If Prince William & Kate are so popular, why was there a plot to bring back the Sussexes?

For more than a year, the Daily Mail columnist Richard Eden has been “reporting” on what he calls Project Thaw. Project Thaw is, by Eden’s own description, a high-level British royal and government plot to bring the Duke and Duchess of Sussex back to the UK. Eden’s reporting on Project Thaw has been proven partially correct, which is incredibly funny because it’s such a self-own for the royalists and derangers, this idea that there was strong bipartisan support across the British government and across the British establishment that Harry and Meghan are needed back in the UK. Well, instead of taking a victory lap, Eden’s latest Mail column is mostly about how the thing he predicted “poses a genuine threat to the future of the British monarchy.” Basically, “I hate that I was right about all of this, someone call the waaaambulance.”

Eden has been mocked! Ever since I revealed a year ago that there was an Establishment ‘plot’ to bring back the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to Britain, supported by some senior politicians and courtiers, I have been the subject of much mockery. Buckingham Palace officials were keen to pour scorn on the idea that Prince Harry and Meghan would be helped to return to this country after their string of attacks on the Royal Family, while American cheerleaders for the couple were equally eager to rubbish the idea that they would want to leave the former actress’s homeland. So the news last night that the Sussexes are moving back here, six years after they quit royal duties to seek their fortune in North America, has come as a shock to many – but not to their few remaining close friends in Britain.

Archie & Lili’s British education: [It] now appears he and Meghan were already choosing British schools. It has been confirmed that Archie, who’s seven, and five-year-old Lili are already enrolled in schools in this country and they will start next month. The names of their schools have not been disclosed. Neither has the location of their home, although sources close to the Sussexes say they will not live in a royal residence.

An egregious betrayal: King Charles is said to be welcoming their return as it gives him the opportunity to spend more time with the family in a private capacity. When he and Queen Camilla entertained the Sussexes at Highgrove, their Gloucestershire retreat, last month, it was the first time that he had seen his California-based grandchildren for more than four years and only the second time he had met Lili. Significantly, William and Catherine did not see the Sussexes during their visit. The brothers remain estranged since the publication of Harry’s tawdry memoir Spare in which he betrayed William and Catherine in the most egregious way.

A threat to the monarchy: Harry and Meghan’s return to Britain poses a genuine threat to the future of the British monarchy. The couple left this country because Queen Elizabeth refused to allow them to combine public duties with making money. The late Queen believed this would destroy trust in the Royal Family. When Harry and Meghan carried out a public engagement, would they be doing so out of a sense of duty or because it could boost their bank balance? The King may not let them be official ‘working royals’ on their return, but they will still be combining charitable engagements with money-making – a highly dangerous combination.

The purpose of the return: Harry knows that his father is still being treated for cancer. By returning to Britain now, the Sussexes have a chance to strengthen their royal connections before William becomes king. Having failed to establish a rival ‘royal court’ in America, Harry and Meghan will now try to do so in Britain, undermining William and Catherine.

Victory for Project Thaw: After revealing the Establishment ‘plot’ to bring back the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to Britain, I was told its jaw-dropping name: ‘Project Thaw.’ That’s because the aim was to warm up Harry and Meghan’s frosty relationships with the rest of the Royal Family and with the British people. While the plot might have succeeded in bringing back the Sussexes, it has failed to improve their standing with the British people. If the couple really want to win back the affection of the public, they should publicly beg William and Catherine for forgiveness and quit money-making in favour of a life of public service.

[From The Daily Mail]

“If the couple really want to win back the affection of the public, they should publicly beg William and Catherine for forgiveness and quit money-making in favour of a life of public service…” Who cares about public affection or emotional-support polls, really? And no one is begging for forgiveness, especially not Harry and Meghan. If what Eden has said about Project Thaw is correct, then it sounds like the establishment wouldn’t have to “plot” if William and Kate were doing their jobs, or if the monarchy was actually in a good place overall. Both things cannot be true – “the Sussexes are deeply unpopular and they need to throw themselves at William and Kate’s mercy to survive” AND “there has been a high-level establishment plot to bring back the popular Sussexes and end a seven-year PR catastrophe for a deeply unpopular monarchy.” Pick one.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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28 Responses to “If Prince William & Kate are so popular, why was there a plot to bring back the Sussexes?”

  1. Anna says:

    Although I’m concerned about their mental health, the environment IS different now, in a large part thanks to Harry’s work exposing the press. The contrast with Andrew will also be impossible to ignore. I’m most interested in what this provokes in W&K.

    • Beth says:

      Yep. And, as they’re not half-in/half-out, why on earth would they (as non-working royals) need to give up earning an income because they have charitable interests? After all, they had explicit permission from QEII to do both as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (they don’t use their legally retained HRHs, as agreed, even though other non-working royals do).

      • Elizabeth Kerri Mahon says:

        Beatrice and Eugenie have jobs, support their own charities, and are invited to family events. I still don’t see why Harry & Meghan can’t do the same thing.

  2. s808 says:

    I’m on board with this theory now. like I said yesterday, between the meeting with charles, charles’ anti-sussex secretary leaving being announced and now H&M moving back…charles’ pro-sussex secretary won the turf war. no idea how it’s all connected but I really think it is. Would not be surprised if at the end of all this Harry (only) ends up being half in/out. eventually.

  3. SophieEster says:

    Eden. The guy who was literally on camera practically crying when Harry/Meghan left. Said he felt like a spurned Ex.

  4. Dante says:

    He sounds so muddled in this piece, even more than his usual ramblings. Yes, I was right, they’re coming back. But in order to come back they must beg and scrape and mostly stop making money!

    I hate to break it to Maureen, most people who volunteer with charities also earn a living. They’re not mutually exclusive (unless you’re a grifting royal that is).

  5. Henny Penny says:

    After several years of hard evidence we can all see with our own eyes, it’s obvious that something is really, really wrong with William and Kate, and I think it’s quite possible that the real people in power understand that William isn’t fit for the job of King. If I were handing out free advice to William, I’d suggest he really should be more careful on helicopters.

    • MaisiesMom says:

      I just don’t see that happening, though. The system will protect the Heir just as it always has. They’ll find a way around his issues. They’ll prop him up. Maybe Harry will step in and help out at some point, as a distraction. Soon they’ll just start to look to George and Charlotte, then Louis.

    • Digital Unicorn says:

      The establishment already forced one King (EdwardVI) to abdicate and threw his partner (Wallace) under the bus to protect the crown – when it comes to this family history repeats itself. William will be forced out of the throne so that it passes to George with Harry acting as regent until he is old enough. The excuse will be Kate – she is already being pushed into the background which started before he diagnosis.

      I have always felt William will never be King and it looks like we are starting to see this actually play out.

      William and Kate won’t be the only ones throwing pillows around – there will be a few thrown at Bucklebury. Meghan returning will blow the collective Middleton brains out.

      • Kasztanka says:

        @Digital Unicorn
        Remember that clairvoyant with the Botox—the one who supposedly predicted COVID and declared that William would never be king? Maybe he wasn’t such a bad clairvoyant after all. :)))

      • Digital Unicorn says:

        @Kasztanka Indeed I do – I believe his website was AstroAmerica or something. He predicted that Kate will ‘retire’ from public duty due to ill health with William follow suit to ‘take care of her’ leaving Harry as regent until George came of age.

        His reading were scarily accurate.

      • pottymouthpup says:

        but if William were to abdicate, the next in line is his oldest son, George. William has 3 children in the line of succession before Harry

        If this has anything to do with maintaining/protecting the monarchy, my guess is that they needed to find a way to bring the Sussexes back in the fold in the hopes that could solve all the PR issues that are emboldening those who think it’s high time the British monarchy be abolished.

  6. Jane says:

    Wow! Strong work, Eden! You are smart and in the know, and insightful! Guess we’ll have to give your deranged spitting rants credence after all!

  7. Amy Bee says:

    If I’m not mistaken in Project Thaw, Harry and Meghan were supposed to be returning to royal duties. That doesn’t seem to be happening and they’re going to continue with their business interests. I don’t understand how Harry and Meghan being non-working royals in the UK is going to affect William and Kate? Instead of Eden asking the Waleses to step up he’s begging Harry and Meghan to become working royals again. What’s going on here?

  8. K8erade says:

    I think there are problems with William and Kate that run deeper than any of us know about. I think the British Government is aware of it too.

    If I had to guess, I think William’s temper is worse than the media is aware of and I think it’s becoming a huge problem. I think there are things that may come out and questions about William’s suitability for The Crown if they what Eden said is true and the British Government in conjunction with King Charles are taking this action in a coordinated effort that they’re even considering circumventing the Prince of Wales.

    • seraphina says:

      I stated in another post that at this point I do not know what to believe BUT you are correct: if they circumvented the PoW than its pretty bad.

    • Joanne says:

      If William’s temper is that bad maybe they should initiate an inquiry into his bullying staff. It would be Ironic if Billy Basher has been the bully all along.

  9. Tessa says:

    How does he know what the late Queen “believed.”

  10. Nic919 says:

    Eden needs to stop with his racist need to have the biracial princess submit to the white one. Kate is the one who should be begging forgiveness from Meghan.

    It is gross they continue with this.

    And if William and Kate were really that popular then the media would not be talking about the Sussexes daily. They are clearly lacking and Eden doesn’t want to admit that.

  11. Lauren says:

    I was thinking about this the other day and H&M left the UK because William, with the gleeful help of the media, bullied and harassed the couple; who received none of the back up and support they rightfully expected from Charles and the Firm.

  12. Beckett says:

    “they will still be combining charitable engagements with money-making – a highly dangerous combination.”

    Anyone volunteering for a good cause, out of kindness or personal concern, should NOT be allowed to earn a living!
    So says the Daily Fail!!

  13. Becks1 says:

    First – this line – ” they will still be combining charitable engagements with money-making – a highly dangerous combination” is just so over the top ridiculous its kind of hilarious. SO DANGEROUS!!!!

    Second – I made a similar comment in another post but yeah, the thing that is going unsaid is WHY there was a need for “project thaw.” Sure the royal family looks bad for how it has treated H&M. but they’ve looked bad before and have rarely course corrected. The fact that courtiers and government officials have been actively working to bring the Sussexes back – and to get Charles on board – tells us a lot more about the Wales than they maybe want to say.

    • Ciotog says:

      Charles literally has a whole-ass business, Duchy Originals.

    • Nic919 says:

      If William and Kate were superstars it would be a non story that Harry and Meghan are returning to the UK. The fact that it is global headlines only confirms that William and Kate are lacking.

  14. val says:

    Imagine making the argument red-faced and with your whole chest that you should not make your own money to provide for your own life and responsibilities while supporting charities, but that you should mooch off of taxpayer’s money instead? And if H&M DID do that, the HELL that would erupt from a black woman daring to live off “honest and hardworking Brit’s cash”? Lmao, GTFOH.

  15. QuiteContrary says:

    Eden is so afraid because Harry and Meghan will make it even clearer that the royals shouldn’t have to live off the public dime in order to do public service. And illustrating that undermines the whole godforsaken monarchical system.

    That’s part of why William must be panicking, too, because God forbid he should have to someday rely on his work ethic to make money.

  16. martha says:

    Here I was thinking his last visit just showed what a vindictive mess the UK is for him and that it didn’t bode well for next summer!

    “If the couple really want to win back the affection of the public, they should eat shit” ?

    God – I really hope Harry hasn’t been promised anything. You know they’ll snatch back whatever offer he accepts.

    Well, I guess we’ll know soon enough – this is happening FAST !!!

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