s defence HQ on Friday to meet military wives and senior officials.
Harry was gifted a portrait of his mother Princess Diana by the Nigerian government, as well as a painted picture from his 2018 wedding to Meghan.
If you were to listen to the way Harry and Meghan talk about it, you would’ve thought everyone hated them
Kack Royston, Chief Royal Correspondent at Newsweek
He later visited a military hospital in war torn Kaduna, around 200km north of Abuja.
The region has seen horrific fighting between nomadic Fulani herdsman and farmers, as well as an insurgency by Boko Haram Islamists.
While at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, the Duke shook hands with around 50 wounded soldiers and asked one bed-ridden hero if he’d named his prosthetic leg.
While holding the hand of another man, Harry asked: “Are they helping you? Are you feeling better?”
The 39-year-old was given a “big gown” and hula cap as a going home present from Kaduna governor Uba Sani.