It was Meghan Markle herself who publicly proclaimed that her relationship with Prince Harry was like “salt and pepper”.
“We always move forward together,” she insisted.
Well, not at the moment, they don’t.
This strategy was torpedoed in 2023 as the Duchess of Sussex allows her husband to face alone in public the massive backlash caused by his selfish, childish, mean and divisive autobiography Spare, designed to destroy the reputation of his brother, the future king, and begin the process of dismantling the British monarchy as we know it.
Although I was told that Meghan provided her support privately while writing the book – and was heavily involved in the scorched earth strategy as it relates to the royal institution and the UK media – there has been a marked change in tone publicly.
“If the last two months have taught the King anything, it’s surely that Harry and Meghan are on a mission of destruction and negotiation is futile”
In a stark quote apparently informed by relatives of the couple, a source told The Daily Telegraph of Meghan’s take on Spare: ‘Is that how she would have approached it?’ Maybe not. But she will always support him and would never get involved in promoting such a personal project. It was about his own life, his own journey and his own perspective.
The newspaper – one of the few UK titles with which the Sussexes retain a working relationship – also reported that Meghan “may have raised slight concerns as to whether this was the right decision”.
So what’s really going on?
It seems hard to believe Meghan suddenly decided that publicly roasting her husband’s family was a mistake, considering that’s exactly what she’s done in the past.
And, aside from specifically pushing back on claims that the Royal Family are racist, Spare is the continuation of a narrative she began in her infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey, much of which has been refuted (where a Obedient Harry joined her for the final games).
Indeed, the Duchess would be privately delighted that many of the previously concealed and publicly damaging claims about Prince William’s behavior, in particular the alleged physical attack on Harry, during his time in the Royal Family, have now been made public.
“The Duchess of Sussex is allowing her husband to face the massive backlash in public alone over his selfish, childish, mean and divisive autobiography”
That’s why, contrary to any suggestion of disunity between the Sussexes, royal family insiders now fear there is a far more nefarious motivation behind Meghan’s rare silence.
By staying away from the public brawl over Spare and not commenting on its contents, Meghan could position herself as a power broker in the likely upcoming negotiations between Harry and his father, King Charles. about his possible participation in the coronation.
Mail on Sunday political editor Glen Owen revealed yesterday that the King had asked the Archbishop of Canterbury to broker a deal to allow Harry and Meghan to attend the Westminster Abbey ceremony in May.
Uber woke Justin Welby is seen as an ally to the couple, especially the Duchess, who may have a watershed moment.
But, understandably, Prince William is deeply concerned about such an approach, believing that his younger brother could use this event of international importance to stage a damaging stunt.
These fears are well-founded and not paranoid, especially after Harry recently told his close friend Bryony Gordon in an increasingly deranged interview that for relations to heal with his family “what I would really like is a certain responsibility” and, he added, “an apology to my wife”.
Dan Wootton
Against this backdrop, it is Meghan who now holds the key to placating her husband and granting Charles his misguided wish for family unity on his big day.
It’s a situation that Meghan will appreciate.
The former Suits actress was incandescent when courtiers, likely at the behest of senior royals, appeared to exclude her from Megxit negotiations by hosting the Sandringham summit when she returned to Canada to attend. of his young son Archie.
A royal insider told me: ‘Meghan’s silence around Spare seems highly strategic.
“She can now come across as the peacemaker while making it very clear to her husband what concessions they will need before they agree to attend the coronation.
“She has put herself in a position where it is now almost impossible to get around her.
“But, make no mistake, Meghan still wants to do the ultimate damage to the Royal Family. His fingerprints were all over the Netflix series which even questioned the role of the Commonwealth, Her Majesty’s handiwork.
“There’s no more trust there, but what choice do you have if Charles is determined to have them both there.”
I believe this is the fundamental mistake the new king is making.
If the past two months have taught him anything, it’s surely that Harry and Meghan are on a mission of destruction and bargaining is futile.
That Charles put his wife Camilla, whom Harry describes as ‘dangerous’ and ‘nasty’, and his son William, subject to the most toxic of his younger brother’s biles, in the position of having to come face to face with the Sussexes at the coronation seem unnecessarily cruel.
And, having witnessed everything that happened, including Meghan’s alleged bullying of royal staff, the idea that Wills would even agree to apologize to the Sussexes is ludicrous.
Charles is playing with fire by allowing Welby, who has clearly fallen in love with the Sussexes, such a position of power.
He previously said of Meghan: “She’s a person of deep humanity and deep concern for people, seeking to fulfill her role with every ounce of her being – and I think that’s a remarkable person.”
Yeah it’s true! Meghan is actually a deeply selfish person with a deep concern for revenge on anyone who gets in her way.
It is also a miscalculation to suggest that not attending Harry and Meghan’s coronation would overshadow the proceedings.
As William worries, the biggest risk is that the couple, who feel they have nothing to lose in their pathetic mission, hijack the national moment of celebration for their own ends.
Charles and the rest of the royal institution metaphorically opened their arms to the Sussexes at the funerals of Prince Philip and the late Queen, and Platinum Jubilee celebrations, only for the couple to use the access to reveal private details more sinister. in their business plans.
It’s time for the Royal Family to wake up to the Sussexes’ strategy and realize there is imminent danger in Meghan’s current silence.
