The New York Post is running a somewhat bizarre exclusive about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their headline is “There’s only one path of reconciliation for Prince Harry and royal family: source.” Weirdly, the “source” isn’t putting the onus on Prince Harry. While this piece is a bitchfest and a regurgitation of many different anti-Sussex talking points, the main thrust is that King Charles could easily reconcile with Harry if only Charles would guarantee the Sussexes’ security needs for their visits to the UK. Charles hasn’t done that, so there’s no reconciliation. You mean it’s not up to Harry to come crawling back, broke and divorced? You mean that Harry has actually been fighting to be part of his father’s life this whole time only for Charles to block those efforts? Who would have thought. Some highlights:
King Charles didn’t invite the Sussexes to Balmoral: They’ll be no suffering through the gloomy Scottish weather at Sandringham or wading through the lochs for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle this summer. King Charles and Queen Camilla have not invited the renegade royals and their two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, for a family vacation at the monarch’s Highlands estate, sources told Page Six.
Harry’s security: As Harry nears his 40th birthday on September 15 and the chances of seeing his family continue to appear remarkably slim, multiple sources said there is only one way he will consider a reconciliation with his father. “King Charles can give Harry the security clearance he wants so desperately. As the monarch, he is the ultimate decision maker. That would be how father and son can reconcile,” said one royal source.
Harry has not been in touch with William or Kate: Although he has remained somewhat in touch with his father, Harry has not spoken to his older brother, Prince William, for more than two years. Page Six is told that reports that Harry has personally been in touch with the future king or sister-in-law Kate Middleton amid her cancer battle are inaccurate. Source said William, 42, remains furious that Harry claimed in his memoir, “Spare,” that the future monarch had assaulted him during an explosive argument over Markle. He is also said to be angry that the book blamed him and Middleton for encouraging Harry to wear a Nazi uniform to a 2005 costume party.
William is appalled by this too: Making it worse, writer Omid Scobie — who penned the Sussexes’ fawning biography, “Finding Freedom” — caused a storm by claiming that Charles and Kate were the so-called royal racists who asked what color Harry and Markle’s children would be. William is said to be appalled by the allegation.
The ‘Tabloids on Trial’ documentary: One royal insider who has known Harry for years said that, once again, Harry tripped over his own words. “Harry’s participation in this documentary isn’t because he wants to blame his family or speak further about their ‘rift,’” the insider said.”It is rather about his continued fight against the British tabloids. Harry’s mission in [taking] legal action with the press is clearly unique … he acknowledges that his choices have caused strain.”
Harry’s 40th birthday: As Harry prepares to celebrate his landmark birthday one longtime palace source told Page Six that their mother worried he and William might struggle. “Diana wanted them to be close. There have always been reports that she wanted Harry to be William’s wingman — it’s a nice idea, but she knew very much the burden of history would be on William,” said the source.
Diana’s former private secretary bashes Harry: “Too often Harry’s behavior is lacking judgement,” said Patrick Jephson, Princess Diana’s former chief of staff. “But that may partly be [due] to growing up in a royal world where fault could usually be deflected onto somebody else, insulating him from the consequences of his actions. Frequently, Harry’s announcements lack intellectual rigor; he often has good points to make in support of his allegations but they are not always coherently marshaled. Particularly when he invokes his mother.”
Harry’s life in America: As for the near future, Harry is focusing on “do good” initiatives through his and Markle’s Archewell Foundation, including working with parents whose children took their own lives after being bullied on social media. His planned Africa documentary for Netflix has been put on the back burner, Page Six is told. He will not, despite reports, be receiving a $9 million trust on his 40th birthday, sources added. But it seems he may have found himself. “In the past two years I’ve seen Harry become more comfortable in California and in his life and make friends and a home and work out what he wants to do with his future,” the friend said. “I think he has his convictions and he is determined, but I also think he’s more unburdened than before.”
Prince Harry, unburdened by what has been. He knows that he did not fall out of a coconut tree and that he exists in the context of all in which he lives and what came before him. Patrick Jephson’s comments are very odd overall, especially given that… Harry is suing the tabloids, he’s standing up for his mother as someone who was not paranoid (and Harry is refusing to gaslight Diana in death, something his brother did) and Harry has shown great bravery and courage to fight the powers that be in the UK. If you ask me, William is the brother who has consistently lacked good judgment, who has shown incoherence and a lack of intellectual rigor at every turn. William is the one who could always shove the blame onto someone else.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Buckingham Palace and Cover Images.