As I watch the courts of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Prince and Princess of Wales go head to head from opposite sides of the Atlantic, I can’t help but think of Prince Harry’s cri de coeur in the first volume of his recently released TV documentary series Harry & Meghan: “How did we end up here?”
The royal, no longer allowed to use his HRH title for official work, looks bereft, head in hands, as well he might, for not only has Harry’s relationship with the family he was once so close to fallen apart, but he and brother William are barely on speaking terms too.
With their non-profit company Archewell, whose production arm was a partner in the documentary made by streaming network Netflix, Harry and Meghan seem to be setting up a rival royal court in the US. Not content with pursuing projects entirely separate from their old stomping ground – the monarchy – they are using the collateral of their previous royal life to monetise their new one.
Many see this as an exploitation of their royal titles and are calling for the duo to be stripped of their dukedom. While I would be surprised to see that happen – there are plenty of titled royals who don’t work for “the Firm” – there is an uneasiness
