Harry & Meghan documentary to lead to royal crisis talks with King Charles and Prince William
King Charles and Prince William are set to hold ‘crisis talks’ as they brace for the worst in Harry and Meghan’s Netflix series.
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King Charles and Prince William were set to hold crisis meetings after the release of Netflix documentary, Harry & Meghan, as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex vowed they were only just “beginning”.
Senior palace aides to Prince William and Catherine planned to binge-watch the three-episode release of Volume I for a rapid response to any damaging allegations of mistreatment or racism.
While the Royal family has not commented on the documentary, their household insiders have been leaking to British media that they’re prepared to break the Royal tradition of silence to respond to Prince Harry and Meghan’s promise of more revelations.
A former Buckingham Palace employee who claimed she was bullied by Ms Markle, meanwhile, called on the Royal family to allow ex-staff to break nondisclosure agreements to dispute the couple’s claims.
The push to break the Monarchy’s “never complain, never explain” approach comes as Prince Harry vowed the work on exposing “their truth” was just getting started.
Speaking in New York on the eve of the bombshell release, Prince Harry accepted an award for social change saying it was “not about the culmination of a life’s work, but instead, and in many ways for us, a beginning”.
The Sussexes announced that work would continue with a new “Speak Truth to Power” award for student filmmakers for “gender equity in film”. It will be the first major project for the couple since taking full control of their Archewell Foundation after the resignation of president Mandana Dayani.
Royal aides worry Prince Harry and Ms Markle will continue to make uncontested allegations from inside the palace after they broke “strict protocols” to take unapproved photographs for their Netflix series.
Pictures taken inside the “private quarters” of Buckingham Palace appeared in the first trailer for the Netflix series, prompting fears of more to come in over the full six episodes or in their next project.
A written complaint was filed after the Sussex photographer entered the Queen’s home without her formal approval, according to the UK’s Telegraph.
“It’s fair to say there was surprise to see there was a photographer,” a source told the outlet, with another adding it was a “genuine violation” of the Queen’s household.
Buckingham Palace sources told The Times that they were “seething with rage” at allegations in the docuseries, which was being illustrated with the unauthorised photographs.
“The only way to end it once for good is for us to be allowed to speak, and for the palace to firmly reject their lies,” a former staffer told the outlet.
“[Meghan] knows we can’t financially protect ourselves by going to court, so she keeps pushing. It’s all a game for her. And she is loving it,” they said.
Prince William and Catherine were reportedly “blindsided” by the Netflix premiere taking the focus away from their US trip to host the Earthshot Prize environmental awards.
An insider told US Weekly that the move “put a huge amount of strain on relationships that are already hanging on by a thread”.
While the Netflix series has only furthered the divide between the once-close family, the renewed attention on “Megxit” in the United States has brought Prince Harry and Ms Markle closer together.
Speaking at a gala in New York, Prince Harry joked that he had gotten dressed up for “date night”.
“I actually thought we were just going on a date night, so I find it quite weird that we’re sharing the room with 1,500 people,” Prince Harry said while on stage with Meghan.
“We don’t get out much because our kids are so small and young, so this is completely unexpected,” he continued. “It’s nice to share date night with all of you”.
The levity between the couple was a stark turnaround from the suicidal thoughts Ms Markle said she had living behind palace walls.
Asked why she spoke about the moment during her now infamous Oprah interview, Ms Markle told the gala crowd that it was because she didn’t “want anyone to feel alone”.
“We all need to, when we can, if we feel brave enough, to just speak honestly about your own experience,” she said, according to The New York Post.
“It gives other people space and the courage to do the same, but more than that to really feel like you’re not alone, because I think that is often what can be the largest hindrance when you feel that way, you don’t see a way out.”
As the Sussexes enjoyed date night, King Charles and Prince William braced for the worst and prepared for a united front for any public response.
Royal expert Katie Nichol said the King’s communications team is reluctant to publicly comment, but that Prince William would not tolerate accusations of racism and could directly address any claims of mistreatment.
“It’s likely going to be tricky but the intention is to keep heads down and keep going,” Ms Nichol wrote in Variety. “It’s a tried and tested strategy and has served them well in the past. William is letting his work speak for itself as we saw in Boston and the King has a busy program of events. The message from the palace will be duty.”
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