Until this week, some sort of rapprochement was certainly conceivable. Not the warm brotherly affection of old, of course, but the realization that the best way to secure the future of the monarchy lay in the reconciliation of William and Harry.
There have been rumors – admittedly unconfirmed – that Harry and Meghan might be asked to spend part of the Christmas holidays with the royal family. And it was said from California that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would be willing to accept such an invitation if such an invitation were made.
How hollow all this reassuring talk sounds today, following the publication of Omid Scobie’s latest biography of the royals, in which he turns his malevolent attention to the Princess of Wales.
In a thinly veiled but venomous attack, he describes the princess as “cold,” a “Stepford-like royal woman,” and claims her willingness to support the institution she married into gave her the cruel nickname ” Katie Keen”.
In the same breath, he accuses the mother of three of being a “part-time work queen” compared to the tasks taken on by other family members.
Until this week, one could imagine some kind of rapprochement – the realization that the best way to secure the future of the monarchy lies in the reconciliation of William and Harry
There have been talks that Harry and Meghan might be asked to spend part of the Christmas holidays with the royal family
Kate is described as “cold”, a “Stepford-like royal”, while she claims her willingness to support the institution she married into earned her the cruel nickname “Katie Keen”.
He also criticizes her for “advocating for mental health while ignoring Meghan’s cries for help.” It’s not hard to imagine how Prince William will react to this rough work and harsh portrayal of his wife. How would a husband react to such demonstrably unjustified demands?
Far from aiming for a fraternal reconciliation, such claims by his sister-in-law’s cheerleader that his grandmother, the late Queen, liked Kate because she was “trainable” unlike the “strong” Princess Diana, can only succeed in narrowing the rift between the two brothers deepen.
Not only does this damage the reputation of Kate, who almost single-handedly restored the good name of the House of Windsor after the crisis caused by the Sussexes’ petulant Megxit, but it also insults his mother.
If there is any consolation in this lazy, one-sided version of recent royal history, it is that the portrait of the princess is so at odds with the facts.
Here’s a woman who actually acts like a picture-perfect royal. She doesn’t show off, she’s discreet, she doesn’t complain. When she often makes lengthy public appearances, she does so with poise and a bright smile that gives the appearance of enthusiasm. Thanks to her upbringing, she is also likeable.
Kate instinctively understands that image and image-building are crucial in defining the monarchy and spreading it as an ideal around the world.
Scobie scoffs at this. For him, the princess “slides under the radar” because she “never challenged the system with public struggles or outsized aspirations.” Instead, she feels “comfortable in her role” and is ready to bring “the necessary smile and elegance to her duties as a princess,” while she is not known for “leadership skills” or an “outgoing nature.”
Meghan, of course, is the exact opposite. He suggests she is “the new Diana” after marrying Harry, a claim so wild it hardly needs serious scrutiny.
For William, it’s about Mr. Scobie’s former role as mouthpiece for the Duke and Duchess. In interviews, the author has insisted that he is not her boyfriend, nor did he interview her for the book.
What the prince wants to know about Endgame, which is released today, is whether these acid attacks came directly from Harry and Meghan’s circle.
Omid Scobie’s new book, Endgame, about the royal family is due out tomorrow
What the prince wants to know about Endgame released today is whether these acid attacks came directly from Harry and Meghan’s environment
William, Harry, Meghan and Charles speak together at Westminster Abbey in March 2019
One of William’s friends, who was also once close to Harry, told me last night: “It’s a question of trust.” “The challenge should be for Prince Harry to publicly distance himself from it.”
Even then, few believe that the once close relationship between the two can ever be saved.
How long ago does it seem when Harry was as close to Kate as William, a relaxed trio pleasing the world. The two princes were hardly the first brothers whose close friendship was divided by marriage. The tragedy is that before Meghan came along, Harry was the epitome of a popular 21st century prince. He was what every romantic expected of a dutiful young king – not only a brave soldier, but also someone who could easily laugh at himself.
In fact, laughter accompanied him wherever he went.
Meghan’s arrival in his life changed everything. But was that her fault or was it due to Harry’s uncertainty about how best to integrate a stubborn Hollywood personality into the restrictive and tightly controlled world of royal life?
Remember: Meghan had become accustomed to publicly expressing her views on everything from climate change and human rights to clean water and gender equality.
This was evident on one occasion when the so-called ‘Fab Four’ William, Kate, Meghan and Harry took to the stage for their mental health charity Heads Together and of course the Duchess of Sussex dominated the microphone.
As William and Kate listened, there was an air of unease. Here, a young woman made it clear that her new royal status was something to be used so that her voice could be heard – an unfamiliar philosophy in royal life.
At that moment, the silent Kate next to her looked almost boring. In reality, Kate was simply following a protocol that has kept the royal family in business for generations.
The tragedy is that Endgame appears set to destroy these slim chances of a royal reconciliation. Instead, it looks like 2023 will end as it began, with Harry’s own book launching an angry volley against his family.