Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not face the Scottish people at Sandringham this summer. King Charles and Queen Camilla have decided not to invite them and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to the monarch’s Highlands estate. Sources believe it’s another sign of tension within the royal family.
Safety concerns and court battles
It looks like there will be no reconciliation between Prince Harry and his family until his 40th birthday on September 15. Saying he will never surrender, he has argued that English law enforcement will have to accompany his family if they return without any official capacity.
The legal appeal follows a failed attempt to pay for his security through a financial challenge in April. In a recent documentary by ITV called Tabloids on Trial, Harry reiterated how he feels about security. He raised concerns for his family’s safety, noting that some people may be influenced by tabloid stories to threaten them.
He said, “It’s still dangerous, and all it takes is a single actor, a person who reads this material, acts on what they read … and whether it’s a knife or acid, whatever it is, those are things that are of real concern to me. It’s one of the reasons I will not bring my wife back to this country.”
Harry has been engaged in litigation with major British newspapers. Two civil litigation processes against major tabloid publishers are currently pending, and most recently, he successfully sued Mirror Group Newspapers over phone hacking.
Family feud
The rift between Harry and other members of the royal family has gone beyond just security issues. He claimed his relatives were not behind him in terms of press battles. He has not spoken to Prince William in over two years, while insiders have denied allegations that he has had any recent conversations with William or Kate Middleton.
William is angered by allegations made by Harry in his memoir Spare, in which he is accused of attacking him during an argument about Markle. Tensions escalated further after author Omid Scobie hinted at Charles’ possible doubts about the skin colour of Harry’s children with Meghan and Kate.
An insider said Harry’s participation in the ITV documentary is not intended to shift blame to his family. Instead, it highlights his battle against the British tabloids. “Harry’s mission in taking legal action with the press is clearly unique … He acknowledges his choices have caused tension,” an insider said.
looking ahead
Despite their separation, Harry has continued to pursue goals under his Archewell Foundation. The Duke has been involved in programs for parents whose children are victims of cyberbullying and he intends to make a documentary for Netflix which has been put on hold for now.
Contrary to reports, there will be no $9 million trust fund available for Harry’s 40th birthday. A friend of Harry’s told reporters, “Over the last two years I’ve seen Harry become more comfortable in California and in his life and he’s made friends and a home and decided what he wants to do with his future.”
Although he will never make peace with his family again, Harry has found another purpose for himself. This is evident in his commitment to security issues such as lawsuits and philanthropy. Despite everything else, the prince is still trying to find belonging and meaning away from the royal attention.
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