I keep going back and forth about whether I believe that King Charles is seething over the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in this current era. When Charles and Prince Harry met face-to-face last September, there was a change in how the palace (Charles’s staffers) spoke about the Sussexes and briefed about the Sussexes. Many have theorized that Charles sees the value in keeping open communications with Harry if no other reason than it drives Prince William crazy. William’s not the only one having a nervous breakdown at the thought of Charles and Harry’s improved relations – many royal reporters appear to have a vested interest in keeping the left-behinds at odds with the Sussexes for some reason. Speaking of, Richard Eden is once again ranting about “Project Thaw,” aka the “establishment plot” to bring the Sussexes back to the UK. Eden’s latest column has a big update – some highlights:
The Montecito working royals: When the plane lands in Washington DC on Monday at the start of their historic visit, Charles and Queen Camilla won’t be the only members of the Royal Family to find themselves working in the US – not, at least, if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s cheerleaders are to be believed. For Prince Harry and Meghan are ‘running the Montecito branch of the House of Windsor’, according to briefings given to sympathetic journalists who covered the couple’s quasi-royal tour of Australia earlier this month.
The Sussexes are delighted with their Australian trip: While some of us were highly critical of the way the Sussexes used their trip Down Under to combine money-making with public engagements, they are said to be delighted with how it went. Their allies have made it clear that they saw the trip as a successful blueprint of what we can expect from them in the future. It is a highly dangerous turn for the King and the future of the Monarchy.
Harry’s Ukraine trip: Apparently determined to keep himself in the public eye, Prince Harry made a surprise visit to Kyiv this morning ‘to remind people back home and around the world what Ukraine is up against’. It’s all a big change from the Sussexes’ original plans for their life in America, which involved signing big-money deals with giant media companies such as Netflix and Spotify to produce programmes and podcasts.
Charles doesn’t want to antagonize: The King is desperate not to antagonise his younger son and his American daughter-in-law. Indeed, royal officials are horrified when they are asked about the Sussexes because they fear saying something which could offend the Sussexes.
The delay regarding the Sussexes’ police protection in the UK: It’s telling that when the royal and VIP executive committee, which authorises security for senior royals, met earlier this year, it was civil servants and not the King’s representative, who raised objections to the couple having their automatic, taxpayer-funded security restored. The civil servants feared a backlash from hard-pressed taxpayers who would have to pay for this automatic security.
An interesting quote: A friend of the royals tells me: ‘Their Majesties will not see Harry and Meghan while they are in the States, but don’t read anything into that. The King hopes to see more of his son and spend time with his grandchildren. This will happen in Britain before long.’
The endgame for the monarchy starts in Montecito!! The problem is that [Harry] is funding his ‘service’ by making money, and that a ‘half-in, half-out’ model could ultimately destroy the monarchy, as the late Queen wisely understood. In my opinion, the King needs to take drastic steps to prevent the Royal Family being tarnished. He should strip them of their Duke and Duchess titles, as well as Harry’s styling as Prince, just as he has done with his brother Andrew. If the Sussexes’ new model of money-making royalty is allowed to take root, it could eventually spell the end for the House of Windsor – and not just the Montecito branch.
“The problem is that [Harry] is funding his ‘service’ by making money, and that a ‘half-in, half-out’ model could ultimately destroy the monarchy…” Read that back – the monarchy will ultimately be destroyed by a prince and his American wife making money and doing charity work wherever they please. If the monarchy is so fragile, it cannot withstand Harry and Meghan’s four-day visit to Australia, then maybe the monarchy deserves to be destroyed? And that quote from “a friend of the royals” is very interesting indeed. It sounds like Charles is doing more than “not antagonizing” the Sussexes. It sounds more like Charles is more than open to seeing the Sussexes this summer. But we’ll see. Incidentally, I’m fascinated by the lack of follow-up reporting on all of these issues, and I think the absence of gossip is indicative of Harry and Charles communicating and keeping a lid on their plans.
Photos courtesy of Backgid, Cover Images.
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- Melbourne, AUSTRALIA Prince Harry & Meghan Markle attend Swinburne University in Hawthorn, Melbourne. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 16 APRIL 2026 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Sydney, AUSTRALIA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit Bondi Beach Life Guards and greet the public at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 17 APRIL 2026 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visit and meet patients and their family members during a visit to the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Victoria, on day one of the royal trip to Australia Featuring: Meghan Markle Where: Melbourne, Australia When: 14 Apr 2026 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex during a visit to the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Victoria, on day one of the royal trip to Australia. Featuring: Harry, Duke of Sussex Where: Melbourne, Australia When: 14 Apr 2026 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive at the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum (Anvam) in Southbank, Melbourne, Victoria, on day one of the royal trip to Australia. Featuring: Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: Melbourne, Australia When: 14 Apr 2026 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke of Sussex with memorial representatives and Indigenous veterans, including Lieutenant Colonel Joseph West (left) at the Australian War Memorial site in Campbell, Canberra, on day two of the royal trip to Australia. Featuring: Harry, Duke of Sussex with memorial representatives and Indigenous veterans, including Lieutenant Colonel Joseph West (left) Where: Canberra, Australia When: 15 Apr 2026 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke of Sussex by the Pool of Reflection after the Last Post Ceremony at the Australian War Memorial in Campbell, Canberra, on day two of the royal trip to Australia. Featuring: Harry, Duke of Sussex Where: Canberra, Australia When: 14 Apr 2026 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke of Sussex lays a wreath during the Last Post Ceremony at the Australian War Memorial in Campbell, Canberra, on day two of the royal trip to Australia. Featuring: Harry, Duke of Sussex Where: Canberra, Australia When: 14 Apr 2026 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke of Sussex meets Heidi, 3, and her father Rohan Davies at the Scar Tree Walk in Melbourne, Victoria, on day three of the royal trip to Australia. The Scar Tree Walk is a journey connecting traditional and contemporary Aboriginal cultures and histories of the Kulin Nation Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Where: Melbourne, Australia When: 16 Apr 2026 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Duchess of Sussex takes part in the Scar Tree Walk in Melbourne, Victoria, on day three of the royal trip to Australia. The Scar Tree Walk is a journey connecting traditional and contemporary Aboriginal cultures and histories of the Kulin Nation Featuring: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: Melbourne, Australia When: 16 Apr 2026 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex after taking part in a sailing event with members of Invictus Australia in Sydney Harbour, on day four of the royal trip to Australia. Featuring: Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: Sydney, Australia When: 17 Apr 2026 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex pose for a selfie photo with wellwishers at Man O’War Steps, next to the Sydney Opera House, before taking part in a sailing event with members of Invictus Australia in Sydney Harbour, on day four of the royal trip to Australia. Featuring: Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: Sydney, Australia When: 17 Apr 2026 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Charles needs to also see his daughter in law Meghan if he wants credibility. Cheerleaders of the sussexes do not consider them a branch of the royal family in Montecito
Pssssh. I hope Meghan keeps grey rocking this entire island and these fucked up weird ass people. They sound crazy.
She left 6 years ago and they keep talking about her like there is some current relationship. Why would she ever even pretend there’s any chance of any sort of reconciliation when any kind of relationship with her maladjusted father in law also means a relationship with his employees and reporters? Especially when she could also just not.
Hopefully, if Harry has any further face to face interactions with Charles, Meghan does exactly what she has done previously – keep it mindful and gracious and stay entirely out of view of their media.
@Tessa
Charles owes Meghan an apology and a suitcase of cash to reimburse her for the funds spent by her to renovate Frogmore.
Crown came up with millions of pounds to tart up KP and Anmer (Anmer being part of Sandringham Estate, PRIVATELY OWNED BY BRF) for WanK, but Meghan had to pay out of pocket to renovate a Crown property? That’s theft by Charles and the government.
The only clowns that think Montecito is a rival royal court are the donkeys in the press who want to make bank on an imagined rivalry.
Harry and Meghan aren’t competing with the left behinds. The BRF can’t compete because they just don’t compare.
This is what galls the BRF and their mouthpieces on salt island.
Well, you’re partially right, partially not. Anmer was paid for by “private funds” – either money from QEII or Charles (from lancaster or cornwall or money that was from those duchies but then got invested etc). So no Crown estates money went towards that.
Supposedly for 1A the Crown estates paid for the structural renovations (I think there was evidence of asbestos?) and then “private funds” again paid for the more superficial renovations – the decorating, the paint, the second kitchen, etc. So that was either charles or Elizabeth again.
With Frogmore, the house needed significant renovations before H&M could move in and that was paid for by the Crown Estate. We never heard about “private funds” being used for the furniture etc so I assume Meghan did pay for that (but any furniture or whatever she could take with her.)
After they left, they paid the Crown Estate back for the renovations (so they didn’t pay out of pocket for them upfront), I think with the expectation that the press would shut the eff up about it and that they would be able to keep Frogmore as a London/Windsor base for years to come.
I dont think at the time they fully realized that the press was NEVER going to shut up and leave them alone, and of course then Charles evicted them from Frogmore. That was the real theft in my opinion. They clearly thought it was worth it to pay a couple million to shut people up (didn’t work obviously) and to have a secure base in England. In my opinion after Charles terminated their lease they should have pushed for that money back.
They wasted over 7 million in taxpayers funds on 1A over two years. The interior was fine, nothing wrong with plumbing, electric. It was being used to house staff and collections for HRP.
The asbestos wasn’t a problem, it was contained/sealed. It only became a problem when kate ripped out and destroyed the historic interior. That released the asbestos, so mitigation had to be done on top of the 7 million wasted on everything else. If she had left the historic interior footprint intact, it would have been fine.
She redid one kitchen and added three more. In total – One for staff, one for all the official events they were supposed to host there, a private family kitchen, and one for the nursery. Even Margaret wasn’t that profligate with her spending.
I don’t quite believe the multiple KP Reno’s were paid privately. They were very fuzzy with that information and only after some public complaints were made about late redoing a kitchen after the original renovation for her. (Which is hilarious because it’s obvious she doesn’t cook much herself.).
The complaints also happened because Kate and William moved to Anmer for full time living when they got Apt 1 specifically because they were expected to work full time as royals from KP. William got that part time co pilot job at the east Anglia paramedics and kate got pregnant with George.
They never did work full time hours compared to the other senior royals.
They run the house of Montecito, not a branch of the house of windsor. The usual attaching of the left behinds to the Sussexes shine!
The stones that the builder refuse…
Oh please. The royal family is doing its own tarnishing. Eden is so obsessed with those titles. And Eden Andrew is not being punished and parliament did not formally remove Andrews title
“a ‘half-in, half-out’ model could ultimately destroy the monarchy”
He keeps threatening us with a good time, doesn’t he?
You notice he never explains how?
They are not ‘working royals’. They are royals who are working to support themselves instead of taking money from the struggling british taxpayers. They also work to donate funds to charity. There’s a huge difference.
The 2020 BP statement:
“They will no longer receive public funds for Royal duties. With The Queen’s blessing, the Sussexes will continue to maintain their private patronages and associations.”
So the Queen (the REAL one) and Buck House expressly gave them permission to earn a living AND do charitable work. Eden can stuff it.
This is funny “Apparently determined to keep himself in the public eye”, like he’s just traveling where he’s invited dude. Apparently Harry and Meghan were supposed to move into a cave off the Pacific coast venturing out for clams occasionally.
And yeah they keep trying to pretend that Harry and Meghan doing what they do while being the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is bad because it’s “confusing”, but everyone knows the real issue is the comparison it invites. The problem is the interest isn’t going to go away if they stop being the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The interest will still be there and the question about why they can still do philanthropy, live in a nice house and have nice things, and have an impact without costing the taxpayers money will still be there. Simply because you can’t erase the family that Harry came from.
This question isn’t going away, they need to get ahead of that question ( which they can’t answer and they don’t want to) rather than thinking reshuffling names is going to make your problem go away.
Dee, I LOL’d at “venturing out for clams.”
Sounds more like the Queen and her advisors knew it would be the end of the gravy train if people realized h the royals could do their job without taking in hundreds of millions from the public purse.
It’s not the end of the monarchy, it’s the end of the free flowing cash. Why someone like Eden is hellbent on defending that is beyond me. They won’t share their riches with you, Dickie.
No, Maureen, “half-in half-out” refers to earning private income while also taking a royal paycheck for doing royal duties. That’s NOT what’s going on. The Sandringham Summit agreement was very clear that Harry and Meghan could earn their own private income while pursuing their personal charitable interests.
This. They are not half-in working royals bc they are not funded by the public. They are all the way out.
Exactly. Maureen desperate to stat have H&M attached to the left behinds to sell papers! Not working.
Let’s be clear that this is hogwash: “The civil servants feared a backlash from hard-pressed taxpayers who would have to pay for this automatic security.”
Hard-pressed taxpayers are sick of supporting the lazy, entitled, slumlord, bags of cash, on-the-dole, do-nothing leftbehinds. The existence of royalty who have plundered from the public for centuries is the issue, not police protection that is provided for far more people than the king’s own son.
Only people who would delight in violence against the Sussex family are opposed to police protection.
You mean the taxpayers who are fine with paying millions per year to Peg’s duchy for use of an abandoned unusable prison will object to 1-2 days of security costs for Harry? Those taxpayers?
The Daily Fail have their own grudge against the Sussexes, especially since they keep suing and winning against the Fail and the rest of the Murdoch empire. And certainly Kensington Palace both authors and pays social media bots to slander the Sussexes. However, I often wonder if Camilla counters her husband’s new tone on the Sussexes via the Fail. And if she does, does Charles know or care?
I think Camilla is preparing for her life after Chuck. If she thinks Scooter King will be less that generous towards her, I believe she would side with Harry just to push Scooter’s buttons and get what she wants.
Camilla is an agent of chaos and I have to admit I like that about her. She’s awful but she knows how to play the game and she’s not on william’s side at all. After Charles’ death, I could see her authorizing stories about how awful William was to Harry and other Harry-sympathetic stories JUST to tick William off. Her loyalty is to herself (and to Charles, whether out of love or affection or a sense of self preservation, maybe all three.)
Murdoch doesn’t own the Daily Mail.
They do not have a half in half out option – they were kicked out fully, and thank god. I hope though they stick to their guns and never go back – no one over there could ever be trusted. Certainly see Charles privately if they want, but I just feel if they make any other outreach it will only blow up in their faces. I almost wish they could just give back the titles to make the break clear
They should not give back the titles. Scooter would still want more including breaking up the Sussex marriage and talks of exile and so on. Scooter would still not be satisfied
And the prime minister of Ukraine just introduced Harry as your Royal Highness Prince Harry the Duke of Sussex. Those titles will stay with good king Harry for life!
And that is correct, they only agreed not to use the HRHs for commercial reasons and Ukraine wasn’t a commercial reason.
They were not kicked out, they chose to leave. Enormous difference.
Whatever you want to call what the Sussex’s are doing one thing is for sure they are doing it much better than the left overs because the Sussex’s are the ones drawing crowds, boosting sales, selling out events and products all while doing charity, supporting causes and running businesses. The BRF and the working royals look like an assisted living facility photo and that is definitely what they project except I think most assisted living residents might be more fun than these people are.
Yeah, I love it when “Elvis” makes a visit for instance!
LOL
I like to know the reason they would give for removing Harry’s titles. Making the rest of us look bad by doing good work in the world.
The only thing truthful or logical in this piece is that the Palace is not actively briefing against Harry and Meghan at the moment. I think they’ve stopped because they know that anything they say to the press will get a response from Harry and Meghan. Palace briefings/smears only work when the subject remain silent and Harry and Meghan have learned that speaking out takes away the Palace’s control of the narrative.
Are people in UK really stupid enough to believe that Chuck could unilaterally “strip [Harry and Meghan] of their Duke and Duchess titles,” for real? I’ve heard DailyFail is the most popular rag in the realm. But even this ignorant American understands removal of titles is a little more involved, with Parliamentary participation, than singular Chuck declaring “off with their titles.”
I thought Brits understood that even if Chuck stripped “Harry’s styling as Prince, just as he has done with his brother Andrew” that doesn’t remove either of them from the line of succession. But maybe I’m wrong, and Daily Fail has greater influence, or more gullible readers than I could possibly fathom.
The latter. And even William would be well-advised not to go near this. If they tried to strip Harry’s (and his kids’ titles) there’d be uproar. Andrew was different (!) and he had to go quietly. Although he is still the Duke of York, actually. To remove royal dukedoms they’d have to go through parliament and the monarchy does NOT want scrutiny or lurking republican MPs near this. That could be a very slippery slope. And altering the LoS would also have to go through the 15 commonwealth realms. Yikes.
I think the Commonwealth would stick by Harry, he is the only royal who has proved that he is not racist, by marrying Meghan, the vast majority of Commonwealth citizens are Brown.
I don’t believe that Charles “stripped” Andrew of any titles, a few Andrew relinquished and others he agreed not to use. But as no Letters Patent was issued and Parliament didn’t vote, Andrew still holds all those titles, no matter how the press wants to spin it.
Yes, and?
What an interesting picture Eden paints. Poor Charles can’t catch a break from his sons. He’s besieged by William, who is plotting his demise in the UK. And now, he’s desperate not to offend Harry in the US.
If Charles wanted to make William’s head explode (and Trump’s, and the press and, and, and), he’d meet with H&M while he’s in the US. “One foot in the grave? Watch this.”
Those who hate Harry would condemn the King for behaving like a grown up.
The king is still the king and his favor is worth something, otherwise people wouldn’t be begging for years to receive an honor. Even boot lickers like Trump. They’d still hate Harry, but it would be all “See what a gracious and spiritual man Charles is? The very spirit of forgiveness.”
Ever since Meghan kidnapped Harry and whisked him away, I have had a bag packed by my front door. If being kidnapped by Meghan will leave me rested, glowing and moisturized, like her current captive, sign me up!
Funny!!
🤭
A photo of Charles with Harry’s family is going to travel around the world within minutes! It’s going to be everywhere. Why not? What does Charles have to lose at this point, at his age, with his health.
This is what the Windsors are afraid of, the population waking up and saying: Why do we have to fund them? Harry and Meghan do philanthropic work AND work, why can’t they??!!” There’s a detachment from reality. I don’t know why they think that only ” royals” do philanthropic work, it’s bonkers. Also Harry and Meghan do it better than they do, they show up engaged and pitch in, they do NOT show up empty handed either like the Windsors.
The public could choose to have ‘working royals’ without allowing all the nonsense.
Strip them of all stolen taxpayer wealth (lands, duchies, jewels). No taxpayer security for their luxury holidays. No more feebies from epstein earthshot torture video sultans.
Put them in one reasonable size govt home. Strict budget with mandatory training and work minimums. Eliminate the pay for play rota and the massive taxpayer funded royal PR departments.
If the UK wants royals, they can keep them as government employees and save 600 million a year.
The rest of the Windsors don’t add any value to their charities. They show up empty-handed and tell the people “Look how lucky you are to meet us. We’re Royal. Here’s an autographed picture of us for you to hang on your wall and tell all your friends how lucky you are to have met us. Now stand back you dirty unwashed peasant. Can’t have you getting too close!”
Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan show up with resources to improve other people’s lives and make a tangible difference. They roll up their sleeves and pitch in to actually help and also donate funds. They are happy to meet with the people they engage with.
This is why the titles don’t matter anymore. If they stripped away the titles today, people would still love and value H&M for what they bring to the table. NOT because they are related to the king.
Deep down the royalists know this and this is the root of their fear. This is why they want to keep tieing H&M’s value to royalty when really they have superseded the royal connection.
They really wanted the Sussexes to be like Edward and Wallis, lazy and eager to stay royal-adjacent to keep some social value. But the Sussexes are about working hard for their causes. And they work to support themselves, keep the lights on, food on the table, and a roof over their heads, since they were evicted from their home in the UK.
The royal job doesn’t have to involve having large private charities. Charles started that, it doesn’t have to continue.
They need to show up when ordered, to pin ribbons on sheep, visit hospitals, and play nice with foreign rulers.
I can’t understand how the King and left behinds can’t see how all this furious complaining looks to the rest of the world. It’s so petty and ignorant. Do they really believe that no matter what they say or do, they will not be looked at askance and seen for the clowns they portray to the world? Ten years of bitching and pettiness and they Will. Not. Stop.
Maureen says what, now? Does Maureen not know that “Prince“ is not a style, but a title?
When you compare Harry with Andrew, you’ve lost your argument.
The “Sussexes’ new model of money-making royalty.”
Don’t the Sussexes know that the proper way to make money as royalty is to accept bags of cash from sketchy dudes and force pensioners to live in drafty, damp old houses?
Eden is stirring up the old fear of the royal family when Diana was alive, that she’d create an alternate royal court with her two sons. I’m sure that’s part of the hysteria and hatred that contributed to her death (yes, Charles, I’m looking at you). Also, that bitch Margaret, upon learning of Diana’s suspicious death said, “Well, that sorts it.” How can anyone believe these sick cretins are God’s appointees to government? Feudal bullshit concocted by the lords of the manors. Royal blood, my ass. They are bloodthirsty hooligans.