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Prince William’s 38th birthday today has been happy and also a tad dramatic, with reports claiming royal aides fear a new book about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will see William “painted as the bad guy” in the tumult over their exit from the royal family.
William’s birthday coincided with Father’s Day, the twinned events marked by new pictures taken by Kate Middleton showing William enjoying playtime with his three children, George, 6, Charlotte, 5, and Louis, 2.
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To mark Father’s Day, Kensington Palace also released pictures of William and his father Prince Charles (taken by Kate in December last year), and one of Kate with her dad, Michael Middleton, taken when she was a young girl.
Prince Charles posted a picture of him with his sons, William and Harry (taken at a polo match in 2004), and also with his own father, the Duke of Edinburgh (taken in 1951, with the queen holding a young Princess Anne). The message read: “Whether you are a Father, a Dad, a Daddy or a Pa, wishing you a Happy Father’s Day!”
The queen also released a picture of herself alongside William, wishing him a “very happy 38th birthday.”
Then came the not-so happy birthday vibes.
A source told the Sun that aides feared William could be portrayed as “unsympathetic, unfeeling and unsupportive” towards Meghan and Harry over their decision to quit their “senior royal roles” in the new book, Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand.
A source said aides “are worried William especially will be portrayed in a bad light. This sort of family spat shouldn’t be out there in public. This shouldn’t happen to future monarchs. The book could be the most damaging thing to the Royal Family since Prince Diana’s interview on Panorama with Martin Bashir.”
The source is referring to the explosive BBC interview Diana gave in 1995, in which—when asked whether Camilla was was a factor in the breakdown of her marriage to Charles—Diana said: “Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.”
More than 100 people have been interviewed for Scobie and Durand’s book, scheduled for publication in August.
“The concern is it will somehow paint him as an unfeeling baddie against kind and philanthropic Harry and Meghan,” the source told the Sun.
Meghan thinks her “destiny” is to fight racism
Meghan Markle believes she was “destined” to help fight systemic racism in America, a close friend tells the Daily Mail.
Meghan claims her “gnawing urgency to uproot from England” was fate so she could be at the “forefront” of the movement, the friend told the Mail. “Meghan said her work as a leader is more important than ever right now and that she’s been speaking with Oprah and other community leaders on how she can be part of the solution. Meghan feels like her mission goes far beyond acting. She said she wants to use her voice for change and hasn’t ruled out a career in politics.”
This sense of “mission” follows Meghan detaching herself from best friend Jessica Mulroney, after Mulroney’s alleged threats against Black influencer Sasha Exeter this week.
“Meghan said friends reflect friends and because of what's at stake she can no longer be associated with Jessica, at least not in public,” a friend told the Mail. “She has to do what she has to do in order to preserve her dignity and her own reputation.”
Meanwhile, Prince Harry is supporting a move to possibly ban rugby anthem “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” according to the U.K. Sunday Times, because of its associations with slavery.
The Rugby Football Union said it wanted to educate fans unaware of the song’s “origins or sensitivities” so they could make an “informed decision”. “We need to do more to achieve diversity and we are determined to accelerate change and grow awareness,” the RFU said.
A spokesman for Harry told the Sunday Times: “The duke is supportive of the comments that the RFU made this week regarding the review and he will follow the lead of the RFU on the matter.”
Meghan and Harry have reached out to various community organizations in the wake of George Floyd’s death, as well as watching his memorial service. Earlier this month Meghan addressed the graduating class of her Los Angeles high school with a moving speech recorded on cellphone.
“I wasn’t sure what I could say to you,” Meghan told the students. “I wanted to say the right thing and I was really nervous that it would get picked apart. And I realized the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing because George Floyd’s life mattered and Breonna Taylor’s life mattered and Philando Castile’s life mattered and Tamir Rice’s life mattered… and so did so many other people whose names we know and whose names we do not know.”
Meghan concluded by saying, “With as diverse, vibrant, and opened minded as I know the teachings are at Immaculate Heart, I know you know that Black lives matter. You’re going to use your voice in a stronger way than you have ever been able to because most of you are 18—or you’re turning 18—so you’re going to vote. You’re going to have empathy for those who don’t see the world through the same lens that you do. You’re ready. We need you and you’re prepared.”
Their own way
Further evidence of Meghan and Harry’s detachment from the royal family: the couple, according to the Daily Mail, have parted ways with the Firm’s lawyers, Harbottle & Lewis.
The couple are now represented by the firm Fieldfisher. A source close to the couple told the Mail: “They wanted to instruct their own lawyers, not those also used by the Royal Family. They are on an independent path.”
This week in royal history
We go back to June 21, 1982, and the birth of Prince William, and the memorable image of Princess Diana and Prince Charles on the steps of St Mary’s Hospital in London presenting their son to the world. He and Kate will likely spend the day at home in Anmer Hall, Norfolk. Earlier this week he was presented with a birthday cake by a local baker. The couple has been praised for their online public appearances during the coronavirus pandemic.
Unanswered questions
What form will Meghan Markle’s anti-racism activism take? Will William and Harry share a phone call today to mark William’s birthday? Will the royal family start wearing masks as they begin to conduct official public duties again? Will the new Meghan and Harry book really trash William—and, if it does, what impact will it have on the brothers’ relationship?
