Harry’s UK visit still just games
Pictures of an elated Prince Harry hugging his mum’s side of the family went viral this week, after his father and brother were apparently “too busy” to see him during his visit to the UK to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.
The Us-based Duke of Sussex made it known that the royals were all invited, but not one attended the service at St Paul’s Cathedral, with his PR team pre-empting their absence with a statement to say their work diaries clashed.
King Charles did have a busy afternoon hosting a Buckingham Palace garden party, but it seems there was not even after work drinks or a supper catch-up for father and his son, or the two brothers.
I wonder why?
With father and son just 5km apart on the same day, never has the gulf between the two seemed so glaringly obvious.
However, Harry could not hide his delight at seeing the Spencer clan at the St Paul’s service.
It must have been a relief not to have to sit on his own, what with his wife Meghan absent – again.
He may have hoped those hugs with his uncles and aunts were a bit of a PR coup: “See, this is what my other family is like.”
But go back 10 years to the launch of the Invictus Games, and pictures show Harry flanked by all the top tier royals, Charles, Camilla and William, all smiling and laughing together.
That was before Meghan, Megxit, the Oprah interview where it was insinuated the royals were “racists”, the “poor us” $100m Netflix deal and finally the “poor me” memoir, Spare.
And, let’s not pretend the Spencers are the Waltons either.
The thrice married Earl Spencer famously denied his sister Diana, Princess of Wales, sanctuary on his estate in her hour of need, and did not attend his own daughter’s wedding in 2021, sparking rumours of a falling out.
That was never mentioned in Harry’s memoir.
A friendly uncle and loving aunts can never replace a father and a brother.
Maybe admit that you hurt them Harry, and just say sorry?