Ever since Buckingham Palace confirmed Prince Harry’s attendance at his father’s coronation, the two main royal courts – BP and Kensington Palace – have been furiously leaking about his upcoming visit and what it means, and why Meghan isn’t joining him. What can we gather from the fact that Prince William and King Charles’s aides and courtiers are doing the most to scream, cry and take credit for every part of this? My opinion: Prince Harry played hardball in the negotiations about where he would sit and who he did not want to sit near (his uncle Andrew or William), and Harry made it clear that he was only coming for the crowning and nothing else. Thus, William and Charles are trying to make it sound like what Harry negotiated was all THEIR idea, and that William would never speak to Harry, etc. Also, given the Embiggening Queen Camilla project, I think we can also safely assume that Camilla is engaging in a great deal of quid pro quo – positive coverage for herself, in exchange for leaks about Harry. Speaking of, Roya Nikkhah at the Times had another piece about all of this.
The palace is relieved that Meghan won’t come: There are audible sighs of relief at Buckingham Palace that with only half of the Sussex show in town next month, the focus will be on Charles and Camilla. “The outcome chosen is one that suits all,” said a royal aide. “The King is pleased that Harry is coming and understands why Meghan might want to stay behind with Archie and Lilibet. There is no ill feeling. We are pleased to have arrived at a resolution.”
How does Camilla feel? But if Charles is content that his “darling boy” will watch him be crowned, what does Camilla think? Close friends have said Harry’s words stung her. “Of course it bothers her, of course it hurts,” said the Marchioness of Lansdowne, one of her confidantes. “But she doesn’t let it get to her. Her philosophy is always ‘don’t make a thing of it and it will settle down; least said, soonest mended’.”
Camilla’s strong sense of family: Another close friend said of her approach to Harry: “Because she has a hugely strong sense of family, like any other family, she knows there are times when things are good and bad, but with family you just keep going. It has never been a huge drama for her; she’s not into the drama, and she’s got a forgiving nature. She might make it tough for you for a bit, but then she moves on. She doesn’t feel there is a huge sense of malice; she knows some people in the family are unhappy — people get upset — but in ten years’ time they’ll all be looking back, like most families, just getting on with it.”
William’s chaotic leaks: When Queen Elizabeth died, William was determined that the rift with his brother should not overshadow the memory of their beloved grandmother. He feels the same about their father’s big day. Last week, the “spare” was not a topic of conversation for William while discussing the coronation with his team. Instead, the heir is focused on getting on with the job, not family feuds. An aide says: “Both the Prince and Princess of Wales have an unwavering commitment to duty and service, and for the prince, that is what is on his mind. He knows the coronation is a huge moment in the life of his father, and for them in their roles — serving the British people and the Commonwealth, which he takes very seriously. When he thinks about the coronation, that is the lens he sees it through.”
Harry’s twinge of regret? Harry will be at the heart of his family for the first time since the fortnight of mourning his grandmother last September, when his scramble to her deathbed was delayed by family infighting, and the deep freeze between the brothers was obvious. Friends of Harry’s said he found the experience “awkward” and “difficult” and conceded that his return to the UK and the royal family fold brought a twinge of “regret over a missed opportunity of what could have been”. He may feel that twinge again during the coronation, when it will be impossible to ignore his demoted position in the hierarchy, having chosen Californian freedom over official duties.
Harry won’t be included in anything other than the crowning: But friends say it does not bother him any more. “I don’t think any of that is a deal breaker for him,” said a source close to Harry. “He walked away from all of that, and wouldn’t expect to be in the same position as before. He’s also now used to it, having been through it with the Platinum Jubilee and his grandmother’s funeral. He wants to be there for the coronation — it’s a very important moment — put everything else aside. That’s the bottom line.”
No apologies: Harry’s visit here will be fleeting, but if all can endure the family gathering for longer than 24 hours, what are the chances of constructive conversations? “I don’t think it’s the right time or place to have those discussions,” a well-placed royal source said. “It wouldn’t be sensible to try and shoehorn that into a coronation weekend. Harry will be back. Those talks can start later.”
[From The Times]
The Windsors are making a point of kicking the can down the road with the belief that Harry will always be around (in some way). I hope that Harry has really paid attention to everything that’s happened in the past year (the Jubbly, the funeral, the reaction to Spare, the eviction from Frogmore) and he understands that he’s never going to get what he wants or needs from these toxic people. He gave them ample opportunity to apologize, to make it right, to have an honest conversation, and instead they’ve spent years smearing him, abusing his wife, exploiting his love for his family and much, much worse. Whenever the Windsors are “ready” to have these conversations, Harry should already be in the wind.
As for Camilla, William and Charles leaking all of this sh-t about his visit and what it means… it’s pathetic that the British media AND the entire royal family is so singularly focused on Harry and Meghan. We also don’t need to hear about Camilla’s strong sense of family – she cheated on her first husband and destroyed two marriages and irreparably harmed two families.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar.
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