On the latest episode of the Daily Mail’s Palace Confidential, royals editor Rebecca English warns that Buckingham Palace ‘must be alive to the fact’ that the Sussexes’ recent reunion with the King could be used as a stepping stone to edge back into royal life.
The Palace Confidential panellists, including English, Robert Hardman and Richard Eden, were discussing a recent Daily Mail exclusive by Editor-at-Large Alison Boshoff, in which she claimed Harry and Meghan’s recent trip to the UK could provide a blueprint for more frequent visits to the Prince’s home country.
The couple, along with their children Archie and Lilibet, took tea with the King at Highgrove on July 10, having travelled from their holiday home in Portugal.
Meghan and the children were in and out of the UK within twenty four hours. In her piece, Boshoff reported that sources close to the couple believe they intend to use this Portugal home as a ‘bolthole’ for more regular trips to Britain.
Rebecca English has warned that Buckingham Palace ‘must be alive to the fact’ that the Sussexes’ recent reunion with the King could be a stepping stone to edge back into royal life
Commenting on Alison Boshoff’s recent exclusive, English said the Palace must ‘watch its back’ if Harry and Meghan have figured out a way to get ready access to the royal family
Commenting on Boshoff’s exclusive, English said the Palace must ‘watch its back’ if Harry and Meghan have figured out a way to get ready access to the royal family.
‘I don’t think any reasonable person would object to a father seeing his son and a grandfather meeting his children’, English began.
‘But I think the Palace do need to be alive to the fact that there is a lot of concern that the meeting will be used as a way to inveigle themselves back into this half-in and half-out role.
‘Maybe not in the short term, but in the long term. I think that’s something that people, both in the UK and around the world, are deeply concerned about.
‘I know that the Palace went into this with the best of intentions. I don’t know about the thinking on the other side. That’s where they need to watch their backs a bit.’
Diary Editor Eden agreed, pointing to a recent People magazine report in which Meghan expressed sadness over weeks of speculation over the family’s UK trip, speculation that, he argued, originated entirely from sources close to the couple.
Just days before the Sussexes were scheduled to arrive in the UK, it was announced that Meghan and the children would not be coming, after UK authorities declined to provide taxpayer-funded security for the family.
Eden said: ‘The speculation was because of their people… none of it came from the Palace. I know because I begged the Palace saying: ‘Help me here, help me here! What are you saying about this?’
Eden agreed, pointing to a People magazine report in which Meghan expressed sadness with speculation over the trip, speculation that, he said, originated from sources close to the couple
‘It was all from Meghan and Harry’s side and then you have Meghan saying she’s sad. I mean, they’re ridiculous people.
‘I know she’s an actress, but give her a prize for this nonsense.’
English added that she had also tried her ‘damnedest’ to find out details of the Highgrove meeting, but that every door had been closed to her, with royal aides sticking to a specific request from the King not to discuss it.
She noted that any leaks or suggestions about the meeting had come entirely from the Sussexes’ side, reinforcing her warning that the Palace needs to ‘watch its back’ as Meghan and Harry gravitate closer to the UK.
Watch the full episode by subscribing to Palace Confidential on YouTube.
