If there was ever any doubt over whether Meghan and Harry could return to royal life, the events of the past few weeks have surely put paid to that, writes Emily Andrews
The Duke of Sussex’s live-streamed interview in which he told how using illegal drugs ‘really helped’ him deal with mental health issues sparked a backlash from campaigners and doctors alike, while the loss of the Sussexes’ British home, Frogmore Cottage, underlined their eviction from The Firm.
Over the past couple of months, if not years, it has seemed as if Harry and Meghan have held all the cards.
Hurling accusation after accusation of their perceived mistreatment, be it through the screen of their Netflix documentary, pages of Spare or publicity interviews, the Royal Family have had little option but to stay silent.
Recollections may have varied, but Harry and Meghan have used all their various media platforms not only to malign the institution, but the family members within it.
‘Wicked stepmother’ Camilla, cold and unfeeling Kate, arrogant and hot-tempered William and emotionally inept Charles.
Even their announcement that yes, they had received an invitation to the coronation, but no, they were not going to divulge whether they were going or not, just perpetuated what seemed like an endless cycle of drama.
So Charles’ power play – to evict the Sussexes from Frogmore Cottage, despite them having paid a number of years’ rent upfront – signalled that enough was enough.
The monarch was sending a clear message – you are welcome as a visitor to the UK, but you are no longer any part of royal proceedings here.
And how can Harry represent The Firm or be any sort of royal role model when he openly admits to having taken drugs? In what appeared to be an attempt to sell copies of his book’s second-print run, he took part in a live interview with ‘trauma expert’ therapist Dr Gabor Maté (who also had a new book to promote) which cost viewers nearly £20 a ticket.
He said how smoking lots of cannabis – a Class B drug – had helped him deal with the loss of his mother and his ‘positive’ experience of psychedelic drug ayahuasca (also illegal in the UK), ‘brought me a sense of relaxation, release, comfort, a lightness that I managed to hold on to for a period of time.’
Even actor Courteney Cox waded into the drug debate after Harry claimed he took magic mushrooms while staying at her house. But there was a different take from the former Friends star, who said, ‘He did stay here for a couple of days – probably two or three… He’s a really nice pe
