Royal biographer Emily Andrews’ take on why the royals’ paranoia is very real
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O nce upon a time there was a happy prince, one who was an ‘absolute top bloke. All about the Army and helping kids’ as a close mate fondly recalls. Then Harry met Meghan Markle. Before they got together, individually both were perfectly OK. She, an aspiring actor, would likely never win an Oscar and he, despite a respectable military career, was unlikely to have been asked to leave his brain to science.
But together, in my opinion, they are seen as toxic; seemingly intent on murdering the reputation of the Royal Family via Netflix, Oprah and Prince Harry’s autobiography.
And it’s become so bad, I hear, that the royals are understandably totally paranoid. I gather that they do not even want to be in the same room alone with them for fear they will leak more conservations. They have form and it is a very real threat, and one which continues to overshadow the coronation preparations.
What should, in theory, be one of the happiest days of King Charles’ life is still shot through with potential problems. Harry has at last confirmed he will be attending, although the Duchess of Sussex will stay in California with Archie, nearly four, and Lilibet, one. Even with this, seemingly a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer to an invitation, Harry and Meghan have, once again, made it all about them. The cut-off date for RSVPs was the start of April but still Harry and Meghan vacillated, failing to say whether they would come or not.
Meghan was reportedly upset that their two young children were not invited (even Princess Anne, aged two, did not go to her mother’s coronation in 1953 as she was too young!). And Harry, I’m told, wanted to know exactly where he would be, on the balcony or not (probably not), in the procession or not (again, probably not), before he would commit. Even for a king’s coronation it appears they cannot put their own needs and wants to one side for the sake of someone else.
And it was telling that although the announcement from Buckingham Palace and the Court of Montecito was pretty much word-for-word the same (note the use of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet), it was only Charles who said it was his ‘pleasure’ to confirm Harry’s attendance. Harry is doing his duty but with apparently no pleasure. Don’t forget that he branded the Queen Consort ‘dangerous’ and portrayed his brother as violent. The couple suggested Kate’s welcome to Meghan was ‘cold’ and less than inviting, and Harry publicly said he wants an apology to Meghan for the way he perceives his
