Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's bold move shows just how desperate they are
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have miscalculated with their latest fiery statement (Image: Getty)
A war of words has once again broken out between the Palace and Sussex’s, with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle accusing the Firm of blindsiding them over the King’s letter making it clear the couple remain non-working royals.
The letter, written on Charles’s instruction, was made public yesterday afternoon and royal sources insist a copy was sent to the Sussexes ahead of its publication.
But a spokesperson for the duke and duchess contradicted this, and said: “We were a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance.”
The spicy response is perhaps due to the strong-worded nature of the letter, which bluntly states that the couple’s position in the UK is “akin to private citizens”.
While the contents is nothing new, it’s a clear message from the King that there the door remains firmly shut and there is no possibility for their highly sought after half in/half out arrangement.
What has become clear in the past 24 hours is that the letter wasn’t necessarily intended to remind Harry and Meghan of their position but the Palace making it very clear to the public that nothing has changed.
King Charles sought to clarify Harry and Meghan’s position (Image: Getty)
Despite the couple relocating back to the UK, they remain frozen out of royal affairs and do not in any way represent the Crown.
This is an approach backed emphatically by the Prince and Princess of Wales, who continue to steer clear of the chaos and focus entirely on their family and own royal responsibilities.
The letter was about the King taking control of a situation that has already started to spiral, with speculation reaching such heights that the monarch felt compelled to set the record straight and remind both the Sussexes and the public that the Sandringham Summit of 2020 still stands.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to respond with a confrontational statement claiming that the letter caught them off guard sets the tone for their return.
It highlights that the two camps remain out of sync, with Harry and Meghan’s team determined to create a cycle of chaos and ‘one upmanship’. And it’s also a miscalculation that risks isolating the King at a time when he was starting to become more amiable to visits from the Sussex family.
To make the story about them on their nephews first day of secondary school and the anniversary of the Queen Elizabeth II’s death will only serve their critics.
It’s evident that the war of words between the Palace and Sussexes is set to continue, with the Queen’s famous phrase ‘recollections may vary’ springing to mind.