If Harry wants things to change, he needs to change
PRINCE Harry saw it coming. Only he predicted the attack on Washington’s Capitol building on January 6, which left five dead, scores injured and Americans asking, “How did that happen?”
The FBI and the all-seeing National Security Agency completely missed the most violent assault on American democracy since British soldiers burned down thewhite House during thewar of 1812.
But Prince Harry says he knew. He says he warned Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, on January 5, that toxic tweets were going to provoke a far-right mob to storm the Capitol, terrorising innocent people and causing mayhem.
I suspect the Capitol police, who were taken by surprise and proved incapable of protecting the building, would have welcomed a tip-off from the sixth-in-line to the throne.
Prince Harry’s extraordinary claim to have foreseen what everyone else didn’t see was made at an event about the dangers of internet lies, gossip and fake news.
He blasted the media in general and lashed out at UK publications. “I learned from a very early age the incentives of publishing are not necessarily aligned with the incentives of truth,” he said.
From their mansion in the hills above Santa
Barbara,
Harry and Meghan now see themselves as warriors in a war for truth and decency.
But what they are actually fighting is the bad personal publicity they have received since cutting ties with Britain.
Few royal couples have been as popular as the Sussexes were on their wedding day.
The crowds were 12 deep for the carriage drive through Windsor.
The news media were united in welcoming them as a breath of fresh air. But when they decided to turn their backs on Britain, public opinion changed and the press reflected that, as it always will.
It’s perfectly natural to dislike bad publicity. Most people like to be liked and admired. But it’s not how a free press operates.
The freedom of the press protects all our liberties.
It comes with the privilege to praise but also the solemn duty to criticise those elected to high office or set above us, when criticism is due. Prince Harry has castigated media criticism of his wife as unfair.
To his credit, he wants to shield Meghan.
But when you give two long television interviews in which you freely criticise your relatives, then you are inviting a dose of your own medicine.
If Prince Harry wants things to change, he needs to change.
He cannot expect a wreath to be laid on his behalf at the Cenotaph this morning, not now that he has walked away from his royal duties, including his military roles.
Meghan cannot expect to regain the approval of the
British people if she contributes little or nothing to the welfare of this country but saves her smiles for her Hollywood friends.
This country is naturally forgiving. But not in the face of continuous sniping by privileged and clearly resentful people who rejected their royal destiny for a life in the sun.