I agree with Milaking ‘s posts.
The relish with which some posters are almost welcoming Harry’s so-called “downfall” and isolation from the rest of his family, is pretty dark tbh.
Yes, Harry is responsible for his actions now; some of which have been far from ideal. But he couldn’t help the situation in to which he was born. It is a pretty difficult psychological shift to be brought up as equals with your brother, and then come to realise in your teens that you will always be second in everything. And it all being played out in the public eye.
Princess Anne has made a good job of it, and Edward to a lesser extent, but it’s more difficult being two rival siblings of the same sex so close in age. Princess Margaret didn’t really manage to make a success of it. I don’t see what was so wrong about Harry being open and honest about the difficulties of the role anyway. And the difficulties it would present for his wife who was older, with an established career and work ethic.
Let’s be honest, how many of us would like our salary, and that of our wife and children, and accommodation, and our professional role, ultimately being determined by our sibling for the rest of our life, even if we did get on with them? Very, very few of us would find that acceptable in this day and age! Very few spouses would accept or tolerate it either.
It’s similar to the change in the role of vicars wives that has taken place over the last couple of decades or so. Traditionally, they stayed at home, ran the vicarage, and devoted their lives to their husband’s ministry and the parish.
But nowadays, most vicars’ wives have independent jobs, lives, and salaries. So I don’t think a half-in, half-out scenario was that outlandish a request in the first place, and even if the RF couldn’t agree to that fully, I think it should have been all thought through a little more, and some compromises and concessions made to modern life.
The RF always has to be dragged kicking and screaming towards change and they should try, just occasionally, to initiate it.
No wonder it’s hard marrying in!
I think Harry made a brave decision to leave, to protect his own family, and some people will never ever forgive him for it, but he has done the opposite of his father, and put his family above protocol, and the institution, and I can’t blame him for that.
Harry needs to go and live his life successfully now and find a role for himself, serving others.
This won’t be a popular view, but I think in turn, King Charles, as his parent, needs to reach out and try and fix this family rift. As the boss man, he sets the tone now. He should not let this fester any longer. I couldn’t ever imagine closing doors on my adult children, even if they had done something utterly horrendous!
I quite like Charles but due to his own upbringing, I think he has always been someone who has needed a lot of support himself, rather than someone who was good at providing it for his sons. No one can know for sure but atm KC is giving a pretty good impression of someone who is putting their spouse, their professional role, their courtiers, above talking and healing a rift with their own son and what is more important than that?
I can’t think of many things tbh!
Harry’s entire childhood was defined by loss and now, through a series of unfortunate events, his own actions, and the actions of others, a large part of his adult life is about to be defined by it too. I hope he has some good support around him right now.