Harry and Meghan made multiple statements, verbally and in print, disparaging Catherine. They said awful things about the royal family, things that they were paid a lot of money for. These aspersions came when the boys’ grandfather, Prince Phillip, was ailing, the Queen quickly aging, and right before Catherine was diagnosed with cancer. William loves his wife, is a fiercely loyal husband, and clearly he also loves his family, thus the calloused and avaricious manner of the Sussexes’ betrayal may be too much for William to forgive, apology or no apology.
I think if I was a public person who was fighting to preserve an institution that depended on public support, and a family member betrayed me in the public way that Harry betrayed William, a way designed to harm me personally and professionally, I’d not want anything to do with that family member. And quite frankly, even if Harry does apologize to William (and Catherine), the things he and Meghan have said cannot be taken back because they will remain in print and in digital record forever; the harm remains.
Finally, the court case, and Charlotte Griffith’s narrative, draws a line under something we have known for quite some time; that Harry and Meghan lie as easily as they breathe and are loyal only to themselves and their ‘truth’ (an oxymoron if there ever was one). Blood relation or not, common sense suggests it’s best to keep toxic people like that as far out of one’s life as possible.
Absolutely right - William is trying to protect both the Crown and his family’s peace - why would he want his nut job brother and his narcissistic sister in law anywhere near his family when he knows that they are both pathological liars and human wrecking balls?
I hope William and Kate know they have public support in terms of maintaining their boundaries and not being bullied, coerced or abused by Charles, BP and the media those entities will dictate to.
We see how they've behaved with incredible dignity over the past 20 years, we see how they've behaved with integrity in the face of relentlessly vicious public attacks, never being able to speak out for themselves. We see the tragic illness that sort of sustained stress created.
We see the lack of respect, the lack of support, the lack of value from Charles and BP. We see the attacks sent out, the sabotage, the games - meant to bring William and Kate to heel, meant to make Charles and Camilla shine brighter at their expense, meant to halt William and Kate's momentum. We see, and we judge accordingly, with contempt. We judge not only the parent but the boss. We see the pettiness in setting up a rival Christmas Carol concert, as a means of eventually tanking one of the first special projects Kate had for herself, as a means of demoralizing her. We see that nonchalant cruelty, a nonchalant cruelty which is demoralizing in and of itself.
Because one can't imagine that this is how Charles would choose to repay Kate, this maliciously, after everything she's gone through to maintain the dignity of herself, her family and that rotten institution.
Charles isn't even requiring contrition, remorse, apologies or amends from the Sussexes. They will see that sort of enabling as a green flag to double down on their abusive behavior towards William and Kate. He hasn't even required the Sussexes to stop negatively briefing vicious items about William and Kate This is what Charles has enabled. It's utter cruelty to individuals who have only shown themselves to be reliable, dignified, responsible and respectable.
If Harry has no respect for the judiciary and insults it, with Charles as Head of State showing himself to normalize Harry's sentiments, to not sanction them, to not distance himself from Harry... Why should the general public respect the judiciary? Respect the rule of law? Respect public order? When the Head of State himself has no discipline and lets his entitled second son run rampant, while punishing his actual heir for following all the rules and being nothing but dutiful?!
Harry is a predator! Who pops a pill into a woman's mouth without her explicit consent? This person is who the Waleses are being threatened over?
Are Charles and his courtiers insane? Is it revenge from Charles, because he's pissed off that he's saddled with Andrew, so he wants William and Kate to have a similar albatross around their necks? Except, Harry and Meghan are far less controllable than Andrew. Harry has repeatedly shown the world how little respect he has for William, and he would keep doing so with pleasure.
William is not a masochist. He is not a sadist who will allow his wife and children to continue living in constant mental terror that anything they say or do will be twisted in the public domain and used to maliciously attack them. Even when nothing is said, vicious narratives can still be made up, simply due to proximity. William's duty is to his wife and children. They come first, last, always. Harry and his malice, chaos and drama are an indubitable threat to their well-being.
"The heir did not find his way to see his brother."
Perhaps the spare can begin to find a way to show that he has been a disrespectful and ungrateful grandson, son, and British subject. His lies in print and on film have been almost treasonous.
Reconciliation should not be in William's court. It's Harry who must make amends. But if I were William I should continue to be very wary. Harry's wife is insatiable in her avarice.
Harry has no inkling of remorse, not a shred. He would never publicly apologize and retract his lies, many of which have caused vicious cyberbullying against Kate, namely while she was at the height of illness.
As Harry said, his conscience is clear.
If Charles and William force Kate to be around Harry, particularly without any sort of public apology and retraction, that would be grounds for divorce in my eyes, after everything she's been through. If she decides to blow everything up and take her kids with her. good luck keeping the institution afloat for much longer. It's already on the ropes as it is. People are only barely suspending disbelief at the rottenness of it all because of the prospect of Queen Kate and her kids.
I have to disagree with you - the Court case has not receded because it will be back in the headlines at the end of the month when the hearing about costs takes place and that will inevitably result in more bad news and worse headlines for Harry.
I also cannot concur with your view that it has cost the King no institutional capital - that has been the opposite reaction from most Royal fans who were very resistant to the King meeting Harry under these circumstances - in a week where he has criticised our justice system, it signals the King's tacit approval of his younger son's reckless and irresponsible behaviour. Wait for the next set of popularity polls - when the King's poll rating will have declined yet again I'm sure.
There is no way in any sensible world that the Prince and Princess of Wales should go along with any of this utter "reconciliation" nonsense and no Royal fans would expect them to!
The "no institutional capital wasted" line beggared belief! Especially after Harry attacked the judiciary! Is this what the courtiers are telling themselves, to make their decision seem prudent?
They should go take a peak at the 10k comments or so in the Daily Mail. See how well this whole thing was received. Charles is a fool. He was looking for temporary gratification and relief, but he's ensuring maximum future pain, including endangering the institution and the trust for it, for many reasons.
He's having lackeys sent out to publish thinly veiled threats against the Waleses if they don't comply. It's unbelievable.
The next set of popularity polls will be a big wake up call because people are not just upset about this latest misstep with H&M but also about KC3 apparently reneging upon his coronation oath to defend the faith (which was reworded in the last financial report). After all the many years of stability we had with HLMQE2, in four short years we have reached a point where I fear for the future of this reign in all honesty……
Respectfully I think this essay misses the plot as far as the British public & the Crown's constituents go. The King did not "thread the needle," but rather capitulated to Harry's demands, validating his commercial exploitation of royal titles & his self-appointed role as a rogue royal humanitarian. This reframes the King's visible empathy not as a masterclass in PR, wise strategy or in the Monarchy's best interest, but as a weak surrender that undermines the crown's integrity & the King's own credibility & standing. The King is indulging his own personal wishes yet again, at the expense of other family members, the Crown, the public & the Commonwealth. The King’s indulgence allows Harry to project himself as an alternative, self-proclaimed progressive royal humanitarian, fracturing the unified purpose of the institution.
I believe the following words that attempt to frame the position of William in the future are not correct & do not reflect the feelings of the public/Commonwealth & other royal family members. The words sound more like a threat or a warning, when in fact the threat & warning should rightfully be to the King. ---> "I will observe something that I think goes underexamined in most coverage of this subject. William has, over the past several years, cultivated an image of quiet competence and emotional restraint. It has served him extraordinarily well. He is popular in a way that feels earned rather than inherited, which is rarer than it sounds. Kate’s illness, handled with genuine dignity, deepened that goodwill considerably.
That reservoir is not infinite, and it is not immune to a sustained narrative of fraternal coldness."
What the above words do is ignore that William is the only one actually protecting the monarchy's boundaries from being cheapened. This message also ignores fairly recent transgressions that Charles has committed regarding his own brother & that are still reverberating today. That is by having to be forced into taking corrective action to protect the Crown regarding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. What Charles finally did was the right thing to do, but was not timely & there is harm still alive in those actions for the Monarchy, still present in the feelings & disapproval of the King & still a demerit. Charles's past further back is littered with additional transgressions & actions that illustrate more than words what he did yesterday - that this most recent action of his is another indulgence of his personal wishes above what's good for the Crown.
Some might try to excuse Charles that he didn’t know the whole of the story on Andrew & that the recent Epstein files release gave him more information to act on. But the records shows that is not correct - Charles knew enough about his brother when Andrew was appointed to TE to reportedly advise against it. And Epstein himself believed & stated in an email that was released in those same files, that Charles was the deciding factor in having Andrew removed from the TE position. It has also now come to light that in 2020 the Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household was handed copies of court files attesting to Andrew’s financial misdeeds while he was TE. That Charles would not have known of this at that time when he was assuming ever more Monarchical duties from his Mother would beggar belief.
I could not have said this better myself. I do not begrudge Charles the visit as grandfather. But I absolutely agree that it cost institutional capital, the degree to which we do not yet know.
I also do not see William as cold. I see him as protective. Much like Elizabeth, he understands the importance of being aware of everything and very deliberate in choosing how to address the issues. I think this not about him “being the bigger man”. This is about the survival of his family- his wife, his heirs- and I believe his love for them is mirrored in his love for country and his duty. Those roles are so closely intertwined as to be inseparable. Harry had made no effort to work on the relationship so why does William need to (basically) try harder. I don’t know anyone in my sphere who loves the royals who says that he needs to do this. Could they be in the minority? Maybe. But I doubt that.
And a moment for the glorious Catherine at both polo and today at Wimbledon. I can’t overstate how wonderful she looks!!
Thanks Stephanie, i agree with you. I'm not aware of any in my circle either who think it's a demerit that William hasn't made overtures to Harry. It really baffles me that people think this is a two-way issue. It's certainly not, it was all provoked by Harry & Meghan in a surprise attack (a surprise when it all started) & that William is carrying on some kind of fight? When did he ever speak out against Harry or Meghan except to state the Royal Family was definitely not racist? The view that it's a 2-party fight is bizarre to me especially when coupled by the fact that Harry has never apologized - quite the opposite, he stated last year he has nothing to apologize for - no regrets.
Yes.......Harry has never apologized for anything he has said or done since his marriage to his wife....... he is not an example of the prodigal son...... read the parable in the Bible, not even close. I am waiting to see which one of the dastardly duo leaks first.......they are grifters, blackmailers and liars .....and need to be removed from the Royal website for a start.
Prodigal Harry is not!! Yes Tricia, i'm watching all the sources the Sussexes favour when they get back home to see what develops. Also to keep my eye on As Ever merchandise. A new candle that smells like Highgrove named Appeasement? Did you see Roya Nikkah's latest article in The Times of today? It gives several clues as to the future, nonpaywall version in case you haven't seen it yet: https://archive.is/gSGcq
Absolutely agree with you. And it appears every other commenter shares your general sentiment. I'm beginning to think this column is a front for Operation Thaw. The alternative is even worse: that those around Charles genuinely feel the way this article describes. I wish there was a third explanation, but am sadly coming up short.
One thing Harry has done very well is to clearly illustrate how toxic he is. It takes real mental gymnastics to twist such a stark reality, the way this column does.
Thank you JH, this particular essay was a shock to me, i'll admit it. Since i've been subscribed i've not seen anything like this. Maybe a different author wrote this piece? It seems like only a couple of the group around Charles agree with his approach & what this article describes - Theo Rycroft & Tobyn Andreae. Clive Alderton does not, but the other day in his podcast Tom S said that Rycroft was being groomed to take Alderton's place (news to me but i knew he was getting up there in age). There are other 'unnamed' senior aides said to be hawks on any kind of reciliation as well as speculation that Camilla is against it too but also supportive to Charles overall. Going unremarked upon is the new Deputy Press Secretary hired by Charles out of the Royal Rota pool - Rhiannon Mills, who reports to Tobyn. Not a peep from the press about her & it was not her that convinced C&C to start making short cinematic vids of their work (similar to what the Prince & Princess of Wales do). It is said that they were inspired by Will Warr - the collaborator in the Wales' short productions/reels.
These are very interesting insights indeed. Charles will be making a mistake if Alderton is edged out because he is speaking unpleasant truths.
HMTLQ did not surround herself with sycophants. Philip was a meaningful player in that. Camilla seems likewise the key here. Someone to help keep the compass north.
You make a good point about Prince Philip being a good compass for HMQE, but i have to say after reading Royal Nikkah’s article i’m sort of thinking that even tho Camilla recognizes the danger in Harry & rehabbing his image & standing in Britain & globally, she probably will cave to Charles’ wishes because she supports him wholeheartedly. But if that is true & Alderton leaves i don’t know who else is there who is a rational thinker & puts the welfare of the Crown first.
Wow. What an article. I agree regarding Camilla. She puts Charles first. Harry has hurt Camilla but she stands by Charles' decision. What is she to Charles? Will he ever give her due respect? Very interesting.
Three more article observations. 1) Charles says "blood is blood". Absurd. You can always love your evil son, yet behave rationally and unequivocally to protect your family from him. 2) “Harry is very principled in what he stands for and he’s just going about his life in the way he said he would.” Per Harry's friend. Which means he will never change and has no regrets. Charles should understand this and stop accommodating. 3) Harry has accepted William's clear and strong position and has STOPPED TRYING. See Charles? That's the only thing that works with a manchild. So be a man, for your wife and loyal family.
Yah, i'm glad you see what i mean, the reservations on Camilla after that article. What i think i am seeing is that Charles is willing to sacrifice most any family member to get what he wants including her, or at the v least taking her unwavering support for granted. And i agree with all 3 of your observations!
The level of public support that rotten man sti receives (including from the endless members of the media who love to lick his dirty ass), just baffles me.
Beautifully said. Endorsing Harry's rival court is what fractures the institution. This is the King siding with the rival court, to the detriment of the future KW5's court and its standing.
It really is existentially dangerous, and it's wild that courtiers cannot recognize this. Providing the Sussexes with an imprimatur and platform from which to attempt to dominate KW5's future court is a disaster.
I really don't get what Charles is playing at, other than intentional sabotage.
Thank you Awzng, i'm not really sure of Charles' motivation(s) either to be honest, other than to satisfy his personal desires, which has been a primary motivation in several of his previous actions that were deemed divisive & polarizing. It's hard to believe he thinks this is the best route for the Crown to take at this time, one does wonder if he feels like he's running out of time even though reporting that the new treatment has removed the fright & sense of doom & shortened lifespan in his fight against cancer. The ruse about seeing the Grandchildren is just that - he could've seen those kids privately at any time & other than a 'legacy', genealogical aspect there doesn't appear to be a lot of personal interest, investment, significant commitment of personal time, energy & effort to developing a loving, lasting relationship with those kids on his part.
It's not about the kids for either side. They really think we're all stupid. This is about improving Harry's image and standing in the UK, both for Harry and Charles's mercenary reasons.
Roya Nikkhah spelled it out on Harry's behalf, that it was about rehabbing Meghan and Harry's images, for commercial reasons and for social clout reasons (not to mention - my own editorializing - to dominate and terrorize William and Kate with more proximity).
Charles and BP have not been transparent regarding their motives and the intended path for this rehabilitation. It's not for the good of the Waleses, their children, the institution or the country, that's for sure.
Bullying people to "reconcile" with their abusers, then not being there to pick up the emotional (even physical) carnage... NO. Once someone has safely extricated themselves for their own well-being, be it emotional or physical, you wish them well. You don't bully and threaten them to get entangled again.
I 100% agree, the kids are pawns in Harry & Meghan's struggles as well as in Meghan''s commercialization of her business & weapons or cudgels to deploy in their fight to get what they want. And as we agree, based on the observations over the course of time since Archie was born, if it's just even a little part of Charles motivation, that is overblown as illustrated by his behavior in the past up to the current time.
I seem to remember it being said that Charles is not above a bit of jealousy when it comes to the popularity of others. Especially if he suspects that it might eclipse his own?
I do not understand why people trash the Prince of Wales for not communicating with his brother. Believe Harry’s behavior for what it is—ugly and disgusting. William should continue to stay as far away from his brother and his awful wife as he can.
Harry said unforgivable things about Catherine, imho. If somebody said that my husband only married me because I fitted the mold I wouldn't be rushing to be friends with them. You're right about his wife, again, imho!
We might look at this a different way. We might think of a headline that read “Harry taken to the woodshed. King summons him to Highgrove and lays down the law ‘All this must stop!’” Said face to face, not through sources or interpreters or via Zoom but face to face. But of course no one knows exactly what was said. So we can each decide for ourselves what the story might have been. I know which version I would think about, given the shenanigans of the past several weeks.
But William was not simply “playing polo” yesterday. He was continuing a tradition that his father, his grandfather and other Royals have supported for decades. Even Harry had participated in this important event. This is an event that funds multiple charities and, indeed, yesterday the event brought in over one million pounds. The commentator at the event said that for William, attending this event was an effort. He no longer plays polo regularly so getting up on the pony and participating was “a real effort, one greatly appreciated….” This commentator recognized that William is a busy man and appreciated his continued—15 years—support. And Catherine was there as well, looking, as ever, happy and glowing. They held hands, they walked together. The feeling of mutual support, publicly shown, was terrific. The photos that emerged are beautiful. If you take the time to look at that instead of surmising about some unseen meeting with unseen participants.
The writing smacked of BP's usual sniffy and dismissive attitude when it comes to anything William does. If Charles wants a court war, William can give him one. The institution would be inevitably destroyed, but the public would side with William and Kate for protecting themselves and their children.
Charles and Camilla get support because of the perceived bond between the Waleses and their children. If that is exposed as non-existent lie, especially if Charles and Camilla are exposed as using their higher standing as bosses to scheme against the Waleses (especially after what Diana expressed)... Bye bye to Charles and Camilla's legacies. They'll go down in history as the selfish assholes who were so egotistically sef-absorbed with being King and Queen that they destroyed everything around them, including the British monarchy.
I politely disagree on this. We can each cite examples to support our debate, I'll just use one and then I'll move on: on the very night that the Queen's coffin arrived at BP and Charles made his first statement as King, he named William and Catherine as Prince and Princess of Wales: "As my heir, William now assumes the Scottish titles... I create him Prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru, the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty. With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the center ground where vital help can be given". He added that appointing his heir to this role meant taking on the responsibilities for the Duchy of Cornwall that Charles had held for over five decades.... (with credit to AI for calling this up for me). He didn't have to do it on that night but he did. And in the same statement, he wished Harry & Meghan well: "I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas." Couldn't have been clearer as to which son was the heir to the kingdom and which son he trusted.
I know you disagree and you have your proofs. But, I have read most of them and after weighing it all, I opt for believing that Charles is not plotting to bring Harry back as his Richard III.
I very much respect and value your opinion, Valerie!
The only two things i'll say (lol) - That was before the existential power struggle which seems to have emerged between Charles and William, originating because of how Andrew was being (mis)handled. Charles did not like his judgement questioned.
Second of all, Charles wanted that Princess of Wales title taken away from Diana's ghost as soon as it was possible! 😂
Don't want to jinx, but fingers crossed! I predicted Norway 2-1, because of the Viking, but Bellingham is a star, so it's vice versa so far! Extra time, I hate extra time 😭.
Hey Jude.... I had mixed loyalties because my favorite great uncle and 1st cousin 1x removed were Norwegian and I loved them to bits. Feel sorry for me, I had to drive home from my daughter's, still shaking from the win, with a monsoon pounding on my car. Home safe though!
I am sure we’ll find out eventually…. I read somewhere that Harry met up with Meghan and the children and they all went to Highgrove together. I don’t know if that means they were at Althorp. Althorp is a long way to commute to London for Harry to make his appearances but could be done.
The best way to predict what someone is going to do in the future is look at what they did in the past. H&M have an abominable track record and have done everything in their power to trash the RF! Prince William has absolutely no reason to believe that his brother has changed one bit and I think he’s being very prudent in avoiding them at all costs!
Agreed! This was all to refresh the royal sparkle for the failed Sussexes, and give Meghan a chance to finally "get at" Charles to ask for what they want again. Charles looks magnanimous, and the Sussexes look royal again. Their emotional blackmail worked. William showed us he chooses duty and will not be bullied or manipulated. He showed us the great King he will be, and that the Sussexes shouldn't assume that they have secured any kind of future in the monarchy.
I’m American so there’s a lot I don’t understand but I do understand William deciding his relationship with Harry may be broken in a way that can’t be fixed, and Charles wanting to see his son and his grandchildren. That’s the reality. Harry decided, very publicly, to make his home in another country and with a completely different social set. The only time William’s and Harry’s paths might cross is because of their father and, frankly, time will take care of that sooner rather than later. For William, Harry just takes up space and energy needed elsewhere. When Charles is gone, Harry will probably fade into irrelevance here and in the US.
Charles wants to rehabilitate Harry's standing in the UK, so Charles can use Harry as a cudgel and counterweight against William, including into William's reign (so that Charles's looks better). This is all it is about. Slimy.
Out of spite, jealousy, whatever it is - Charles doesn't want William to have a clear path. George doesn't even factor in, Charles and Camilla don't give a single shit about George lol, they seem to see him as a Middleton grandkid and don't care about him accordingly.
Much like the Duke of Windsor. I was born in the 50s so he was a figure in my mother's life, but to me he was just a giant nothing burger as they say very descriptively in the US! I think when KWv takes the reins (no pun intended) his brother will fade into obscurity in the same way
Actually people generally are on William Side in this matter because many see H&M as traitors that attacked their family and Grifters that use titles of a family they accused of being racist. If W caves to H that may have consequences for his popularity Besides the attacks against W&C were much more severe then the ones against C&C Meg on Oprah unleashed years of vile attacks against especially Catherine by her agressive fans even when Catherine was known to be recovering from cancer they were going after W&C. This visit does not make Charles look good at all especially not without a public apology to W&C. My opinion
I think Charles knew this meeting was more important to Harry, than to himself. Being a parent myself, I can understand Charles being concerned about Harry’s apparently fragile mental health and hopefully this helps that. Let’s see how the Sussexes abuse this meeting, as they have everything else. That’s a given, and Charles will need to accept responsibility.
I totally agree with the Wales not wanting anything to do with the Sussexes, and look forward to relief from their chaos ‘in time.’
This framing that the King is worrying now about Harry's apparently fragile mental health is deeply ironic -- the timing of the onset of trying to do something about it is what reeks of something rotten in Denmark. When Harry was going off the rails & admittedly having serious problems of coping -- what concrete, positive action did Charles take? I submit that it was primarily William who was trying to help Harry at that time & then later both William & Catherine; & that Charles was too busy with his Princely duties & rehabbing his own & Camilla's image to give meaningful help & guidance to his second son. That this is now a motive (& i'm not saying for sure it is a concrete motive but it has been broached by sources close to the King & repeated in the press) just doesn't cut the acid test of being genuine & authentic.
Harry’s mental health issues are more publicly obvious since he married Meghan, and Harry’s attracting worldwide negative attention to the Monarchy. It’s harder for Charles to ignore than previously.
When the Sussexes mess up epically once again, Charles can take all of the heat for his stupid decisions. William and Kate will just be vindicated, yet again.
I enjoy your thoughts very much but I disagree with you about William. I think his firm stance against his brother is warranted and appreciated by the majority. I think Charles made himself weaker this week, not benevolent grandfather.
Well I found that a pleasant read until: “ the image that now exists is this: the King found a way to see his grandchildren. The heir did not find his way to see his brother. In the court of public perception, those two facts will be weighed together whether or not they are strictly comparable.” This is what you say, as a fact when - in fact - this is merely your opinion. The image that now exists is that William was playing polo and the public might be wondering what will come of this ‘private’ visit from the Sussexes to the K&Q. Don’t get me wrong: I am very pleased for Charles to see his youngest son and children, which is probably what he wanted. We will find out in the period to come what will be made of it from the Sussex side. First see (for a very long time) than there might be trust again. Let’s not rock the boat when there is nothing to rock, for the moment. You were the one that stated that calling William ‘furious’ was a media-hype. Let’s not dictate what the people/public will think or should think.
William was working yesterday. Playing polo to raise one million pounds for ten charities. Catherine was out in public, being photographed, looking happy and glorious (yes those words are deliberate) and very much in love. Everyone had a great afternoon and anyone who says they know Royal history and the Royal family would know what meaning that polo event has for the Royal family.
I think you’re wrong about this having no institutional cost. Harry has been open in his contempt for Britain’s institutions and for the British people at large. On Tuesday he gave another ill-tempered, ill-supported philippic against the court system, which operates in his father’s name. He will take none of it back. Charles’s support of his behavior will not be institutionally cost free. Tom Sykes said today that Charles’s is spending capital he doesn’t have and I think he’s probably right. Support for the monarchy has eroded significantly since the Queen’s death. This act will not endear him to those who support the monarchy but I doubt it will change the minds of any who don’t.
William and his wife have been attacked extensively by the Sussexes. They’ve kept their tongues and their dignity. Before those attacks are withdrawn and atoned for, I think the reservoir of feeling towards the Wales will be sound enough.
Quite simply, no, William does not have to worry. Charles is as badly out of tune with the public sentiment on the Harry reconciliation as he was on the attempts to visibly bring Andrew back into the fold. Harry's attacks on the judiciary were unjustified and further undermined his credibility. (The little he has left after his own social media messages exposed his lack of credibility on Charlotte Griffiths.) After he attacks His Majesty's Courts, he has tea with His Majesty.
Harry and Meghan made multiple statements, verbally and in print, disparaging Catherine. They said awful things about the royal family, things that they were paid a lot of money for. These aspersions came when the boys’ grandfather, Prince Phillip, was ailing, the Queen quickly aging, and right before Catherine was diagnosed with cancer. William loves his wife, is a fiercely loyal husband, and clearly he also loves his family, thus the calloused and avaricious manner of the Sussexes’ betrayal may be too much for William to forgive, apology or no apology.
I think if I was a public person who was fighting to preserve an institution that depended on public support, and a family member betrayed me in the public way that Harry betrayed William, a way designed to harm me personally and professionally, I’d not want anything to do with that family member. And quite frankly, even if Harry does apologize to William (and Catherine), the things he and Meghan have said cannot be taken back because they will remain in print and in digital record forever; the harm remains.
Finally, the court case, and Charlotte Griffith’s narrative, draws a line under something we have known for quite some time; that Harry and Meghan lie as easily as they breathe and are loyal only to themselves and their ‘truth’ (an oxymoron if there ever was one). Blood relation or not, common sense suggests it’s best to keep toxic people like that as far out of one’s life as possible.
Absolutely right - William is trying to protect both the Crown and his family’s peace - why would he want his nut job brother and his narcissistic sister in law anywhere near his family when he knows that they are both pathological liars and human wrecking balls?
Spot on!
I hope William and Kate know they have public support in terms of maintaining their boundaries and not being bullied, coerced or abused by Charles, BP and the media those entities will dictate to.
We see how they've behaved with incredible dignity over the past 20 years, we see how they've behaved with integrity in the face of relentlessly vicious public attacks, never being able to speak out for themselves. We see the tragic illness that sort of sustained stress created.
We see the lack of respect, the lack of support, the lack of value from Charles and BP. We see the attacks sent out, the sabotage, the games - meant to bring William and Kate to heel, meant to make Charles and Camilla shine brighter at their expense, meant to halt William and Kate's momentum. We see, and we judge accordingly, with contempt. We judge not only the parent but the boss. We see the pettiness in setting up a rival Christmas Carol concert, as a means of eventually tanking one of the first special projects Kate had for herself, as a means of demoralizing her. We see that nonchalant cruelty, a nonchalant cruelty which is demoralizing in and of itself.
Because one can't imagine that this is how Charles would choose to repay Kate, this maliciously, after everything she's gone through to maintain the dignity of herself, her family and that rotten institution.
Charles isn't even requiring contrition, remorse, apologies or amends from the Sussexes. They will see that sort of enabling as a green flag to double down on their abusive behavior towards William and Kate. He hasn't even required the Sussexes to stop negatively briefing vicious items about William and Kate This is what Charles has enabled. It's utter cruelty to individuals who have only shown themselves to be reliable, dignified, responsible and respectable.
If Harry has no respect for the judiciary and insults it, with Charles as Head of State showing himself to normalize Harry's sentiments, to not sanction them, to not distance himself from Harry... Why should the general public respect the judiciary? Respect the rule of law? Respect public order? When the Head of State himself has no discipline and lets his entitled second son run rampant, while punishing his actual heir for following all the rules and being nothing but dutiful?!
None of this inspires respect!!
Totally agree!
Harry is a predator! Who pops a pill into a woman's mouth without her explicit consent? This person is who the Waleses are being threatened over?
Are Charles and his courtiers insane? Is it revenge from Charles, because he's pissed off that he's saddled with Andrew, so he wants William and Kate to have a similar albatross around their necks? Except, Harry and Meghan are far less controllable than Andrew. Harry has repeatedly shown the world how little respect he has for William, and he would keep doing so with pleasure.
William is not a masochist. He is not a sadist who will allow his wife and children to continue living in constant mental terror that anything they say or do will be twisted in the public domain and used to maliciously attack them. Even when nothing is said, vicious narratives can still be made up, simply due to proximity. William's duty is to his wife and children. They come first, last, always. Harry and his malice, chaos and drama are an indubitable threat to their well-being.
"The heir did not find his way to see his brother."
Perhaps the spare can begin to find a way to show that he has been a disrespectful and ungrateful grandson, son, and British subject. His lies in print and on film have been almost treasonous.
Reconciliation should not be in William's court. It's Harry who must make amends. But if I were William I should continue to be very wary. Harry's wife is insatiable in her avarice.
Harry has no inkling of remorse, not a shred. He would never publicly apologize and retract his lies, many of which have caused vicious cyberbullying against Kate, namely while she was at the height of illness.
As Harry said, his conscience is clear.
If Charles and William force Kate to be around Harry, particularly without any sort of public apology and retraction, that would be grounds for divorce in my eyes, after everything she's been through. If she decides to blow everything up and take her kids with her. good luck keeping the institution afloat for much longer. It's already on the ropes as it is. People are only barely suspending disbelief at the rottenness of it all because of the prospect of Queen Kate and her kids.
Is he clever enough to realise how far in the wrong he is?
Anthony Trollope wrote a wonderful novel about a high-handed chap, unbending, abusive. It's called He Knew He Was Right.
I know people like that. Harry is another.
I have to disagree with you - the Court case has not receded because it will be back in the headlines at the end of the month when the hearing about costs takes place and that will inevitably result in more bad news and worse headlines for Harry.
I also cannot concur with your view that it has cost the King no institutional capital - that has been the opposite reaction from most Royal fans who were very resistant to the King meeting Harry under these circumstances - in a week where he has criticised our justice system, it signals the King's tacit approval of his younger son's reckless and irresponsible behaviour. Wait for the next set of popularity polls - when the King's poll rating will have declined yet again I'm sure.
There is no way in any sensible world that the Prince and Princess of Wales should go along with any of this utter "reconciliation" nonsense and no Royal fans would expect them to!
The "no institutional capital wasted" line beggared belief! Especially after Harry attacked the judiciary! Is this what the courtiers are telling themselves, to make their decision seem prudent?
They should go take a peak at the 10k comments or so in the Daily Mail. See how well this whole thing was received. Charles is a fool. He was looking for temporary gratification and relief, but he's ensuring maximum future pain, including endangering the institution and the trust for it, for many reasons.
He's having lackeys sent out to publish thinly veiled threats against the Waleses if they don't comply. It's unbelievable.
The next set of popularity polls will be a big wake up call because people are not just upset about this latest misstep with H&M but also about KC3 apparently reneging upon his coronation oath to defend the faith (which was reworded in the last financial report). After all the many years of stability we had with HLMQE2, in four short years we have reached a point where I fear for the future of this reign in all honesty……
Respectfully I think this essay misses the plot as far as the British public & the Crown's constituents go. The King did not "thread the needle," but rather capitulated to Harry's demands, validating his commercial exploitation of royal titles & his self-appointed role as a rogue royal humanitarian. This reframes the King's visible empathy not as a masterclass in PR, wise strategy or in the Monarchy's best interest, but as a weak surrender that undermines the crown's integrity & the King's own credibility & standing. The King is indulging his own personal wishes yet again, at the expense of other family members, the Crown, the public & the Commonwealth. The King’s indulgence allows Harry to project himself as an alternative, self-proclaimed progressive royal humanitarian, fracturing the unified purpose of the institution.
I believe the following words that attempt to frame the position of William in the future are not correct & do not reflect the feelings of the public/Commonwealth & other royal family members. The words sound more like a threat or a warning, when in fact the threat & warning should rightfully be to the King. ---> "I will observe something that I think goes underexamined in most coverage of this subject. William has, over the past several years, cultivated an image of quiet competence and emotional restraint. It has served him extraordinarily well. He is popular in a way that feels earned rather than inherited, which is rarer than it sounds. Kate’s illness, handled with genuine dignity, deepened that goodwill considerably.
That reservoir is not infinite, and it is not immune to a sustained narrative of fraternal coldness."
What the above words do is ignore that William is the only one actually protecting the monarchy's boundaries from being cheapened. This message also ignores fairly recent transgressions that Charles has committed regarding his own brother & that are still reverberating today. That is by having to be forced into taking corrective action to protect the Crown regarding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. What Charles finally did was the right thing to do, but was not timely & there is harm still alive in those actions for the Monarchy, still present in the feelings & disapproval of the King & still a demerit. Charles's past further back is littered with additional transgressions & actions that illustrate more than words what he did yesterday - that this most recent action of his is another indulgence of his personal wishes above what's good for the Crown.
Some might try to excuse Charles that he didn’t know the whole of the story on Andrew & that the recent Epstein files release gave him more information to act on. But the records shows that is not correct - Charles knew enough about his brother when Andrew was appointed to TE to reportedly advise against it. And Epstein himself believed & stated in an email that was released in those same files, that Charles was the deciding factor in having Andrew removed from the TE position. It has also now come to light that in 2020 the Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household was handed copies of court files attesting to Andrew’s financial misdeeds while he was TE. That Charles would not have known of this at that time when he was assuming ever more Monarchical duties from his Mother would beggar belief.
I could not have said this better myself. I do not begrudge Charles the visit as grandfather. But I absolutely agree that it cost institutional capital, the degree to which we do not yet know.
I also do not see William as cold. I see him as protective. Much like Elizabeth, he understands the importance of being aware of everything and very deliberate in choosing how to address the issues. I think this not about him “being the bigger man”. This is about the survival of his family- his wife, his heirs- and I believe his love for them is mirrored in his love for country and his duty. Those roles are so closely intertwined as to be inseparable. Harry had made no effort to work on the relationship so why does William need to (basically) try harder. I don’t know anyone in my sphere who loves the royals who says that he needs to do this. Could they be in the minority? Maybe. But I doubt that.
And a moment for the glorious Catherine at both polo and today at Wimbledon. I can’t overstate how wonderful she looks!!
Thanks Stephanie, i agree with you. I'm not aware of any in my circle either who think it's a demerit that William hasn't made overtures to Harry. It really baffles me that people think this is a two-way issue. It's certainly not, it was all provoked by Harry & Meghan in a surprise attack (a surprise when it all started) & that William is carrying on some kind of fight? When did he ever speak out against Harry or Meghan except to state the Royal Family was definitely not racist? The view that it's a 2-party fight is bizarre to me especially when coupled by the fact that Harry has never apologized - quite the opposite, he stated last year he has nothing to apologize for - no regrets.
Yes.......Harry has never apologized for anything he has said or done since his marriage to his wife....... he is not an example of the prodigal son...... read the parable in the Bible, not even close. I am waiting to see which one of the dastardly duo leaks first.......they are grifters, blackmailers and liars .....and need to be removed from the Royal website for a start.
Prodigal Harry is not!! Yes Tricia, i'm watching all the sources the Sussexes favour when they get back home to see what develops. Also to keep my eye on As Ever merchandise. A new candle that smells like Highgrove named Appeasement? Did you see Roya Nikkah's latest article in The Times of today? It gives several clues as to the future, nonpaywall version in case you haven't seen it yet: https://archive.is/gSGcq
Absolutely agree with you. And it appears every other commenter shares your general sentiment. I'm beginning to think this column is a front for Operation Thaw. The alternative is even worse: that those around Charles genuinely feel the way this article describes. I wish there was a third explanation, but am sadly coming up short.
One thing Harry has done very well is to clearly illustrate how toxic he is. It takes real mental gymnastics to twist such a stark reality, the way this column does.
Thank you JH, this particular essay was a shock to me, i'll admit it. Since i've been subscribed i've not seen anything like this. Maybe a different author wrote this piece? It seems like only a couple of the group around Charles agree with his approach & what this article describes - Theo Rycroft & Tobyn Andreae. Clive Alderton does not, but the other day in his podcast Tom S said that Rycroft was being groomed to take Alderton's place (news to me but i knew he was getting up there in age). There are other 'unnamed' senior aides said to be hawks on any kind of reciliation as well as speculation that Camilla is against it too but also supportive to Charles overall. Going unremarked upon is the new Deputy Press Secretary hired by Charles out of the Royal Rota pool - Rhiannon Mills, who reports to Tobyn. Not a peep from the press about her & it was not her that convinced C&C to start making short cinematic vids of their work (similar to what the Prince & Princess of Wales do). It is said that they were inspired by Will Warr - the collaborator in the Wales' short productions/reels.
These are very interesting insights indeed. Charles will be making a mistake if Alderton is edged out because he is speaking unpleasant truths.
HMTLQ did not surround herself with sycophants. Philip was a meaningful player in that. Camilla seems likewise the key here. Someone to help keep the compass north.
You make a good point about Prince Philip being a good compass for HMQE, but i have to say after reading Royal Nikkah’s article i’m sort of thinking that even tho Camilla recognizes the danger in Harry & rehabbing his image & standing in Britain & globally, she probably will cave to Charles’ wishes because she supports him wholeheartedly. But if that is true & Alderton leaves i don’t know who else is there who is a rational thinker & puts the welfare of the Crown first.
Wow. What an article. I agree regarding Camilla. She puts Charles first. Harry has hurt Camilla but she stands by Charles' decision. What is she to Charles? Will he ever give her due respect? Very interesting.
Three more article observations. 1) Charles says "blood is blood". Absurd. You can always love your evil son, yet behave rationally and unequivocally to protect your family from him. 2) “Harry is very principled in what he stands for and he’s just going about his life in the way he said he would.” Per Harry's friend. Which means he will never change and has no regrets. Charles should understand this and stop accommodating. 3) Harry has accepted William's clear and strong position and has STOPPED TRYING. See Charles? That's the only thing that works with a manchild. So be a man, for your wife and loyal family.
Yah, i'm glad you see what i mean, the reservations on Camilla after that article. What i think i am seeing is that Charles is willing to sacrifice most any family member to get what he wants including her, or at the v least taking her unwavering support for granted. And i agree with all 3 of your observations!
The level of public support that rotten man sti receives (including from the endless members of the media who love to lick his dirty ass), just baffles me.
He gets even more by having a tea party with the King!
Beautifully said. Endorsing Harry's rival court is what fractures the institution. This is the King siding with the rival court, to the detriment of the future KW5's court and its standing.
It really is existentially dangerous, and it's wild that courtiers cannot recognize this. Providing the Sussexes with an imprimatur and platform from which to attempt to dominate KW5's future court is a disaster.
I really don't get what Charles is playing at, other than intentional sabotage.
Thank you Awzng, i'm not really sure of Charles' motivation(s) either to be honest, other than to satisfy his personal desires, which has been a primary motivation in several of his previous actions that were deemed divisive & polarizing. It's hard to believe he thinks this is the best route for the Crown to take at this time, one does wonder if he feels like he's running out of time even though reporting that the new treatment has removed the fright & sense of doom & shortened lifespan in his fight against cancer. The ruse about seeing the Grandchildren is just that - he could've seen those kids privately at any time & other than a 'legacy', genealogical aspect there doesn't appear to be a lot of personal interest, investment, significant commitment of personal time, energy & effort to developing a loving, lasting relationship with those kids on his part.
It's not about the kids for either side. They really think we're all stupid. This is about improving Harry's image and standing in the UK, both for Harry and Charles's mercenary reasons.
Roya Nikkhah spelled it out on Harry's behalf, that it was about rehabbing Meghan and Harry's images, for commercial reasons and for social clout reasons (not to mention - my own editorializing - to dominate and terrorize William and Kate with more proximity).
Charles and BP have not been transparent regarding their motives and the intended path for this rehabilitation. It's not for the good of the Waleses, their children, the institution or the country, that's for sure.
Bullying people to "reconcile" with their abusers, then not being there to pick up the emotional (even physical) carnage... NO. Once someone has safely extricated themselves for their own well-being, be it emotional or physical, you wish them well. You don't bully and threaten them to get entangled again.
I 100% agree, the kids are pawns in Harry & Meghan's struggles as well as in Meghan''s commercialization of her business & weapons or cudgels to deploy in their fight to get what they want. And as we agree, based on the observations over the course of time since Archie was born, if it's just even a little part of Charles motivation, that is overblown as illustrated by his behavior in the past up to the current time.
I seem to remember it being said that Charles is not above a bit of jealousy when it comes to the popularity of others. Especially if he suspects that it might eclipse his own?
Very good point & i believe it has been documented that he is jealous at times & especially if it eclipses his own approval ratings.
I do not understand why people trash the Prince of Wales for not communicating with his brother. Believe Harry’s behavior for what it is—ugly and disgusting. William should continue to stay as far away from his brother and his awful wife as he can.
Harry said unforgivable things about Catherine, imho. If somebody said that my husband only married me because I fitted the mold I wouldn't be rushing to be friends with them. You're right about his wife, again, imho!
We might look at this a different way. We might think of a headline that read “Harry taken to the woodshed. King summons him to Highgrove and lays down the law ‘All this must stop!’” Said face to face, not through sources or interpreters or via Zoom but face to face. But of course no one knows exactly what was said. So we can each decide for ourselves what the story might have been. I know which version I would think about, given the shenanigans of the past several weeks.
But William was not simply “playing polo” yesterday. He was continuing a tradition that his father, his grandfather and other Royals have supported for decades. Even Harry had participated in this important event. This is an event that funds multiple charities and, indeed, yesterday the event brought in over one million pounds. The commentator at the event said that for William, attending this event was an effort. He no longer plays polo regularly so getting up on the pony and participating was “a real effort, one greatly appreciated….” This commentator recognized that William is a busy man and appreciated his continued—15 years—support. And Catherine was there as well, looking, as ever, happy and glowing. They held hands, they walked together. The feeling of mutual support, publicly shown, was terrific. The photos that emerged are beautiful. If you take the time to look at that instead of surmising about some unseen meeting with unseen participants.
The writing smacked of BP's usual sniffy and dismissive attitude when it comes to anything William does. If Charles wants a court war, William can give him one. The institution would be inevitably destroyed, but the public would side with William and Kate for protecting themselves and their children.
Charles and Camilla get support because of the perceived bond between the Waleses and their children. If that is exposed as non-existent lie, especially if Charles and Camilla are exposed as using their higher standing as bosses to scheme against the Waleses (especially after what Diana expressed)... Bye bye to Charles and Camilla's legacies. They'll go down in history as the selfish assholes who were so egotistically sef-absorbed with being King and Queen that they destroyed everything around them, including the British monarchy.
I politely disagree on this. We can each cite examples to support our debate, I'll just use one and then I'll move on: on the very night that the Queen's coffin arrived at BP and Charles made his first statement as King, he named William and Catherine as Prince and Princess of Wales: "As my heir, William now assumes the Scottish titles... I create him Prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru, the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty. With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the center ground where vital help can be given". He added that appointing his heir to this role meant taking on the responsibilities for the Duchy of Cornwall that Charles had held for over five decades.... (with credit to AI for calling this up for me). He didn't have to do it on that night but he did. And in the same statement, he wished Harry & Meghan well: "I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas." Couldn't have been clearer as to which son was the heir to the kingdom and which son he trusted.
I know you disagree and you have your proofs. But, I have read most of them and after weighing it all, I opt for believing that Charles is not plotting to bring Harry back as his Richard III.
Now on to the football!
I very much respect and value your opinion, Valerie!
The only two things i'll say (lol) - That was before the existential power struggle which seems to have emerged between Charles and William, originating because of how Andrew was being (mis)handled. Charles did not like his judgement questioned.
Second of all, Charles wanted that Princess of Wales title taken away from Diana's ghost as soon as it was possible! 😂
Can’t type right now, it’s just past half time in the game and my fingers are shaking too much…. But yeah, ghosts can really mess life up
Don't want to jinx, but fingers crossed! I predicted Norway 2-1, because of the Viking, but Bellingham is a star, so it's vice versa so far! Extra time, I hate extra time 😭.
Hey Jude.... I had mixed loyalties because my favorite great uncle and 1st cousin 1x removed were Norwegian and I loved them to bits. Feel sorry for me, I had to drive home from my daughter's, still shaking from the win, with a monsoon pounding on my car. Home safe though!
The polo charity match has been conveniently overlooked by others.....
Not by the people who count, right?
Where did H stay while in London? Where did the wife and husband children stay? Did they visit the burial site at Althorp?
I am sure we’ll find out eventually…. I read somewhere that Harry met up with Meghan and the children and they all went to Highgrove together. I don’t know if that means they were at Althorp. Althorp is a long way to commute to London for Harry to make his appearances but could be done.
Why would it need to change ? William
has no obligation to “reconcile” with Harry, who is a pathetic piece of work.
The best way to predict what someone is going to do in the future is look at what they did in the past. H&M have an abominable track record and have done everything in their power to trash the RF! Prince William has absolutely no reason to believe that his brother has changed one bit and I think he’s being very prudent in avoiding them at all costs!
Agreed! This was all to refresh the royal sparkle for the failed Sussexes, and give Meghan a chance to finally "get at" Charles to ask for what they want again. Charles looks magnanimous, and the Sussexes look royal again. Their emotional blackmail worked. William showed us he chooses duty and will not be bullied or manipulated. He showed us the great King he will be, and that the Sussexes shouldn't assume that they have secured any kind of future in the monarchy.
What “eventual reckoning”? What needs to change at some point? I’m confused.
William’s position is clear, he’s not playing rival courts with Harry.
I’m American so there’s a lot I don’t understand but I do understand William deciding his relationship with Harry may be broken in a way that can’t be fixed, and Charles wanting to see his son and his grandchildren. That’s the reality. Harry decided, very publicly, to make his home in another country and with a completely different social set. The only time William’s and Harry’s paths might cross is because of their father and, frankly, time will take care of that sooner rather than later. For William, Harry just takes up space and energy needed elsewhere. When Charles is gone, Harry will probably fade into irrelevance here and in the US.
Charles wants to rehabilitate Harry's standing in the UK, so Charles can use Harry as a cudgel and counterweight against William, including into William's reign (so that Charles's looks better). This is all it is about. Slimy.
Out of spite, jealousy, whatever it is - Charles doesn't want William to have a clear path. George doesn't even factor in, Charles and Camilla don't give a single shit about George lol, they seem to see him as a Middleton grandkid and don't care about him accordingly.
Much like the Duke of Windsor. I was born in the 50s so he was a figure in my mother's life, but to me he was just a giant nothing burger as they say very descriptively in the US! I think when KWv takes the reins (no pun intended) his brother will fade into obscurity in the same way
If he hasn’t faded into irrelevance already.
Won’t Charles be dead for William’s reign or do you think he’ll abdicate?
Actually people generally are on William Side in this matter because many see H&M as traitors that attacked their family and Grifters that use titles of a family they accused of being racist. If W caves to H that may have consequences for his popularity Besides the attacks against W&C were much more severe then the ones against C&C Meg on Oprah unleashed years of vile attacks against especially Catherine by her agressive fans even when Catherine was known to be recovering from cancer they were going after W&C. This visit does not make Charles look good at all especially not without a public apology to W&C. My opinion
It makes Charles seem totally callous, unappreciative and cruel towards Kate, in particular.
She's quite possibly the reason the monarchy retains the level of popularity it does
And a stupid Charles chooses to treat her like dirt, in exchange.
I think Charles knew this meeting was more important to Harry, than to himself. Being a parent myself, I can understand Charles being concerned about Harry’s apparently fragile mental health and hopefully this helps that. Let’s see how the Sussexes abuse this meeting, as they have everything else. That’s a given, and Charles will need to accept responsibility.
I totally agree with the Wales not wanting anything to do with the Sussexes, and look forward to relief from their chaos ‘in time.’
This framing that the King is worrying now about Harry's apparently fragile mental health is deeply ironic -- the timing of the onset of trying to do something about it is what reeks of something rotten in Denmark. When Harry was going off the rails & admittedly having serious problems of coping -- what concrete, positive action did Charles take? I submit that it was primarily William who was trying to help Harry at that time & then later both William & Catherine; & that Charles was too busy with his Princely duties & rehabbing his own & Camilla's image to give meaningful help & guidance to his second son. That this is now a motive (& i'm not saying for sure it is a concrete motive but it has been broached by sources close to the King & repeated in the press) just doesn't cut the acid test of being genuine & authentic.
Harry’s mental health issues are more publicly obvious since he married Meghan, and Harry’s attracting worldwide negative attention to the Monarchy. It’s harder for Charles to ignore than previously.
When the Sussexes mess up epically once again, Charles can take all of the heat for his stupid decisions. William and Kate will just be vindicated, yet again.
I can’t wait for KW5th in “the fullness of time” - it can’t come soon enough!
I enjoy your thoughts very much but I disagree with you about William. I think his firm stance against his brother is warranted and appreciated by the majority. I think Charles made himself weaker this week, not benevolent grandfather.
William is wise to stay away.
Well I found that a pleasant read until: “ the image that now exists is this: the King found a way to see his grandchildren. The heir did not find his way to see his brother. In the court of public perception, those two facts will be weighed together whether or not they are strictly comparable.” This is what you say, as a fact when - in fact - this is merely your opinion. The image that now exists is that William was playing polo and the public might be wondering what will come of this ‘private’ visit from the Sussexes to the K&Q. Don’t get me wrong: I am very pleased for Charles to see his youngest son and children, which is probably what he wanted. We will find out in the period to come what will be made of it from the Sussex side. First see (for a very long time) than there might be trust again. Let’s not rock the boat when there is nothing to rock, for the moment. You were the one that stated that calling William ‘furious’ was a media-hype. Let’s not dictate what the people/public will think or should think.
William was working yesterday. Playing polo to raise one million pounds for ten charities. Catherine was out in public, being photographed, looking happy and glorious (yes those words are deliberate) and very much in love. Everyone had a great afternoon and anyone who says they know Royal history and the Royal family would know what meaning that polo event has for the Royal family.
I think you’re wrong about this having no institutional cost. Harry has been open in his contempt for Britain’s institutions and for the British people at large. On Tuesday he gave another ill-tempered, ill-supported philippic against the court system, which operates in his father’s name. He will take none of it back. Charles’s support of his behavior will not be institutionally cost free. Tom Sykes said today that Charles’s is spending capital he doesn’t have and I think he’s probably right. Support for the monarchy has eroded significantly since the Queen’s death. This act will not endear him to those who support the monarchy but I doubt it will change the minds of any who don’t.
William and his wife have been attacked extensively by the Sussexes. They’ve kept their tongues and their dignity. Before those attacks are withdrawn and atoned for, I think the reservoir of feeling towards the Wales will be sound enough.
If you are implying William should meet with Harry you are wrong.
Quite simply, no, William does not have to worry. Charles is as badly out of tune with the public sentiment on the Harry reconciliation as he was on the attempts to visibly bring Andrew back into the fold. Harry's attacks on the judiciary were unjustified and further undermined his credibility. (The little he has left after his own social media messages exposed his lack of credibility on Charlotte Griffiths.) After he attacks His Majesty's Courts, he has tea with His Majesty.