It’s time to practise what you preach Prince Harry
It would have been the longest 10 hours of Prince Harry’s life en route from his sun-drenched LA base to see his sick “Pa”.
History has a way of repeating when lessons of the past are not learned.
No one knows this more than the royal family, who seem to be coming around to understanding that when duty is put above all when confronted with the most human of situations, such as death and illness, no one benefits.
In a weird twist of fate, outcast Harry might just be the knight in shining armour for this lot.
Health and privacy are two of the most invaluable assets one can possess and, right now, the most talked about family in the Commonwealth, if not the world, must be feeling close to bankrupt.
King Charles being diagnosed with cancer is the latest in a string of sad news from the royal family, following Kate, Princess of Wales, being struck down with a shocking illness and Fergie – who is not only Prince Andrew’s biggest supporter but was the close companion of the late Queen Elizabeth II – is now undergoing treatment for a malignant melanoma, something that was announced just days after telling the world she’d beaten breast cancer.
Remember the headlines that screamed about the royal family being in crisis when Harry (and his wife Meghan Markle) declared all out war with his relatives?
It was just hyperbole, now there is an actual crisis with numerous members of the royal family being sick.
There has reportedly been icy silence between the houses of Windsor and Sussex for years now since the tell all Netflix doco and Harry’s warts and all memoir, but during this dark time a bright spark is Harry being the first relative to see the King since his diagnosis was made public on Monday.
Optics are everything for The Firm and the most telling sign that relations could finally be thawing is Harry touched down in London and was escorted through the streets to Clarence House by marked police cars.
A curious sign considering the Duke – who quit his post as a working royal years ago – is in the midst of a High Court judicial review over his entitlement to automatic police protection and security when he’s “home” in the UK.
After a long-haul flight there was a 30-minute “meeting” between father and son.
Cancer, or any similar illness, has a way of clarifying things and it’s a good sign that the first reaction of Charles’ estranged boy was to rush to his side shortly after he called both of his children personally to inform them of his medical news.
Here’s hoping that for all his talk about mental and emotional health and his now supposed heightened EQ from years of therapy and inner work, Harry handled the situation appropriately.
Despite being dressed in a black shirt and suit – hugs, tears, tenderness of thought and tongue were hopefully administered by Charles’ “darling boy”.
Images of the King following his meeting with Harry show him beaming from the back of his Bentley, while Harry was snapped looking pensive.
William, who is on leave caring for his wife, is yet to see Charles and, according to reports, there are no plans for the brothers to meet at this moment.
It’s yet to be seen if Harry stashed an olive branch in his carry on.
“Never complain, never explain” has been a motto of the royal family and, as history proves, they rarely retreat, but now might be the time for the royals to start talking among themselves instead of via the tabloids.
Tell the courtiers to take a holiday, family business needs to take precedence for this family business.
More Coverage
The good word on repairing and revitalising ecosystems
He’s a US Midwest farmer on a mission to spread the gospel of regenerative agriculture and Gabe Brown is here to sow the benefits to Aussies working the land.
The five most expensive cars ever sold (at auction)
How much would you pay for a used car if you really wanted it? To see if you qualify as a buyer of the world’s most expensive vehicles, first answer these five questions.