Queen’s swipe at Harry and Meghan in royal show of unity

The royal family has joined forces in a show of unity ahead of Harry and Meghan’s ‘tell-all’ interview today with US talk show host Oprah Winfrey.

The royal family has joined forces in a show of unity ahead of Harry and Meghan’s “tell-all” interview with US talk show host Oprah Winfrey.

Senior royals including the Prince of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge appeared alongside the Queen in a special BBC program to celebrate Commonwealth Day.

Over the weekend, footage and clips of the royals were also released as each marked the annual day in their own manner.

At the heart of the commemoration was a televised address by the Queen, in which she took a veiled swipe at her grandson and his wife as she stressed the importance of “dedication to duty” and of staying in touch with family and friends during “testing times.”

The speech by the British monarch during a Commonwealth Day Service came hours before the airing of the interview which has opened a rift between the Buckingham Palace and the US-based couple, with courtiers making the unprecedented move of speaking publicly about claims Meghan bullied staff.

🌍 In this year’s #CommonwealthDay message The Queen
pays tribute to the way in which communities across the family of nations have come together in response to the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/rOoUMJLlKg

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 7, 2021

The location of the service at Westminster Abbey was also significant: last year, Meghan and Harry made their final appearance at the same service before giving up royal duties

Queen Elizabeth didn’t comment on the upcoming interview in her address, focusing instead on the global impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Whilst experiences of the last year have been different across the commonwealth, stirring examples of courage, commitment and selfless dedication to duty have been demonstrated in every commonwealth nation and territory,” she said.

Read the #CommonwealthDay message by Her Majesty The Queen, Head of the Commonwealth: https://t.co/lLAPFLfQPO

Watch the #Commonwealth Day message by Her Majesty The Queen on the @commonwealthsec YouTube channel: https://t.co/NEqtZ3ywnk#CommonwealthDelivers | @RoyalFamilypic.twitter.com/qGa8pZY8OH

— The Commonwealth (@commonwealthsec) March 7, 2021

“The testing times experienced by so many have led to a deeper appreciation of mutual support and spiritual sustenance we enjoy by being connected to others,” she added at the event celebrating the commonwealth, an association of nations from the former British Empire.

In other clips, Prince William and his wife Kate made a video call to medical and charity staff from across the world who have been helping smaller, marginalised communities throughout the pandemic, while Prince Charles also addressed the pandemic, as well as highlighting the work being carried out across Commonwealth nations to combat climate change.

🇿🇦 Dr. Zolelwa Sifumba is working to advocate for healthcare workers and the importance of looking after those in the medical profession on the front line.

This #CommonwealthDay The Duke and Duchess spoke with medical, charity and voluntary staff from across the Commonwealth 🌍 pic.twitter.com/tE1ShYCzts

— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 7, 2021

Prince Edward’s wife Sophie, Duchess of Wessex, marked both the pandemic and International Women’s Day with a call to three women from Commonwealth countries, in which she spoke to them about how they supported other women in their communities.

Sophie, Duchess of Wessex, in her video call marking both Commonwealth Day and International Women's Day. Picture: Twitter.

Harry and Meghan, who have relocated to California, agreed last month they would not return to their roles as senior royals.

The royal family is bracing for bombshells from Meghan, 39, and Harry, 36, who are expected to go into detail about their grievances over the departure from royal life last year, race in the UK and strained relationships in the royal family. One friend of the couple warned that Meghan would use the broadcast to accuse senior courtiers of ignoring signs she was suffering poor mental health.

“Meghan was sometimes difficult to work for,” the friend told The Sunday Times. “She was also in a very poor state of mental health for a lot of it, which is why I think it is incredibly dangerous for the palace to attack in this way.”

In trailers released last week of the two-hour program, which will air on CBS on Sunday and at 7.30pm AEDT on the Ten Network on Monday, Meghan said “the Firm” played “an active role” in “perpetuating falsehoods about us” and she was prevented by palace aides from talking to Winfrey while she was a working royal. Harry said “it has been unbeliev­ably tough for the two of us”.

The Queen will not watch the interview, and the Sunday Times reports that the palace would respond only if individual members of the family were attacked.

The official line from the palace is that “the institution will keep a dignified silence” about what emerges, but senior royal sources warned the interview is a “high stakes” move, indicating they are prepared to retaliate.

“The response will depend very much on if they go after the institution or the people,” a royal source told the Sunday Times. “If they go after the people, the people will come out swinging. The institution can take the blows, the people cannot. The institution is not at war, the ­Sussexes are at war.” Last week, Buckingham Palace launched an unprecedented inquiry into alle­gations of bullying made by former members of Meghan and Harry’s staff, which they have strongly denied. On Saturday night, a royal source with close knowledge of the allegations said: “The actual worst incidences haven’t come out. There are some harrowing stories to tell. I’ve had some teary conversations with people this week”.

Another palace source told the newspaper: “They are playing with fire, it’s very high stakes because there’s a lot that could come out in the wash that hasn’t been told.”

With AFP