Perhaps the Duke and Duchess of Sussex simply looked around Trump’s America and decided they needed out. From where we sit in Canada, on the battle lines of a trade war, that’s almost noble. But given the couple have spilled so much tea to “Oprah,” on Netflix, and in “Spare,” you might think they’d look at real estate on Mars before the Cotswolds.
Nevertheless, the prodigal prince and his imperious consort Meghan have returned to England for a second act.
Initially, Harry and Meghan will of course face obstacles as they re-acclimatize to Britain’s press and England’s legendary drizzle. But if the Sussex’s play it right, they have every chance to succeed. To start, King Charles welcomes the family’s return. As a father and grandfather myself, I am with the King. You want all the Christmases you can get.
So, let’s ask the real question. Where does all this leave the Prince and Princess of Wales?
Like it or not, this drama — as Shakespearean as a drama can come — will prove a test of William’s fitness for the Crown.
So, we find Will and Kate in their usual place, on a pedestal. In July, William topped a YouGov poll as the most popular royal (76 per cent) followed very closely by Catherine (74 per cent). This widespread popularity isn’t inconsequential. It’s fundamental to the future of the monarchy. But a mark against William is that he’s known to have a temper. And his anger toward his brother is real. Harry levelled ugly accusations against Will, and against Kate too. Being half a world away was hardly enough. After the Sussexes announced their surprise U-turn, the former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt said William would be “apoplectic.”
Officially, there is nothing to worry about. The Sussexes will be living as private citizens outside of London and will not be working royals.
But here’s what that really looks like, in a small country with a small family. Harry, Meghan, and their children will be invited to family gatherings, like Christmas at Sandringham. Harry will be out and about doing charitable work, an area where he has always shone. Meghan could charm a new audience through a return to acting, perhaps on a West End stage. In 2027, the Invictus Games, which Harry founded for wounded soldiers, will make a splash when it’s held in Birmingham. That same year will mark the 10-year anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire, an opportunity for Meghan to reconnect with the survivors she befriended when she first joined the royal family.
The community cookbook Meghan helped them to launch is still a highlight of her first go in England.
In recent polling, Harry’s popularity in his homeland has been ticking upward. Many Brits still hold a soft spot for him, as the 12-year-old boy who walked behind his mother’s coffin. The public will also be more likely, this time around, to spot and reject any racist undertones in press coverage of Meghan. Any public appearances they make with their two young children will further soften their image.
Until now, few have blamed Will and Kate for not turning up when Harry pops back to England for the occasional visit. But in this new reality, if they continue to be frosty, they risk getting frozen out themselves. Charles reportedly told his sons after Prince Philip’s funeral, “Please boys, don’t make my final years a misery.” He was speaking to both of them, equally. The public loves a redemption story, and if they see the makings of one, the Harry and Meghan bandwagon will fill up fast.
This means one thing: William and Catherine need to put on their best diplomatic faces yet. It’s easy to find a model example. The late Queen, who personified self-restraint and who led by listening rather than commanding. You know exactly what she would do. She would walk next to Meghan and Harry into church on Christmas morning — not strategically place other members between them. She would holiday with them at Balmoral in August. She would show up front-row at the Invictus Games and applaud.
The Sussexes may come and go — the couple is full of surprises — but the Waleses don’t have that luxury. Starting now, they need to rise above the fray and invite Harry and Meghan around for tea. That’s how William will show his fitness to lead as the next King.
