Signed copy of Meghan's 'The Bench' inscribed to Eugenie and Jack listed on eBay for £19,999

A copy of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex's children's book The Bench, bearing what appears to be a handwritten inscription to Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, has been listed on eBay for £19,999. 1 2 The inscription reads: 'Dear Eug & Jack, Celebrating the special bond between father and son. I wrote this poem at Frogmore - I hope that Eug, you witness the same love there with your guys. All love, Meghan.' 1 2 The seller, Drive Easy's Signed Books, run by London-based dealer Nicholas Greenwood, claims the first edition was a personal gift to Eugenie and Jack after the birth of their first child, August, in February 2021. 1 2

There is no certificate of authenticity, but the seller maintains the handwriting is 'undeniably' Meghan's; the Daily Mail said the inscription has not been independently verified. 1 2 The listing says Eugenie and Jack moved into Frogmore Cottage in late 2020, after the Sussexes moved abroad, and presents the inscription as tying the book to that setting. 1 2 Buyers can pay in 24 monthly PayPal instalments of £943.29, and ten per cent of the proceeds will go to a charity supporting disadvantaged children's education in Thailand. 1 2

Greenwood has not said how the book came into his possession; the Daily Mail said he declined to comment when approached. 1 2 Both outlets said they had asked spokespeople for Eugenie and Meghan for comment, and neither reported a response. 1 2 The Bench was published on 8 June 2021 by Random House Children's Books, reportedly after a £500,000 advance, and sold 3,212 copies in its first week, missing the UK Official Top 50; some estimates put total sales under 10,000, and new copies cost about £2. 1 2

Both outlets note that Meghan and Eugenie have been close since early in Meghan's relationship with Harry, including a 2016 Toronto visit, and that the families are believed to own homes in the same Portuguese resort. 1 2