A royal expert has explained what Prince Harry has lost due to the royal rift with his father and brother – and why Meghan Markle is in a very different space
Prince Harry’s bitter rift with his royal relatives has shown one devastating thing he has appeared to lose, according to a royal expert. The Duke of Sussex has been at loggerheads with his family, especially his father, King Charles and brother Prince William, with him believed to be no longer on speaking terms.
The feud was exacerbated by Harry’s tell-all memoir, Spare, which railed against his father and brother and told of what he felt it was like to play second fiddle to William, who is now heir to the throne and a future King. One member of the Royal Family who has also found herself second behind her brother, the King, is Princess Anne, who is known for her loyal service to the Firm.
Recent reports have suggested that Harry should have sought his aunt’s advice when it comes to being the ‘spare’. And for former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, she could have shown her nephew exactly what he has lost by stepping away from royal life.
She told the Mirror : “Yes, Anne would have been the perfect person to offer advice and guidance, but, sadly, this is no longer relevant as Harry has made it quite clear that he has no desire to return to life as a working royal.
“She could have told her nephew that ‘playing second fiddle’ is the wrong way to look at his status. Instead, as she has shown, the second-born can be an invaluable support to the institution of monarchy, and a vital friend, confidant and wingman/woman to the monarch.
“She could have explained that they are a team – a firm – working together to keep the monarchy relevant and using their platform to help charities and communities.”
But with Harry revealing earlier this year that the King is no longer speaking to him, Jennie does not believe that the Princess Royal would want to get involved in potential peace talks.
She explained: “It may be that the King has discussed his family troubles with Anne, but I rather doubt that she would want to get involved.
“To Anne, loyalty is paramount, and I suspect she feels that Harry has been extremely disloyal to his father, his brother and the monarchy. She might well find that hard to forgive.”
Meanwhile, reports have also suggested that Harry and wife, Meghan Markle, have been dealt a blow when it comes to their multi-million dollar Netflix deal.
The Sussexes are believed to have signed a five-year deal worth around $100million in September 2020 with the streaming giant to produce a raft of content.
However, apart from their first offering – their controversial docuseries Harry & Meghan – their following shows on the streaming platform have not matched its success.
Now sources have said the deal with Netflix will not be renewed when it expires, with one insider telling PEOPLE magazine it reflects a broader shift in the streamer’s business strategy.
And Jennie believes this, too, could be more difficult for Harry, especially when it comes to potentially plugging the gap in their finances.
She added: “Securing a five-year contract was quite an achievement — and was undoubtedly extremely lucrative. For most people, that sort of money would set them up for life.
“But Montecito is luxurious and expensive. So they will have to find other streams of income. That’s going to be harder for Harry than Meghan, who has every chance of making a lot of money as an influencer.”
