Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry
They have caused a lot of commotion in the British royal family in recent years. Since the Sussexes resigned as senior royals, the burden of the crown may be behind them, but their desire for subtle confrontation with the Royal Family has evidently not diminished. Slowly but surely, however, Meghan and Harry are losing the attention this generated, as one expert predicts.
Conscious strategy or inevitable coincidence? Ever since Duchess Meghan, 42, and Prince Harry , 39, supposedly stood on their own two feet, they have been pursuing an ambitious goal: The Sussexes want to make a name for themselves in the private sector. But it keeps appearing that their royal background serves as their primary springboard. What’s more, critical voices even accuse them of torpedoing important events for the royal family with their own announcements in order to stay in the news. Presumably well-prepared moves that will soon lose their effect, according to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond.
Are Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry calculating?
“The Sussexes, in my opinion, do nothing by chance, and timing is often absolutely crucial,” royal expert Richard Fitzwilliam told the Daily Mail in spring 2024. What prompted him to make this sharp statement? Well, on the evening of March 14, the Duchess of Sussex caused a small sensation among royal fans: after four years, she celebrated an unexpected Instagram comeback, launched her lifestyle brand “American Riviera Orchard” – and, at least for the moment, caused enthusiastic gasps among her community.
Curiously, the premiere of their new brand took place just minutes before an important speech by Prince William , 42, who took the microphone in London at the “Diana Legacy Awards” to honor those who improve the lives of their fellow human beings in memory of his late mother. And although Prince Harry was also involved in the event and was connected digitally from his home in Montecito to meet the award winners after the ceremony, the Sussexes did not shy away from announcing the winner of the “Archewell Foundation Digital Civil Rights Award” at the same time .
“[The Sussexes] may have more shots in the bag than some of us thought. […] They have been unpredictable for years, but there is one thing they are predictable about, and that is their accurate timing when they believe it is advantageous to release information. They do not do anything by accident,” said Fitzwilliam, commenting on what he believed was a poker game for attention.
They are becoming “increasingly unimportant”
Another suspicious coincidence occurred recently – on the occasion of Trooping the Colour. Shortly before the birthday parade for King Charles , 75, on June 15, Meghan presented two new products from her brand with prominent support : a raspberry jam and dog biscuits.
But contrary to Fitzwilliam’s “conspiracy theories”, journalist Jennie Bond sees no calculated calculation behind it. “I really can’t imagine them sitting there plotting to make announcements on the same day as a royal event. Surely they are bigger than that?” she expressed her thoughts to OK magazine, explaining: “It is true that there have been some strange coincidences in the timing of some of their announcements in the past. But I think they are becoming less and less important to the news here and the royal family will always get the attention.”
So are Meghan and Harry really in danger of slowly sliding into insignificance? The fact is: the priorities of the royal family have shifted in recent months. It seems as if the anger surrounding the sensational Sussex revelations of recent years has faded into the background. Ever since it became known that the monarch and his other daughter-in-law Catherine, Princess of Wales (42) were suffering from cancer, the cohesion of the nuclear family, which the exiled royals are obviously no longer part of, has been important.
Feeling instead of calculation
The royals are also touchingly focusing on other family members who have been hit hard by fate. A particularly moving gesture was Charles’ invitation to Lady Gabriella Windsor , 43, who he invited to ride in one of the royal family’s carriages on the first day of the traditional Royal Ascot race week. After her first appearance at Trooping the Colour, she would thus be able to make a public appearance in the bosom of her trusted relatives for the second time following the tragic death of her husband Thomas Kingston in February of this year.
“The death of Gabriella’s husband has devastated the whole family and I’m sure they have all tried to help in this very sensitive situation,” said Jennie. “But what a lovely gesture from the King to invite her into the carriage – and on the first day of Royal Ascot. It is a unique way for Charles to show his support and affection for Gabriella and a brave decision on her part to make such a public appearance. She must be a strong woman.”