Prince Harry and Meghan’s U.K. Return Is ‘Shaping Up to Be Hell’ for Princess Kate
Many royal watchers predicted that once Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved back to the U.K. there would be some drama, and that’s what we have now.
While Prince William and the Princess of Wales (formerly known as Kate Middleton) have not commented on the Sussexes’ return, some believe that they were behind a letter from the Palace reiterating that the duke and duchess do not work for the Crown.
The letter was sent out on King Charles’ behalf and clarified that Meghan and Harry are no longer working royals and, because they are now “private citizens,” any work they do is on their own, not on behalf of the Crown.
On Sept. 7, King Charles issued the letter to military and government agencies that read in part, “[Harry and Meghan’s] styles as His and Her Royal Highness remain in abeyance and are not used. The charitable work of the duke and duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity. In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.
“Any specific questions from official and state organizations about the courtesies which should be extended to the duke and duchess, and particularly where recourse to public funds may be required, should be directed to Buckingham Palace. Any operational security issues should continue to be directed to the relevant police authorities.”
However, a spokesperson for the Sussexes said they were “caught off guard by the letter” and were not happy with the “private citizens” label. The Telegraph then reported that “The duke is understood to have taken particular issue with the notion that the couple were to be treated as private citizens. If that were the case, it was claimed, such formal guidance would not be required.
“The Sussexes prefer the term ‘public figures’ and would have liked an acknowledgement that, on a personal level, they remained members of the royal family, despite no longer receiving public funding.”
The whole back-and-forth has dominated headlines, and it’s believed Meghan and Harry will continue to try and grab the headlines to take the limelight away from the royals, especially Prince William and his wife as they carry out their engagements and royal duties going forward.
According to News.au royal expert Daniela Elser, “It does not appear the Sussexes have any plans to sit quietly in the shires to reclusively collect delphinium cuttings and rescue dogs. For Kate, what are the chances of Harry and Meghan’s off-brand royalling not stealing all the available thunder? Kate’s new working royal year is shaping up to be hell.”
The Sun’s royal editor Hugo Vickers added that the same can be true for the Prince of Wales now that the Sussexes are back, saying, “The awful thing is that whenever they [Harry and Meghan] come to this country, if Prince William is doing one thing and Prince Harry is doing another, it will be interpreted as a competition–even if Prince Harry does not intend it to be.
“Therefore, it becomes a distraction. I don’t quite know what they [the Sussexes] want to do, but presumably, they want to raise their profile. If they intend to be public figures and carry out more of these appearances, they will inevitably be in competition with the royal family–effectively setting up an alternative court. That is not a positive development.”
