Media vs. Reality: The Royal Meeting No One Cares About

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It makes little difference if he meets his father. His role won’t change, and the monarchy or public won’t be affected, yet the media keeps spinning it as if it matters — even though the public doesn’t care.

Prince Harry 'to meet with King Charles' when he returns to UK for anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's death - as sources say 'reconciliation is within reach' | Daily Mail Online

I don’t think it’s inconceivable that King William would find a way to manage Prince Harry back into the Firm, but Harry would have to acknowledge that he and his wife were subordinate to William and Catherine. I just don’t think they’re capable.

Camilla was vilified by 'St' Diana's PR. She never engaged.

As time passed (and Diana's less than perfect behaviour emerged!), feelings weren't running so high.

Then, since marrying Charles, she's kept her mouth shut, turned up and did what's required etc, so no matter what she did or didn't do 30 or so years ago, it is difficult to find much to criticise in the 20 or so years prior to Charles becoming King.

I agree that if Harry and Meghan can work to those timescales they could be back in in a couple of decades. So far that doesn't seem their style...

You could easily be right and I've said much the same, PosiePetal - mainly because I don't underestimate the fickleness of much of the public

The only thing I'd add is that a half in/half out would presumably involve Meghan being onboard, and while it would increase her profile again I'm not so sure she'd be willing to be subordinate to the RF again, or to resist the more unsavoury opportunities which could arise

What do you think has changed for Charles and William that they would now allow HIHO when they said no before? What benefit is there for them? Surely this arrangement would be even less attractive than it was in 2019, now that they know for sure what sort of commercial activity the RF brand would be associated with - pancake mix.

We have to remember it was the Queen who said absolutely no to HIHO. Charles and William each have their own ideas about how they’ll play things. Personally I hope they will stick with the Queen’s approach which was based on years of experience and wisdom. But you just never know.

Charles and William were in agreement . In Spare , Harry accused William of shouting at him .,

I find the whole idea of HIHO ridiculous. As Harry reminds us, he was born into a life of service, you don’t just put that down when you see a money making opportunity. He was offered fully in or fully out. He chose the Freedom Flight. No return ticket.

I can’t see C+W thinking that it was a mistake not to agree HIHO and that they should reverse it. I’m sure they would find the idea of H+M merching the royal brand to flog cheap UPF goods toe curling. The revelation that Meghan likes to use HRH in correspondence with friends hasn’t helped, I’m sure.

He left five years ago has unleash many public attacks on his familly - he saw King about 30 minutes if that year and half ago and 45 minutes now probably not alone - and seems to have require a pre meeting with asides - in between he's publically complained his Dad won't talk to him.

From this posters are talking about him coming back to royal duties and getting half in and half out like he wanted. It seems a huge leap.

I'm surprised at media interest - but frankly it just seems like Harry's being managed - just enough contact so King not painted bad guy and to show the doors not comepletly shut for future contact yet.

If Harry wanted to come back a decades long public PR campaign and him keeping his mouth shut and doing good work could work - has for other RF members. Not sure he has it in him or that anyone in palace is keen to spend that amount of effort on someone who's been nothing but trouble last five years and has limited long term importance - the focus will turn to Wales kids in another decade or so what ever happens with Harry.

I agree with @CatHairEveryWhereNow. Charles is walking a narrow path - keeping his son at a distance in an attempt to satisfy those who don't want the Head of State in close proximity for somebody who is so indiscreet. While maintaining a low level of contact so he's not seen as callous.

I think people are generally more understanding of why William doesn't need to maintain any contact with Harry.

It was the Queen's advisors who advised against the HI/HO. I don't think we know what Charles's stance on it was; he would have accepted what his mother wanted/was advised to do. But anyway, he's in charge now.

A cancer diagnosis focuses the mind on the future. I doubt that as a father he would want to leave this earth thinking that his sons were not on (at least) civil 'colleague' terms. I think Charles would like it if duties could be shared; Kate has also recovered from a cancer diagnosis, something that has surely focused her mind on prioritising her health and her children. Andrew is out of the picture.

I think peace will be made between Charles, William & Harry. I think the way is being paved for Harry to HI/HO. Meghan will probably continue on her own path in the US.

I would actually love to see this happen and I think public opinion will sway towards acceptance of a HI/HO for Harry. I reckon they'll keep testing the waters, Harry will smile and be charismatic a lot and the general public will be happy to see his back - or at least accept it.

I will obviously eat my hat if I am wrong! But I think it's happening.

Edited to add: I think William and Kate will want to keep their children away from doing any duties for as long as possible and if Harry returning to share the workload helps with that, they would go with it.

As said a purely private relationship would be a different matter, but how on earth would it work if H&M expected a public role again?

On the whole I avoid "blaming Meghan for everything", but despite Harry's dreadful behaviour towards the family he can at least put a reasonable face on meeting people, whereas apart from the rictus grin and fake sincerity his wife's act quickly falls apart and the utter self absorption and vulgarity become clear

I think peace will be made between Charles, William & Harry. I think the way is being paved for Harry to HI/HO. Meghan will probably continue on her own path in the US

If as it appears that means you believe they'll split, how would that work regarding the kids, @PosiePetal? It's probably unavoidable that they'd stay with their mother and I wouldn't like to say what that would do to Harry's mindset and his resulting behaviour

the general public will be happy to see his back

I agree with that. Most people are more than happy to see the back of him and his wife after their disgraceful behaviour these past 5 years. They are neither wanted nor needed.

No doubt there would be very strict 'terms' for M&H if Harry (or both of them but I think it will be just him) were to return to some RF duty!

him *back but fair enough!

I'm not sure they will divorce. I think M is forging her own career and Harry is hoping for the HI/HO.

Harry and Meghan filled a gap in the Royal line-up in that the were young-ish, good-looking and could be more ‘fun’ than William and Kate were allowed to be as king and consort of the future

But H&M are now firmly middle-aged. They don’t seem that much fun either. O e is painfully virtue signalling, the other morose and jealous. We know too much about them.

Meanwhile, perhaps because HMQE2 and her strict ‘rules’ are no more, K&W have displayed a more relaxed demeanour in public particularly with the kids in tow.

I don’t know what role H&M would fill now

And if either chose to ignore them?

It's happened before and there seems no reason to suppose it wouldn't again, especially if it's true that Harry's only keen to reconcile because all his much vaunted opportunities have come to nothing

Keeping schtum for a while and promising to toe the line to secure whatever he wants now is all very well, but we've already seen what happens when he doesn't get what he expects and it ain't pretty

How would that work? How have any of the very real objections made 5 years ago changed?

If he's still living in California, is the British taxpayer expected to cough up for his first class trans-Atlantic flights to do 'RF duty'? If he's officially representing Britain, then surely he should show some commitment to the country.

If he's representing the monarchy and being publicly subsidised, surely this means he can't engage in commercial activities on the side?

What 'duties' do you have in mind? The only essential 'duties' are the core constitutional functions of the Monarch. Other 'duties' done by peripheral royals are a relatively recent innovation, and are likely to decrease in the future with 'slimming down' of the monarchy. What is the Harry shaped hole in the royal family?

I don't see HIHO happening. H & M have shown that they can't be trusted to stick to protocol, to be discrete, to do engagements less than glamorous.

Meghan has shown herself to be a strange mixture of someone who has extremely thick skin and yet, at the same time, someone who must appear perfect in practically every way. I don't think she could handle hostile crowds and audible boos which, given her standing with a lot of the U.K. public now, would probably happen on a frequent basis.

If the rumours are correct and Harry is planning a 30th commemoration of Diana’s death , then he has no chance of a return .

Harry and Meghan filled a gap in the Royal line-up in that the were young-ish, good-looking and could be more ‘fun’ than William and Kate were allowed to be as king and consort of the future

Yes, I do still wonder how they managed the 'young couple' spin, given that Harry is just 2 years younger than William, and Meghan is older than both William and Catherine.

I think they may be trying to set up a 'together apart' scenario; where Harry is back doing royal stuff and Meghan doing her own thing in California

I suppose, if Harry was back being fully funded by the institution again, he wouldn't need the cash from doing a documentary mylovelygreendress?

As already said I don't imagine for an instant he'd be wanting a reconciliation if their glittering plans had worked out, and wanting it because they haven't doesn't sound like a recipe for success to me

I guess they were young as a couple, in the sense that they only met a year or two before starting royal life. Whereas Kate and William have been together forever, and their children are older too. Also, 'youth' is a very relative term in the royal context, where 3 of the 7 working royals are over 70.

I don't think the 'together apart' thing would work. You can't be a working royal based in California. And Meghan's 'own thing' isn't exactly a roaring success either.

The public do have short memories, I realise.

But the whole 'Commonwealth as Empire 2.0' thing is a bit tricky to deal with for a return. Plus the 'not being able to marry for love', the 'evil' influence of the men in grey...

They've attacked the institution as well as the individuals.

I can see a way of explaining reconciliation with individuals (or some of them) - all families have their ups and downs, love more important than the things we disagree on, time apart has made us realise etc etc

To be a working royal would mean retracting his criticisms, or admitting he's a hypocrite (or doing whatever brings money and status). Which isn't a good look...