HARRY TO THE RESCUE
Prince Harry has barely been back in Canada with his wife, Meghan, and son, 10-month-old Archie, for two weeks now, after returning to the UK for the couple’s final duties as royals. But he’s now set to make a hasty homecoming to support his father, grandparents, and brother, in their hour of need.
On Wednesday it was announced that Prince Charles tested positive for coronavirus. A statement released by Clarence House confirmed that while 71-year-old Charles had been experiencing mild symptoms for several days, he has “otherwise remained in good health”.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, was also tested for the virus but the results came back negative.
“It obviously came as a huge shock,” royals expert Phil Dampier says. “Prince Charles is probably the most famous person in the world who has it now, and it just shows that the virus doesn’t respect anyone, even royals.”
AS PRINCE CHARLES TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19, HARRY RUSHES BACK TO THE UK TO HELP HIS FAMILY
While it’s uncertain how Charles contracted the virus, royal representatives are eager to assure the public that there’s no chance he could have passed it onto the Queen, who will turn 94 in April, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who is 98. They will continue to isolate at Windsor Castle for at least the next three months due to their high risk.
“I’m sure Harry is going through a wringer of emotions at the moment,” Phil says.
“On the one hand he’s starting his new life, which is what he wanted, and he’s got his own family to look after, but he would be very concerned about his father, as well as the Queen and Prince Philip.”
While Harry is itching to return now that his family need him more than ever, given the United Kingdom’s current travel restrictions, it might not be that simple.
“If it were up to him, he would come back and help,” Phil says.
“I’m sure he’s feeling isolated, helpless and very upset about it, but I don’t know if he’ll be able to in practical terms. It wouldn’t be a good example to set – if authorities are telling people not to travel, he shouldn’t either.”
It’s doubtful Meghan and Archie would accompany him, and if he made the trip alone,
there’s a chance Harry might not be able to re-enter Canada once borders close.
“Meghan wouldn’t want to bring Archie over because that [would] put him in danger,” Phil says. “If Harry did come, it would be on his own.”
With the next in line to the throne now infected with coronavirus, and the Queen in isolation, Prince William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have taken over as figureheads of the monarchy. With them under immense pressure, Harry’s arrival would relieve some of the burden, and could serve as a means of fixing his relationship with William,
When the fab four reunited on March 9 for the Commonwealth Day service in London, their interactions were strained and cold.
“If they’d known what the situation was going to be like a month later, maybe they would have gone to more effort in London to make up and bury the hatchet,” Phil says.
“This could bring them closer. Maybe they are talking on the phone now, realising that they need to patch up their differences.
“If they’re both worried about the health of their father, it’s probably hard for them to stay angry at each other.”