Why has the King of England suddenly decided to hand over to the "unruly" Sussexes, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, the biggest prize of their six-year campaign for family restoration, on their own terms, in exchange for absolutely nothing? "Blood is not water," London's Sunday Times newspaper characteristically reports in response. As the personal sentiment of a 77-year-old grandfather who is still undergoing treatment for cancer and has not seen two of his grandchildren for more than four years, this phrase is touching. As a strategic logic for a head of state, however, it is woefully inadequate. The same Sunday Times article provides all the evidence that Charles’ move was a huge mistake.
From “emotional blackmail” to family reunion
To understand the magnitude of the upheaval, one only has to look back at how this story began three weeks ago. The news that Meghan Markle and the children would accompany Harry leaked during the royal horse races at Ascot. In those early days, the Monarch’s entourage told anyone who would listen that this move was pure “emotional blackmail” on the part of the Sussexes.
In just 20 days, and after an unprecedented leak war over who would ultimately travel, we have reached “blood does not equal water”. The climax came last Tuesday, when Harry launched a scathing attack on the British courts, with most analysts believing that with this move he had blown every bridge.
What was underestimated, however, was not Harry’s impulsiveness, but the king’s yielding. During an event for the upcoming Invictus Games in Birmingham, the prince’s smile betrayed that something was up. On the same day, the Highgrove estate was hosting a Chanel event. According to the Daily Mail, the constant traffic of vehicles was used as “cover” so that Meghan and the children could pass through the gates without being noticed by photographers. Shortly afterwards, Buckingham Palace confirmed the meeting, which was also attended by Queen Camilla.
A Constitutional Challenge Ignored
The meeting is a sensation, considering the timing of the hearing. Just on Tuesday, Judge Nicklin dismissed all 97 charges in Harry’s legal battle against the Daily Mail publisher. During the trial, the prince was caught lying openly about his relationship with journalist Charlotte Griffiths, who was forced to defend her reputation when Harry’s lawyers portrayed her as “fantasy.”
Harry’s response to his defeat was a statement in which he called the court ruling a “cover-up,” leaving clear marks on the corruption of the highest judges. As the Sunday Times revealed, this statement caused shock and “jaws to drop” in the corridors of the Palace, as it was a direct attack on the judicial system that operates in the name of the King. And yet, while on Tuesday Harry was attacking the Crown institutionally, on Friday the King was welcoming him for tea.
For the media, Harry’s legal defeat was devastating. But for the average citizen, informed by social media, a legal battle over old stories means nothing. What is recorded is tea with the King and the start of full family restoration. Harry knows very well which of the two news items carries more weight.
Palace division and rift with William
There are two camps in Charles's entourage: the "hardliners", who agree with Prince William that Harry should be kept away and consider it their duty to protect the Monarch from his emotions, and the "compromisers", who support reconciliation. In this case, the "compromisers", led by the King himself, won. However, deep distrust remains, with courtiers trembling at the idea that Harry will publicly claim that Charles secretly supports him in his war against the media. In fact, it is not excluded that there will be resignations of Palace officials who are deeply dissatisfied in the near future.
Meanwhile, the heir to the throne, Prince William, was watching a polo match in Windsor with the Princess of Wales, Kate. The two brothers have not spoken since Elizabeth’s funeral, and William appears furious at what he sees as a “betrayal” on his father’s part.
William’s frustration is entirely justified. In his 20 years in public life, he has asked little of his father. The only thing he has asked is that Harry and Andrew be kept at a safe distance from the core of the monarchy, following the example of the exiled Duke of Windsor after his abdication in 1936.
Charles bypassed William in the case of Andrew (until events forced him to back down) and is now bypassing him in the case of Harry. We must not forget whose private life was exploited to produce millions of dollars of content by the Sussexes on Netflix and in the book “Reserve”. It was William’s wife who was targeted, even as she was fighting her own battle with cancer. Morally, the Monarch owes his heir a debt of loyalty. This week, he has not shown it.
The King’s Risk and Return to Power
With this move, Charles is spending political capital he does not have. Opinion polls show support for the monarchy falling from 65% to 55%, while Meghan Markle’s popularity is at an all-time low, with two-thirds of the country actively disliking her. There is no social demand for this reconciliation.
The problem is that the King is unaware of the extent of this discontent, due to the absolute control the Palace exercises over the British press through the distribution of credentials and information. So the criticism remains subdued, while public opinion in British pubs boils over.
Harry’s return to the UK in September and the imminent holding of the Invictus Games in Birmingham next summer show that this is not an isolated incident, but a systematic dismantling of the decisions of the Sandringham Summit and Megxit itself.
The driving force behind all this is the King’s gradual recovery. When everyone thought Charles was dying, he did not have the strength to attempt such a thing. Now that the treatments are working and he feels he has bought time, he regains control and sends a clear message to his heir: “You may not like it, my son, but this is my family and I am in charge.”
History is full of impatient heirs waiting in the wings. What we have never seen before is a Monarch who looked death in the eye, was saved by medical science, and returned determined to claim power from a successor who had already become accustomed to it.
