Why feuds, leaks and nasty nicknames will not deter Harry and Meghan
Criticism of the secrecy around the christening of baby Archie Sussex and Meghan’s absence from royal events is misdirected, says one longtime royal watcher.
Confidential
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Feuds, politics, back-stabbing and dirty tricks — it’s not another season of House Of Cards, it’s the right royal drama of the House of Windsor.
With two sparring brothers and their glamorous but very different wives, a battle brewing on social media and a palace leakier than the Oval Office, is the House of Windsor set to come tumbling down?
This weekend Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex christened baby Archie, but even that joyous occasion was marred by criticism levelled at the pair for insisting the service was private.
They held the christening in the Private Chapel of Windsor Castle yesterday — away from the public’s gaze — in accordance with their desire to bring Archie up as a private citizen. But despite Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge having private services for Prince George and Prince Louis, and a slightly more public one for Princess Charlotte, it didn’t stop a torrent of abuse from critics in the UK. Railing at the $4.3 million cost of renovating Frogmore Cottage, British MP Luke Pollard said the couple couldn’t “have it both ways”.
“If they want public money for their home it’s hard to deny the public interest in the next generation of the royals,” he said.
There was further outrage when the couple stated the “the godparents, in keeping with their wishes, will remain private.”
The criticism is misdirected, says Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty Magazine.
“All royal christenings are private, Archie’s is no different. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge provided details about godparents, but we don’t always get that.”
The Royal Family has historically tried to shield their children from cameras — The Queen kept Prince Andrew so hidden as a baby, for example, there were reports he had a disability.
It seems Harry and Meghan can do no right — which is a very different story to this time last year when the world was enchanted with the happy newlyweds. The glow around the glamorous young royal couple was almost blinding, especially their triumphant tour of Australia and New Zealand, when Meghan revealed she was expecting her first child.
But was the tour too triumphant? Because on their return, instead of being welcomed back with praise, almost immediately stories started leaking and the Meghan backlash began. Now there are so many tales daily, it’s difficult to know which ones are true.
Reports emerged that the Duchess is difficult and staff are leaving the household, including Meghan’s PA Melissa Touabti, her unnamed police bodyguard, assistant private secretaries Amy Pickerall and Heather Wong and private secretary, Australian Samantha Cohen has resigned. Last week The Sun newspaper reported the couple has also “gone through” three nannies in six weeks.
The leaks keep coming. Recently, it was revealed Prince Philip told Harry not to marry Meghan, saying, “One steps out with actresses, one doesn’t marry them.” And apparently a senior royal cruelly dubbed Meghan “the degree wife” stating her marriage to Harry will “only last three years”.
It was reported she was nicknamed “Me-gain” and “Duchess Difficult” at Kensington Palace by unhappy staff, mainly for her habit of sending emails in the small hours and allegedly for shouting at staff for suggesting she wears “garbage” tights from Marks and Spencer. To be fair – if this was after “Tightgate”, when Meghan’s unflattering nude hosiery was pilloried at her first appearance as a duchess last year, it’s no wonder she was mad.
So are the tales true?
“Some of the stories are coming from ‘well-placed sources’, for whatever reason,” says Little. “Some are true, some are not. Courtiers are not happy about the present state of affairs, but that may improve when the Sussex’s office moves to Buckingham Palace.”
Certainly cracks are beginning to appear in public.
On June 8 Harry and Meghan appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for Trooping The Colour and much was made of the fact they were on the other side to William and Kate. Harry was also caught sternly telling Meghan to turn around as the National Anthem began.
A few days later on June 17, it was Catherine’s turn to be ticked off for talking, as Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall told her to pay attention at the Order Of The Garter ceremony in Windsor — another occasion that, like Royal Ascot, despite the proximity to home, Meghan did not break out of her maternity leave to attend.
However, she did appear last weekend with Harry at the Major League Baseball game in London played to support the Invictus Games, as well as the Trooping The Colour for the Queen’s birthday.
Despite columnist Piers Morgan slamming her for not attending the reception for US President Donald Trump, claiming she was “bunking off at home” and displaying “a woefully selfish disregard for royal duty,” she is officially on maternity leave and clearly determined to spend as much time as she can with her infant son, like any new mother, which ordinarily would be something to celebrate.
However, she did appear at Wimbledon on Thursday with friends Lindsay Roth and Genevieve Hillis – probable godparents – to support her buddy Serena Williams. She also accompanied Harry last weekend at the Major League Baseball game in London played to support the Invictus Games.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will establish their own new charitable foundation with transitional operating support from The Royal Foundation,” the palace statement said. It came after the Fab Four as they were dubbed, made just one appearance together in February last year.
But according to insiders, it was inevitable.
“There definitely has been friction between the brothers for some time,” says Little.
“Senior officials now accept that it would have been better to split the offices – and The Royal Foundation – at the time Harry and Meghan married. Both were inevitable, given that William and Harry already have different royal statuses and that will become more pronounced when William becomes Prince of Wales in due course.”
The separation leaves the Sussex’s to go their own way – which they have demonstrated by leaving Kensington Palace and decamping to Windsor, setting up home in Frogmore Cottage, after extensive renovations. The interior is said to be inspired by private club Soho House, for which Meghan used to be an ambassador, and includes features such as a copper bath and a nursery decorated in neutral-coloured organic vegan paint.
They are also embracing their new direction – with their recent announcement they will be embarking on a tour of southern Africa in autumn – sharing the news on Instagram, writing “This will be their first official tour as a family!” It’s also suggested they may even move to Africa for a few years in the near future.
The couple has embraced social media, using Instagram to promote charities they admire, such as last week’s post urging followers to support environmental initiatives including The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, as well as releasing an intimate photo of Archie for Father’s Day. Some royal correspondents feel it’s all too modern — biographer Ingrid Seward feels fans are “jaded” by their approach — “The pictures they issue are so stylised. People just want to see Harry, Meghan (and) the baby,” she said.
But the Sussex’s modern media management has gone down well with fans. They have amassed 8.8 million Instagram followers in three months, closing in fast on the Cambridge’s page with 9.4 million followers.
In the meantime, William and Kate have been more open than ever with their family, appearing relaxed and happy at occasions such as the Chelsea Flower Show in May, when Catherine brought George, Charlotte and Louis to play in the woodland garden she co-designed.
As to what the Queen and Prince Philip make of it all, insiders say they are used to it — Prince Philip called Diana and Charles’ divorce “a soap opera”.
“The Queen will be well aware of the situation, but this is nothing that she hasn’t seen before,” says Joe. “The early 1990s were very tricky for her family; what’s happening at the moment is minor by comparison.”
As the two households establish themselves separately, we can expect a few more skirmishes, before the families settle into a pattern. William and Catherine will take a more traditional path as heirs to the throne, while Harry and Meghan adopt an international and celebrity approach.
“While the situation at the moment appears volatile, hopefully with time things will calm down,” says Little. “Twelve months down the line, with separate offices, agendas and living arrangements, normality may well have returned.”
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