Prince Harry and Andrew left ‘stunned’ and ‘furious’ at King’s Gambit

King Charles III has shown just how powerful he can be with his latest move against Prince Harry and Prince Andrew in his game of thrones.

AFP

King Charles III pulled off a masterclass in 4D chess with a double checkmate that left Prince Harry and Prince Andrew pawns in the monarch’s game of thrones.

In one deft move, the King got his revenge for Prince Harry’s trauma porn “Spare”, cast disgraced Prince Andrew out of the palace, and ensured his coronation would not spiral into the Meghan Markle sideshow.

And all without saying a word.

By 2018, Buckingham Palace was already laying the groundwork for then Prince Charles to succeed Queen Elizabeth as British monarch.

Known for his meddling ways in global politics and climate change, he gave a rare interview to calm fears he would continue his interventionism as King.

“I’m not that stupid. I do realise that it is a separate exercise being sovereign,” he said. “You play the role in the way that it is expected.”

That role may be to, famously, never complain and never explain in public. But it says nothing of what happens behind the gilded gates of the palace.

In one deft move, the King got his revenge for Prince Harry’s trauma porn “Spare”, cast disgraced Prince Andrew out of the palace, and ensured his coronation would not spiral into the Meghan Markle sideshow.

Prince Harry and Prince Andrew are off the board after King’s gambit shuffled them further away from his orbit. Picture: AFP

And all without saying a word. The closest the King has come to addressing Prince Harry directly in the wake of Spare was a confused “who” when he misheard the Duke’s name yelled from a crowd.

Palace machinations slow rolling behind the scenes, however, played out in rapid succession in the past week, starting with the Sussex eviction from Frogmore Cottage so the Duke of York can move in.

Prince Andrew is said to be ‘furious’ he might not be able to wear his velvet robes of the Most Noble Order of the Garter to the King’s coronation. Picture: Getty Images

Not only does that dislodge Prince Andrew from the Royal Lodge, but it also takes away what Prince Harry and Ms Markle called the last safe place they had in the United Kingdom.

Soon after that news broke, their invitations to the coronation arrived in the mail. While Prince Harry is not likely to miss his father’s big day, losing the extra security and access to state intelligence that came with Frogmore Cottage makes it far less likely that his wife and two young children will join him.

The Sussexes were “stunned” by the move, according to their royal biographer, Omid Scobie, who said it came as a surprise to the Duke and Duchess.

Anyone paying attention to King’s interview five years ago wouldn’t have been so surprised. Just because he didn’t complain about Spare, it didn’t mean he wouldn’t do anything about it.

The decision to evict the Sussexes from Frogmore, and effectively evict them from the United Kingdom, was reportedly made as far back as January amid Prince Harry’s media blitz, which took particular aim at Camilla, Queen Consort.

His moves to weather the Sussex storm and escape, relatively, unscathed from Prince Andrew’s controversies are all directed toward ensuring the survival of the monarchy and the commonwealth his mother worked so hard to maintain.

The monarchy’s survival is reliant on the future of the heir, not the spare. Prince William, the only person to have remained more tight-lipped about Spare, has emerged as a silent partner in the King’s game of ascending the throne.

Prince William has reportedly been pulling the strings behind the scenes of the King’s bid decisions. Picture: AFP

Prince Andrew’s ex, Lady Victoria Hervey, has said that Prince William pushed the King for the duel evictions, saying the Prince of Wales wanted the Royal Lodge for himself.

“This is William wanting the big house, he’s not happy in the small one,” she said on GB News, adding in a later interview with the Mirror that Prince Harry also risks “exile” if he continues to slight his older brother.

The slide down the royal hierarchy would be close behind his uncle Prince Andrew, who is reportedly “furious” at the King banning him from attending the coronation in the ceremonial velvet robes of the Knight of the Garter.

“It’s becoming a bit of a blood sport,” the 46-year-old model said. “Harry is getting himself closer and closer to being exiled. I think he’s only one or two steps away from that happening.”

Checkmate.

Originally published as Prince Harry and Andrew left ‘stunned’ and ‘furious’ at King’s Gambit