At the age of 95, Queen Elizabeth II is being criticized for making a long-shot bet on Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, and she has been rewarded with a new crisis.
Her Majesty is said to be determined not to rock the boat despite the ongoing conflicts and rifts that exist in the royal family.
In her attempt to somewhat keep the family bonded, she has not only extended an invitation to Meghan Markle and her spouse to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee in 2022, but she also plans to honor them.
The Queen, who will be marking her 70th year on the throne, has planned a series of events from 2-5 June with the theme of all English people near and far coming together.
In a statement issued by Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, it was revealed that it will be a “once-in-a-generation show” that will hopefully “bring the entire nation and the Commonwealth together.”
Palace officials have confirmed that Elizabeth II will be awarding several members of the royal family with Platinum Jubilee medals.
Even though Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have stepped down for their royal duties and relocated to California, they appear on a list released by Buckingham Palace showing that they will receive the award.
Royal expert Daniela Elser wrote a lengthy piece where she warned Queen Elizabeth that her actions towards Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and other controversial members of the royal family would not be approved by the British people.
In the past months, because of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s bombshell interviews, attacks on the royals, media leaks, and upcoming tell-all books, their approvals have taken drastic hits.
The royal commentator and journalist revealed that the Queen’s gesture towards the Sussexes would lead to a significant PR time bomb for the British monarchy.
The journalist pleaded with Queen Elizabeth to listen to the nation instead of blindly following royal protocols.
She wrote in part for news.com.au: “This week saw the first Jubilee-related crisis hit the headlines with news that Her Majesty is set to award Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, with medals, despite the fact that they have all made crisis-plagued exits from royal working life.”
She went on to say: “For the Queen, the decision to not rock the boat and to hew to what she did in 2012, rather than listening to her people, therefore, pursuing a different approach, is a serious gamble.”
She concluded by: “Most obviously, this is a ticking PR time bomb. Beyond that, going down this medals-for-all-the-family path is deeply problematic because this is just another example of the Queen putting protocol and tradition ahead of showing any inclination to listen to the people she rules over.”
Royal commentator Robert Jobson weighed in by saying that because Meghan Markle’s disapproval is sky high, she may skip the trip, but Prince Harry might go because it will be an opportunity to start promoting his memoir.
He said: “I’m not sure Meghan will ever come to Britain again. She’s not popular [right] now. We have to wait and see. … Harry, I’m sure he thinks he’ll be there for the [Platinum Jubilee]…some people might view the Sussexes doting on the Queen as hypocritical following their recent public statements against the palace. But you’ve got to remember that within months, he’s going to have a book coming out. … It’s gonna be quite awkward.”
Returning to England for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry has become a hurdle. They recently confirmed that they would miss an October 19 private event for the donors who help fund the statue honoring Princess Diana.
