A former royal butler has warned that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s response to King Charles’ letter could cause “long-term damage” and set back progress in Harry’s relationship with his father. Grant Harrold’s comments come after the King reaffirmed that the Sussexes remain non-working royals and private citizens following their return to the UK.
Expert warns Prince Harry and Meghan Markle over recent move
In an exclusive interview with GB News, Grant Harrold reflected on Prince Harry’s reaction to King Charles’ letter, which clarified the Sussexes’ royal status. He recalled the moment in 2020 when the Sussexes announced they were stepping down from their royal responsibilities. This led to back-and-forth statements from both sides, which seems to be happening again now that Harry and Meghan are back in the UK. He said it is almost as if the couple has picked up where they left off after leaving the country.
“The fact the King has expressed how he sees the situation, and they’ve come out and said they see it differently, shows that things are far from sorted behind Palace walls. I think it’s going to be another war of words, and this is the battle lines being drawn up. I don’t think Harry and Meghan will back down,” Harrold said. He warned that another public dispute could strain Harry’s relationship with King Charles, which he believes had begun to improve. Harrold also suggested that the situation could reinforce concerns about Harry held by his older brother, Prince William.
He further elaborated, “I also think it’s going to make things quite complicated and awkward for the officials. At the end of the day, he is a Counsellor of State, and he’s the son of the King. He is a senior member of the Royal Family; it’s just this ‘working’ part that’s become very confusing. We’ve never had something like this before. In the past, when people stopped being royal, they just stopped being royal – like King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson.”
Harrold said he doesn’t see a clear way to resolve the issues between the father and son. He thinks that such a situation may only cause more damage and put the monarch in a difficult position. He described the whole scenario as a “mess” that could get worse with time.
