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William is upset at Harry for “insulting and disrespectful” statement
Ill-feeling pervades the royal family in the wake of Harry and Meghan’s utterly unsurprising confirmation that, having bought a lovely house in Montecito and inked a $100m deal with Netflix, they won’t be returning to their former role at the Firm as junior working royals.
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Prince William is said to be “really sad and genuinely shocked” by his brother’s statement on Friday, made with Meghan, which appeared to do little more than defend them from the suggestion in the queen’s statement that the couple were abandoning a life of “public service.”
Sources close to William told The Sunday Times he believed Harry and Meghan had been “insulting and disrespectful” to the queen, and he was “very upset by what has happened.”
To recap in full, at 1 minute past noon on Friday the queen issued a statement which said:
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty The Queen that they will not be returning as working members of The Royal Family.
“Following conversations with The Duke, The Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of The Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service. The honorary military appointments and Royal patronages held by The Duke and Duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty, before being redistributed among working members of The Royal Family.
“While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family.”
Three minutes later, ping, a statement from Harry and Meghan landed in certain inboxes, which said, “As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the U.K. and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organizations they have represented regardless of official role. We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”
The palace has let it be known that they consider the response by the Sussexes to Buckingham Palace’s announcement as “petulant and insulting to the queen.” One source told The Sunday Times: “You don’t answer the queen back—it’s just not done.”
Friends of William said that he is still hoping to heal their rift, with one telling the paper: “He’s very upset by what has happened, though absolutely intent that he and Harry’s relationship will heal in time.”
Another friend of the siblings added: “I know things are desperately sad and bad, but when the chips are down, those brothers will be there for each other.”
Harry and Meghan are said to be just as eager to ease family tensions, despite their disappointment at a time when they are expecting their second child.
A source close to the Sussexes said: “Both sides see that there’s a difference between the personal relationship they have in the family and the professional relationship in terms of the family business.”
Oprah’s interview is done
Oprah Winfrey has already conducted her Harry and Meghan interview, The Sunday Times reports. Oprah did the interview at the couple’s home in Montecito on Tuesday, three days before Buckingham Palace and the couple announced Harry and Meghan’s complete severance from the royal family (see above).
Did Oprah then get her cameras back in there to film their response to those events? We shall see. The Sun on Sunday reports that Oprah left Santa Barbara airport six hours after Harry and Meghan had issued their “Service is universal,” response to the palace’s statement.
It would be quite understandable if the royal family were nothing less than terrified of what Meghan will divulge to Oprah as she discusses, “stepping into life as a royal, marriage, motherhood, philanthropic work,” and “how she is handling life under intense public pressure.” One big question is whether Meghan will discuss any experiences of racism she had within the family or palace.
TV interviews mixed with royals tend to have volcanic consequences, none more so than Diana’s 1995 Panorama interview, when she told Martin Bashir there were “three of us” in her marriage to Prince Charles (the third person being Camilla Parker Bowles). Also in the pantheon is Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview. His tone and manner helped seal his professional excommunication from the royal family.
“Time to hide behind the sofa at the palace,” a royal source told The Sunday Times. “Oprah is skilled at getting people to talk about their feelings, and bound to take them down a path they’ll almost certainly regret. There will be an element of reliving Megxit and airing their grievances. No one benefits from that, but Oprah will get it out of them whether they like it or not.”
A source told the Sun on Sunday (sounding very much like the same one who dished to The Sunday Times): “Meg and Harry were interviewed on Wednesday and Thursday. The pair are clearly very close to Oprah and the fact she’s been with them at such an intense time has given her a unique insight into the rift with the royals. The drama of last week means that Oprah’s tell-all show will be pure gold. It’s time to hide behind the sofa for the other royals.”
Intriguingly, it now appears that more than a decade ago, Prince Charles turned down a similar request by Oprah. A source close to Charles told The Sunday Times: “A couple of Oprah’s producers were courting the prince and wanted to do an interview under the banner of climate change. The decision was taken not to do it because whatever was being promised, you know it’s Oprah and it’s going to be personal, that’s what she does. She’s not just going to sit down and ask about the rainforest.”
Prince Charles visits Prince Philip
Prince Charles visited his father, 99-year-old Prince Philip, in hospital on Saturday. Charles, wearing a protective mask, spent half an hour at the private King Edward VII’s Hospital in London where Philip was admitted Tuesday for “observation and rest” after falling ill.
The hospital is following national coronavirus guidelines and accepts visitors only in “exceptional circumstances”.
Both Philip and Charles have received their first COVID-19 jabs, and Philip’s hospitalization is not COVID-related.
According to the AP, Philip is expected to stay in hospital into next week. Philip is set to turn 100 in June. In a sweet gesture, Princess Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank have named their baby August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, the child’s second name a tribute to the duke.
This week in royal history
Prince Charles and Princess Diana announced their engagement 40 years ago this week (on February 24, 1981). It seems way longer, and also not that far away, thanks to The Crown—and will remain forever remembered for Charles’ “Whatever in love means” in their excruciating engagement TV interview.
Unanswered questions
What did Oprah ask? What did Harry and Meghan tell?
