Opinion: Hidden meaning behind Prince Harry’s UK ambush

Surprise, the prodigal son returned. But the timing, tone and, glaringly, arriving alone, betray the hidden purpose of Prince Harry’s London sideshow.

In a shock to everyone and no one, Prince Harry made Monday about him.

The Duke of Sussex’s surprise appearance on the opening day of a defamation trial made little sense for his legal claims of privacy violations but perfect sense for its “Worldwide Privacy Tour” vibes.

The timing, tone and, glaring, showing up alone, suggest Prince Harry’s real purpose wasn’t to support an otherwise procedural preliminary hearing over whether to move forward with allegations of unlawful information gathering.

Instead, the surprise move is more likely the latest salvo in the Cold (shoulder) War that has been raging between the King, the Heir, and the Spare since the feud over Meghan Markle’s allegations of racism tore the family asunder.

MOST TELLING IS THE TIMING

Prince Harry leaves the Royal Courts of Justice in London, England. Picture: Getty Images

Day one, of four days, of legal arguments, wasn’t the only event, or even the most consequential event, on the royal calendar Monday, local time.

It also happened to be the same day King Charles III was to be guest of honour at a state dinner in the Palace of Versailles for his first major – and arguably most important so far – move as monarch.

The highly-symbolic visit to Paris, then Germany, was seen as a post-Brexit olive branch to the United Kingdom’s historical rivals, as well as a tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II and her affection for France.

If not for violent protests cancelling the trip over the weekend, the newly-minted sovereign would have been upstaged and overshadowed by the Sussex sideshow rolling into town day and date of the King’s Royal tour.

Even in the annals of passive-aggressive gotcha campaigns, that would have been a point-blank headshot.

The latest episode of South Park has taken aim at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Picture: Comedy Central

Prince Harry’s surprise appearance in London had “Worldwide Privacy Tour” vibes. Picture: Supplied

The King’s event was cancelled on Friday, so it’s feasible Prince Harry booked his flight (commercial) that day in an attempt to force his demanded “summit” before the coronation.

At the very latest, he would have needed a red-eye on Sunday for the 10-plus hour flight from Los Angeles to London to roll straight off the plane and into the court the next morning.

We can only take Prince Harry’s word for how unlikely that would be, given how dangerous he says it is to travel to the UK without a state-sponsored security apparatuses to plan and co-ordinate his royal movements. He’s suing over that, too.

It’s more probable, however, that travel was booked well in advance, when the King was due in Europe and Britain’s attention could have been devoted to the Duke and his grievances. Either way, whether booked well in advance or a spare of the moment decision, the King seems at the centre of Prince Harry’s motivations.

But he’s not the only one with a few passive-aggressive arrows in his quiver. Despite Prince Harry’s request for a meeting, the King is “too busy” to see his son.

HARRY’S TONE IS INCONGRUOUS

Then there’s the method and manner with which he turned up to the Royal Courts of Justice, ostensibly to show his support for the series of phone hacking allegations against Associated Newspapers Ltd, which denies the claims as “preposterous smears”.

It’s not for lack of star power already on deck to publicise the legal dispute. Unlike his previous lawsuits, Prince Harry is just one, and not even the biggest one, in a who’s who of Britain’s celebrity and well-to-do society that includes Elton John, David Furnish, Liz Hurley, Sadie Frost, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, and former MP Sir Simon Hughes.

He didn’t turn up for his other legal case, suing the UK government over taking away his police protection. But he turned up for this one, based around a Mail on Sunday story about that police protection being taken away.

And he turned up at the front door. Smiling. Waving. Thumbs up. Bumping and framing directly in the crosshairs of a massive media scrum. Sir Elton, Mr Furnish, and Miss Frost, meanwhile, used a side entrance. Presumably for their privacy.

Prince Harry gives the thumbs up outside the court. Picture: Getty Images

Harry smiled through the front door and into the back of the courtroom. He didn’t give evidence but took notes. Whether summarising the legal case, or penning his next memoir, was unclear.

There’s a delta there between his stated preferences, and legal challenges, for privacy, and choices that result in a further lack of privacy. It’s incongruous and therefore conspicuous.

THE ELEPHANT NOT IN THE ROOM

Where’s Meghan? The Duchess of Sussex previously won a symbolic £1 ($A1.85) in damages from the Mail on Sunday over publishing a personal letter she sent to her father in 2018.

In the latest legal claim, Ms Markle neither joined Prince Harry in suing the publisher again nor in his show of support in the courtroom.

With two young children at home in California, Ms Markle remaining stateside while Prince Harry returns to the United Kingdom is also seen as the most likely outcome for Sussex representation at the King’s coronation. Their eviction from Frogmore Cottage, the last place they felt fully safe, saw to that.

Prince Harry returned to the UK without wife Meghan Markle, who could remain in California during the King’s coronation. Picture: AFP

Suddenly returning to London in May while leaving his wife and kids in the US to celebrate Archie’s birthday will seem less unusual, and less like defeat, after this week’s surprise visit.

When asked in January whether he would attend the coronation, Prince Harry said “there’s a lot that can happen between now and then”.

“But, the door is always open. The ball is in their court. There’s a lot to be discussed, and I really hope that they’re willing to sit down and talk about it,” he added.

In the two months since, nothing much has happened at all. The door remained closed. No balls were volleyed across the court. Little was discussed. And no one has been willing to sit down and talk about it.

What played out with Harry’s shock return seemed less about supporting a legal dispute, and more about forcing a family feud further into public after failing to shame them into submission in private.

Originally published as Opinion: Hidden meaning behind Prince Harry’s UK ambush