King Charles & William ‘are quite resilient…they are upset and sad’

Prince Harry has been particularly effective in laying out his side of the conflict with the Windsors, and his conditions for peace and a resolution. He wants a real conversation, he wants accountability from Charles and William about what they’ve done (or been silent about), and he wants an open airing of grievances on both sides. He’s said that he’s open to reconciliation and even making an apology, if his family explains why he needs to apologize. Charles, William and the institution have remained performatively “silent,” all while their courtiers brief everyone within earshot that their silence is “dignified,” and also Harry has been kidnapped by psychotherapists and everyone hates Meghan and William is punching every wall. It’s curious to see People Magazine get into this kind of nitty-gritty analysis of what’s going on in the royal court of Windsor and whether a reconciliation is possible from their side:

Betrayal: A royal insider says, “The King and Prince of Wales will be feeling betrayed. Things that have happened to them, really personal things, are now played out in the public arena.” The insider adds that some of the stories about the family are “not [Harry’s] to tell.” The depth of the division has made some of those close to the family pessimistic about any way back into the fold. One family friend, who is “disappointed” that Harry has gone into “such depth,” says, “There are so many things that he didn’t need to say.”

Resiliently dignified in their silence: Representatives for King Charles and Prince William have not commented on Harry’s memoir. “They are quite resilient and have good people around them,” a source who knows the monarch and Prince of Wales tells PEOPLE. “They are upset and sad, but they are soldiering on. Responding publicly would not be the smart thing to do.” Adds a palace insider, “They have been remarkably calm. But they have to be detached.”

Nothing will happen this year: In one of his interviews to promote Spare, Harry held out the prospect of one day working for his father on behalf of the Commonwealth. The palace insider suggests that if there was to be any progress on such an initiative, “I would imagine that would have to be in four to five years. Certainly not in the next year.”

Again, this is not about privacy: Another source close to the royal household says, “Exposing private family matters is not good,” adding that it has lessened “the impact of [Harry’s] argument for privacy as he lays family matters out for all to see.”

Mediation? The book has not given his family “reason to have him back” and rebuild relationships, one friend tells PEOPLE. But those closest to Harry and his family will not give up on the prince or his hope of a reconciliation. Mediators among those close to both brothers have tried in the past to find a way through the estrangement, but that was some time ago. “You need someone who cares about all of them and feel confident to break in and say ‘this is wrong, let’s sort it out,'” a source close to the royal household says. “Maybe they have tried.”

Recollections may vary: To close observers, the impasse certainly hasn’t gotten any easier. “Harry has made it harder, but it needs a passage of time between the Netflix and the book and any rapprochement,” says the source who knows the King and his sons. “The problem is that they want a capitulation and apology by the palace, but when recollections vary, that’s quite difficult.”

[From People]

As I said, the Windsors have the PR instincts of a turnip. “They are quite resilient and have good people around them. They are upset and sad, but they are soldiering on. Responding publicly would not be the smart thing to do.” Literally, I could have come up with a much better media strategy for Charles than his entire staff in one afternoon. Even before the Netflix series aired, I said that Charles should have issued a comprehensive and magnanimous statement saying: yes, the family has a long history of dysfunction and disagreements, but Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lili are my family and whatever happens, we’ll work through privately in the next few years. That would have taken the air out of almost all of this. It would have made Harry look like he was beating a dead horse. Instead, with Charles and William assuming an air of self-pitying grievance in refusing to even contact Harry, Harry looks like the bigger person, the one functional adult in the situation.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images,WENN, Backgrid.

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63 Responses to “King Charles & William ‘are quite resilient…they are upset and sad’”

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  1. Emily says:

    Resilient = emotionally constipated.

    • Eleonor says:

      LOL

      • what's inside says:

        Responding publicly would not be the smart thing….They have good people…..

        Ummm, it sure does not look that way. Check your optics C-Rex and Will-be. From here you both look like thugs.

      • Flowerlake says:

        Good people like Camilla? lmao

        Maybe the story of the evil witch corrupting the prince and breaking up his family is true.

        But what if the witch is not Meghan or even Kate?
        What if it’s Camilla?

      • Jaded says:

        They have good people around them……let me correct that. They have inept liars around them.

    • Caribbean says:

      Which part of not having security changed everything people don’t understand?

  2. Tessa says:

    Good people around them like on Jason k
    Lol. They are not resilient just two stubborn self righteous hypocrites

  3. HamsterJam says:

    People writes that “Representatives for King Charles and Prince William have not commented on Harry’s memoir …”, but that “A royal insider says…”

    People is gaslighting us as it is well known now that “A royal insider” is a “Representative”.

    Get with the program People

    • Startup Spouse says:

      The royal insider is the palace. Harry told us this in very clear terms. Buffoons!!!!

      Let’s keep score on all the times the palace proves Harry correct.

  4. Laura D says:

    So who’s the royal insider? They just can’t see it can they? Unless they go on the record this is a load of BS and yet people still lap it up. SMH

  5. equality says:

    Since PH was present and was the victim of their abuse, yes it is his story to tell. They really need to never represent any DV charity again.

    • SarahCS says:

      Nah, it’s that they don’t WANT him telling his story. That’s the point of all this, control of the narrative.

  6. MsIam says:

    Somebody send them a dictionary. These thumb suckers are the very opposite of resilient. They will be weeping and moaning for the next ten years and everyone knows it.

  7. Eurydice says:

    Of course, recollections vary. The point is that this is Harry’s recollection and they haven’t paid attention to it or even acknowledged it. And the bit about how mediation needs “someone who cares about all of them” is very telling. The RF has to care about H&M, but they don’t. Finally, Charles may be resilient – he’s gotten what he wants – but I’m not so sure about William. William seems to have a lot of unresolved issues.

    • Miranda says:

      William needs serious help. No snark, no sarcasm. He is a deeply damaged individual who was likely just as traumatized as Harry was by their chaotic childhood and the loss of their mother. Toeing the family line has left him an angry, bitter, short-tempered man who resents his own brother’s hard-earned mental wellbeing.

      • ThatsNotOkay says:

        He also resents his status as FK, but not its wealth. The trappings of excessive self importance and privilege.

  8. Woke says:

    William made the same mistake his father made by tying himself to sleazy, scummy characters like Jason Knauf and Simon Case to improve his image it’s the Mark Bolland thing all over again.
    The minute Charles find a way to keep William in check he’ll act.

  9. C says:

    Tots and pears.

  10. Crowned Huntress says:

    What’s wild is that Harry is extraordinarily gracious and understanding to them all in this book despite them mistreating & neglecting him constantly! The places they made him live, the Queen’s equestrian feeling emboldened to complain about him to his grandmother!

    I felt so crushed for him when he had such high hopes of being close to William, Kate and a then baby George only to find that they never extended an invitation for him to visit! But they want Easter presents when Meghan arrives??

    They’re not sad, they’re ashamed & embarrassed. What’s left of the royal facade is dying. Despite their wealth and access they’re nothing to aside to. Who would to live in such a cold and unfeeling family?

    Diana was right all along.

    • Brassy Rebel says:

      Harry really is bending over backwards to be gracious and kind in the face of so much abuse–for his entire life! And he gives them an out by focusing so much of his grievance on the media. Still they spit in his face with these leaks about how sad, devastated, and hurt they are while insisting they are maintaining “dignified silence”. This propaganda is unrelenting and probably a good indicator that they will never change. Hopefully, Harry can move on now.

    • Becks1 says:

      Yeah, I think they are really embarrassed. Harry has exposed them for the cold, dysfunctional, toxic family that they are. People seemed to forget about that for a while in the past 10, 20 years maybe – but that was the issue with the Crown. It wasn’t just that it reminded people how they treated Diana, it reminded people how effed up this family and this institution are. This is just exposing that even more.

    • Dee Kay says:

      “Diana was right all along.” <– EXACTLY.

  11. Amy Bee says:

    The mistake the Palace made was Charles remaining silent when Harry and Meghan and the Royal Family continuing to brief against them after they left. Charles should have put a statement of support saying he was sorry to see them go but wished them the best as they embark on a new life. They don’t get that if they had kept quiet about Harry and Meghan there would be no Oprah interview, Netflix docuseries or book.

  12. Snuffles says:

    And yet, no one is claiming Harry said anything false beyond claiming that they weren’t the people briefing against him. Of course not, they have their minions for that so they keep their hands clean. Plausible deniability and all that.

    • Couch potato says:

      Exactely! They’re disappointed he’d go to “such depths”, and “there’s so many things he didn’t need to say” confirms he’s telling the truth. They thought he’d keep covering up their shitty behaviour, and now they’re mad the truth is out there.

      • QuiteContrary says:

        Exactly this, Couch potato. Harry is not wrong — they just wish he’d kept quiet.

        Abusers always count on their victims staying silent.

  13. JD says:

    Oh, these poor victims. Total abusers. They have told Harry’s story his entire life (mostly false/negative) to suit their own needs/goals and this is their nervy response? It makes me wish Harry came out swinging a bit more, saying, “I don’t know why we had no cash to pay for me/Meghan, my father took suitcases full of cash from the Saudis despite my risking my life in the war…”

  14. Noor says:

    King Charles and William and Kate are so caught up in the pursuit of popularity that they forgot what is at stake. It is their ego and desire to be on the front page and to be most popular royal that drive their treatment of Prince Harry and Meghan.

  15. Emily_C says:

    Harry is the only adult in that family.

  16. lanne says:

    What we see now is the piss-poor leadership of both Chuck Turd and Will-di Amin. The situation with Harry is not only a family trauma, it’s also a business problem. If a family member and corporate employee has had lifelong grievances to the point where he left the organization, especially if that person was a star employee who was the moneymaker for the company, it behooves the leadership to, at the very least, find out why he left. That means reading the book and discovering the story that he told. because clearly, these people do not know their son/brother/subordinate/employee on a person level. The next step is self-reflection: what does this person’s loss mean to our company? How do we mitigate this loss and reset our corporate strategy? What is our message going forward?

    None of this has happened because at heart, neither Charles nor William has a single leadership bone in their body. They care about being liked, but they aren’t willing to examine their own behavior to see if they are giving anyone reason to like them. They both believe that they are owed loyalty, worship, reverence, and obedience based on an accident of birth, and have given zero thought, even now, as to how they can go about earning the acclaim they crave. Because Harry has certainly done that: he has done it by owning his mistakes, taking steps to learn, and by showing his ability to adapt to change.

    At heart, Harry is a better man than his father and his brother. Deep down, they know it, and I believe their animus toward Harry is their resentment that he shows them both up simply by existing and living his life.

    Charles and William aren’t the first firstborns who squander the family fortune while a younger or female member could have done a better job (Anne would make such a better monarch than Charles, even with her flaws). That’s the nature and danger of primogeniture, and the UK is stuck with these fools as their heads of state unless the people take action.

    • Eurydice says:

      The thing is that it’s not necessary for royalty to be leaders.

    • dee(2) says:

      This is the aspect I never get, yes they are clearly an emotionally stunted fairly crap family, but they also claim they can’t do things because they are a “business”. This business would be on every worst place to work list in existence. The fact that they claim that the don’t comment, but every C suite executive as it stands has their every thought and desire and complaint splashed across the news daily. What company in existence wouldn’t be terrified of corporate espionage and leaking and maybe breaches of contract, and wouldn’t root that out immediately? Can you imagine if we knew the innerworkings of Amazon, or Ford, or Colgate-Palmolive to that level? The CEO’s of Gap or Lenovo, boardroom fights splashed daily across the Boston Globe, or the Washington Post? Madness.

      • Eurydice says:

        The monarchy is a business, in that it has a long-term mission to exist forever and has a transactional relationship with the public. But, unlike the companies you’ve mentioned, the RF’s product is themselves – each “product,” whether it’s Charles, Camilla, Will or Kate is in competition with the other products. And it’s not like they can make your teeth whiter or get better gas mileage – the only way they can sell themselves (remind the public they exist) is through the press.

      • Brassy Rebel says:

        This 👆! Very well put. And it’s why, despite Harry’s hopes, they can never sever their symbiosis with the press.

      • Blithe says:

        @Eurydice, is that really true though? They don’t HAVE to be in competition with each other, do they? While it’s difficult to imagine it with this particular bunch, it is possible for “products “ to work for common goals — both individually and collectively. And while the press could be undoubtedly helpful in spreading the news, if they did projects and forged relationships that offered actual value (and they have done a few) versus performative photo OP’s , they wouldn’t have to remind the public that they exist — because the public would already know.

        I think the reason that they can’t sever their symbiosis with the press is not purely because it has to be that way — but because there are probably truly heinous, reprehensible things that the press knows, that the BRF knows that they know, that neither side wants to make fully public because then the whole complicated teetering house of cards will tumble.

        I fully admit that my tin foil-ish take on this is highly influenced by my attention to the political upheavals in the US in recent decades.

      • Brassy Rebel says:

        Blithe, without all the gossipy tales and backstabbing, who would even care that this current crop, minus the Sussexes, exist? People would get tired of hearing about trips to hospitals and food banks, especially when nothing comes of them. The NHS is still in crisis and people still have trouble affording heat and food. Without media propaganda, the royals would soon be seen for what they are, a very expensive luxury item which helps no one. But it’s certainly true that the media has a ton of dirt on them.

      • Blithe says:

        Brassy Rebel, I quite agree with you, and I agree with Eurydice for the most part. What I disagree with is the idea that the current — toxic — model is the only way.

        I think QEll garnered quite a bit of respect based on her behavior— and that of her parents — during WWll. At least some people, from what I’ve heard and read, felt that they were all in it together. I think people might care — as they did with Diana, and as they have with the Sussexes — if they felt genuinely understood and cared about in some meaningful ways.

        If Charles personally brought organic food from one of his farms to a neighborhood nursery school and helped prepare it, and ate with the kids, wouldn’t that stick with the community for more than a bit? Perhaps the part that I’m having trouble accepting is that the current crop of Royals is incapable of creating meaningful connections — and uncaring as well?…That they’re not in it for anything useful to anyone but themselves— and it shows?

  17. Harper says:

    Oh come on. C-Rex and Burger King kicked Harry out because they were excited about the chance to get rid of Meghan. Harry revealed that they came to the Sandringham meeting (not summit, as Harry points out) with only Option 5 (total break) printed out and ready to be signed. C-Rex and Burger King were angry but also saw that their plan to get rid of Meghan was working. Sure, Harry leaving was not part of it but first things first–the witch leaves England. If they are sad and detached now it’s because they sucked at strategy; turns out Harry is thriving and the world sees the Royals for the losers that they are.

    • H says:

      Yes, and The Bee (QII’s little gray man) LIED to Harry and said the printer broke and he couldn’t print out options 1-4. Yet when Harry went to the office, the printers were working just fine. I still want to know who The Bee, The Fly and The Wasp are.

  18. Lucy says:

    Detached is the correct word. Since anger has been rebranded by men as not a feeling, is the only one they have any practice expressing. Everything else goes in the toxic sludge.

    Weak weak weak.

  19. Shawna says:

    Mediators within the family? Come on. You mean Kate making eyes at Harry or Eugenie simply being a good cousin while apparently remaining in everyone’s good graces? This is a dumb attempt at countering Harry’s claim that Charles wouldn’t talk to a REAL mediator.

  20. Jais says:

    They barely seem to interact with Meghan so how can they hate her? Especially Charles as he seemed to get with her at the beginning.

  21. Naomi says:

    For anyone ready to take up arms for the Sussexes, this is a funny/cute video: https://twitter.com/edcmpbl/status/1613280335554351104

    • Jaded says:

      That is brilliant! For a medieval treatment, I think I’d like to tar and feather C-Turd, Camzilla, Egg and Stick, walk them through town with people tossing slops at them, and finally throw them into stocks in the town square for a day or two.

  22. equality says:

    I guess it has slipped Charles’ mind that he said the same about his parents and upbringing.

  23. New.Here says:

    RESILIENT?? The man who is perpetually incandescent with rage.

    DIGNIFIED?? Perseverating on someone’s else’s facial hair for a week!

    They must think I was born yesterday.

  24. Blue Nails Betty says:

    The man who has declared open war on fountain pens is now being called “resilient”.

  25. Athena says:

    First of all Harry should not hold out prospect of working for his father on behalf of the Commonwealth. He can’t call the commonwealth colonization 2.0 and then ask to represent the crown there.

    It seems with this “family” their only concept of a way back is to come and work for them, it’s all about the business. They mistreated Harry as a son and brother and that’s their pattern of behavior, without counseling or awareness on their part they will continue to mistreat him. What Charles needs is some private time with his son, time spent Harry and Meghan and the kids out of the public eye. And Charles needs to stop listening to all the hanger-ons.

    I don’t see a reconciliation in the cards. Harry wants a family they want a servant. If Charles had better people around him it might have worked. And William is a lost cause, he may have serious mental health issues.

  26. Jaded says:

    Harry showed his father, mother-in-law, brother and sister-in-law up for the lazy, worthless and sleazy bunch of emotionally stunted twits they really are. He finally grew up and away from them and their scapegoating, punching bag mentality against him. Joining the military was the best thing to happen to him because he showed them he had a brain, courage and a desire to better himself through public service. Flying an Apache is no mean feat, and putting your life on the line in battle against the Taliban is true bravery, not flying some dinky helicopter a couple of times a week and wearing performative uniforms and medals. The seething jealousy coming from that f*cking family is palpable and the more they seethe the worse they look.

  27. JMoney says:

    Charles showed William how he works with the media and his contacts and the media heads explained how it works and why but only to W. I think that’s one of the few things the Heir learns about and the others won’t. In order for the media to prop up the monarchy one part of it has to be sacrificed. This was true with The Queen it was true with Andrew and Edward (he had to withdraw his career venture outside the family) and now its true with H&M. What C&W don’t understand is why H isn’t going along with it and its all W’s fault hence the upset and sad comments.

    W broke the social contract first. I don’t think its a coincidence that H got such substandard housing upon marriage. Look at what Anne, Andrew and Edward’s houses they got upon marriage and look at what H got. Meghan was told to work but Sarah, Sophie, etc all were told not to and given money for clothes. Had C &W given H a carrot this would not have happened the way it did. I don’t think H realizes how much his brother does not like him and never has. W went out of his way to make sure H did not get anything remotely “nice” (housing, his beard, his gfs, etc) his hatred of his brother is visceral and has only gotten worse as time has gone by.

  28. SaschaFrom1976 says:

    Petty “King” Charles is proud descendant of Vlad the Impaler (Dracula), have you seen the CREEPY video of him, licking his lips, as a young man before he got married – talking about his future wife? When Harry says, “is this a death cult?” I’m starting to think it REALLY IS’ I mean, obviously with all the colonization activity and stuff but really, I’m starting to wonder what’s REALLY going on behind the doors. I really hope Megan and Harry realize they can never go back. They won’t make it out alive. Literally sobbed at him being left alone and uncomforted while crying

    • Emily_C says:

      Dracula is a fictional character. Vlad the Impaler was probably a tyrant, but he was definitely not a vampire, as there are no such things as vampires. Don’t go this over the edge about stuff. Charles is bad enough without going totally kooky about it.

  29. Kimsan says:

    Honestly Harry and Meghan need to let go of the commonwealth. I’m not sure how anyone can understand the history of the commonwealth and at the same time think the monarchy should be representative of it or involved in anyway that doesn’t involve real accountability.

    • Noor says:

      Agree. They seem to have an idealized vision of the Commonwealth while forgetting that these countries were formerly colonized by Imperial Britain. The royals have to make reparations for slavery.

  30. Catherine says:

    I would be sad too if confronted with their behavior. Why does the truth require resilience?

  31. Mary Pester says:

    Oh my goodness, the Royal family really have no idea and neither does it seem to their mouthpieces. Look at what they have said, “they are deeply saddened that Harry spoke about personal matters”, they are upset that he talked about private family matters, “they are upset at how deeply Harry has talked”. My BIG take away is that not one of them has DENIED any of what Harry has said. Brilliant, that is all the confirmation that we needed. Harry has told THE truth. Harry has opened the curtains and they are so afraid of what Harry has in reserve on them ALL. So than you little Palace insiders, you have shown us all that there is indeed something terribly, terribly wrong with the rest of his family