Harry deserves our praise – but a stiff upper lip would help
‘Harry could learn from his father who has put up with so much’
IT is shocking indeed to hear that Prince Harry, a young man of such character and promise, is teetering on the edge of mental distress. Tearful and exhausted, still carrying the grief of losing his mother and admitting estrangement from his brother, he is clearly feeling the pressure of being a royal and protecting his new wife from the media.
There is much he can be proud of. His military service in Afghanistan put him on the frontline and earned him the respect of his comrades. To take that experience and translate it into promoting the Invictus Games, a high profile event aimed at helping injured soldiers demonstrate their physical prowess was a stroke of genius and rightfully earned him great plaudits.
Who can forget him and his brother proudly wearing their military frock coats as they walked together to his wedding in Windsor Castle? Elegant and traditional, it was the best of Britain tailor-made to impress a global audience.
Even his moments of tabloid disgrace, living it up in Las Vegas, showed there was a young man’s beating heart there. No bad thing really. Plus, of course, shaking up conven- tion with his choice of an American actress for his wife. It all seemed a perfect way to announce a new generation of royals more in touch with the modern world.
EVEN his latest trip with Meghan to Africa went so well, showing their commitment to helping people in the developing world. Then suddenly it has all shuddered to a halt. Recriminations against the media, legal action against popular newspapers, a revelation of nervous angst and a family rift.
While we can all show sympathy for a young couple juggling parenthood with a demanding public mission, it is beginning to come over as the largely unjustified complaints of a couple who should know better than exposing their neuroses to the world.
It is worth reminding Harry and Meghan that his grandmother became Queen at the age of just 25. Immediately she had to negotiate all the political complications of a major nation divesting itself of an empire, plus myriad private pressures within her own family.
But not once in 67 years has our monarch felt the need to well up in front of a TV crew and admit it’s all a bit much. The stiff upper lip may be much derided but it means we’ve had a monarchy that is one of the few consistently well-regarded institutions in our country.
While parliament shames itself over failing to deliver Brexit, the Queen’s devotion to duty and presenting our nation at its best to the rest of world is much appreciated.
Certainly Harry also has much to learn from his father. For decades Prince Charles has stirred up the media with controversial views and a public meltdown of his marriage, but he has borne it with public equanimity and maintained a rigorous timetable of royal duties.
Even his brother Prince William and wife Kate are fulfilling their royal engagements with a smile and the enthusiasm required from a couple who need to step up and undertake more of the public duties that used to be the job of their older royal generations.
SADLY it may be the case that Meghan is not suited to the scrutiny of being part of the most famous family in the world. One might have thought that her acting skills would have been of help here, but instead the mere whiff of criticism seems to have sent her reeling and impacted on her husband.
It is a little disingenuous to then bring up the memory of the tragic death of Princess Diana as a touchstone for their emotional situation now. Diana was a tough cookie who fought her corner in a disintegrating marriage and was well able to use the media for her own ends when she needed to. She was not hounded to death by the press but died in a car accident thanks to a drunk driver and not wearing her seat belt.
There is tremendous popular goodwill towards Prince Harry and Meghan.As one of the most famous couples in the world, they have the good luck to be in a position to support those far less fortunate than themselves through charity and other good works. They can be role models for a younger generation, showing how privilege and celebrity can be used to help others.
So let’s hope after a few weeks of necessary rest out of the public eye, they can reassess their position, ignore the social media storm, and really appreciate all the good fortune they have.What we all need now is a lot less complaining and a lot more quiet devotion to doing the right thing.