King Charles III is alternating between hot and cold when it comes to his son, Prince Harry, and daughter-in-law, Meghan Markle.
It is not always easy to follow and have a clear sense of the new Monarch‘s true feelings regarding the renegade royals. While they were included in most of the gatherings paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, The Sovereign made sure that they were never really in the spotlight.
For example, they were seated in the second row at the state funeral. Buckingham Palace had a clever explanation for the seating issue, but most astute observers did not buy it.
Moreover, according to reports, The King plans to do the same thing during next year’s coronation if Prince Harry and Markle do decide to show up.
In his first major speech as King, he extended an olive branch to the couple by saying that he loves them. However, he then reminded people that they are overseas, a discreet way to say they are no longer part of the working royals.
A new report suggests that he is very hopeful about a reconciliation with the power couple after speaking to them during the mourning period.
One royal source told The Telegraph: “It remains the case that the King loves both of his children. Over the last 16 days or so, there were tremendous flickers of hope. In terms of the future, there is hope of a cause for unity.”
Some observers say that the happy talk about unity is nothing but a facade, so King Charles can appear as the bigger person in the media.
In reality, The Monarch sees the powerful pair as the biggest challenge he faces at the beginning of his reign, and he is dealing with the matter with care.
King Charles views the current situation like the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. He plans to handle things the way President Ronald Reagan did when he famously said, “trust, but verify” when talking about the Soviets’ nuclear disarmament.
The British royals do not trust Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and that is why King Charles has decided to keep them as far away as possible.
While this may not be sustainable in the long run, at least in terms of public relations, he is willing to give it a try. Moreover, to keep the two rebels in line, The Monarch has a few tools at his disposal.
Archie and Lilibet Diana will probably not get their full titles (prince and princess) before the publication of Prince Harry’s tell-all memoir next year. The content of the book will play a big part in this decision.
Moreover, Frogmore Cottage, the UK residence of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, could also be used as leverage in the negotiations for the renegade couple to keep quiet.
The bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, the cover story with The Cut, and “Megxit” broke the trust between the two sides, and things will probably always be awkward.
King Charles’s ambitious new mantra “trust, but verify” puts the rebellious pair on defense. They will have to do the heavy lifting if they want the relationship to work.
