MEGHAN AT WAR WITH CAMILLA
Young royal steals limelight from Charles’ wife
THE Duchess of Sussex has sparked fury by breaking a pledge not to overshadow a long-planned speech by Camilla on domestic violence. Meghan insisted photos of her at a theatre appeared yesterday as the Duchess of Cornwall gave her address. Camilla was said to be “very upset”.
MEGHAN’S decision to upstage the Duchess of Cornwall’s address on domestic violence by having pictures of her published on the same day left Camilla furious, insiders said.
Prince Charles’ wife had been planning yesterday’s speech on the 10th anniversary of the Women of the World Festival in London for nearly a year.
But Meghan broke a pledge not to overshadow Camilla’s vital campaign against abuse by demanding the pictures of her private visit to the National Theatre be published the same day.
Palace officials remained tight-lipped about the row after Meghan went rogue with her own secret arrangements.
But one well-placed insider said: “Camilla’s work is very important to her and her decision to highlight the scourge of domestic violence at the 10th anniversary of Women of the World was a carefully thought-out plan.
“Over the last four years she has worked tirelessly, mostly behind the scenes but to great effect, to use her platform and personal experiences to highlight the issue and help sufferers. Of course it was known Harry and Meghan would be doing engagements this week, some privately, but everyone was in agreement that Camilla’s speech should take precedence. Unfortunately some people had other ideas.”
An email from Buckingham Palace sent out to news organisations on Thursday made reference to the agreement to not clash with Camilla, 72.
It read: “Please note that media arrangements have been designed specifically with a view to allowing royal correspondents to focus on the Duchess of Cornwall’s engagement on Friday.”
The move sparked shock and fury inside the Palace, with insiders revealing how Meghan has “refused to listen” to the pleas of staff who she and Harry sacked in January when they announced they were quitting royal life.
Her theatre pictures were taken by a handpicked photographer Chris Allerton, who snapped the 38-year-old’s wedding to Prince Harry, 35, and their son Archie’s christening.
The Duchess’ trip to the National Theatre – where she is a patron – took place on Thursday after lunch with Harry at the Goring Hotel in London.
But she chose to delay promoting the visit so it would not overshadow her appearance with Harry at the Endeavour Fund Awards in the capital that evening.
Two pictures given directly to the London Evening Standard at Meghan’s behest show her beaming in front of a new virtual reality technology at the theatre’s Immersive Storytelling Studio.
Details of another visit by the Duchess of Sussex to a school in East London yesterday were under strict guidelines not to be revealed until tomorrow so she could later highlight her work ahead of International Women’s Day.
Camilla’s speech which was yesterday praised by the head of the Metropolitan Police, Cressida Dick, and the chief executive of Safe Lives, Susannah Jacobs. To aid her message, the Duchess of
Cornwall revealed she
was launching a new social media hashtag #everyonesproblem.
She said: “On this tenth anniversary, as WOW’s proud president, it’s a huge pleasure to be here today.
“But I’m also here as a woman in her 70s, who, as a somewhat ancient technophobe, is not always familiar with some of the jargon younger people use today, but I do know about hashtags.
“And now I am using my very first one: #everyonesproblem. Domestic abuse is everyone’s problem and the solution must be too.
“I find it almost impossible to think any friend of mine might be living under that horrific threat, without my knowing it, but that is the power of coercive control and violence in the home.
“It is characterised by silence. Silence from those that suffer, silence from those around them, and silence from those who perpetrate abuse. This silence is corrosive. It leaves women, children and men carrying the burden of shame. It prevents them from speaking out about the abuse and it prevents them from getting help. And at its worst it can be fatal.”
Ms Dick praised Camilla for speaking out on such a difficult issue. She said: “It’s incredibly important that we have the interest the Duchess shows.
“She has a really deep understanding of the issue and clearly cares.”
Ms Jacobs said the impact of Camilla work had been extraordinary. She added: “We have had people from absolutely everywhere, particularly survivors, literally all the corners of the globe, getting in touch to say how much it meant to them and how touched they were by the fact that she keeps raising this issue and the warmth she shows to survivors. They were also very moved by the candour she had in saying she knew people who have experienced the same.
“It speaks to women who maybe feel that they are not allowed to say this is happening to them.
“But as she said, there is no front door behind which this is not happening.
“It meant a great deal to people for her to highlight that. It widens that space for conversation. It was just huge.”
Camilla has made the issue of domestic abuse a cornerstone of her public work after visiting the charity Safe Lives in 2016 and meeting survivors of horrific physical and mental torture.
In a candid admission last month, the Duchess revealed she has friends who have been victims of violence and coercive control.
She said: “No one knows what goes on behind front doors. It affects everybody. “It doesn’t matter who you are. That would be my message: Whoever you are, there are organisations that can help.”
Meghan and Harry will attend the Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall tonight.
Everyone was agreed, Camilla’s speech should take precedent PALACE INSIDER ON MEGHAN’S BROKEN VOW