So much focus has been put on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle that you might have missed the news from Prince Charles. As Queen Elizabeth II's oldest son, he's the first in line for the throne after the Queen's death. Which, to be honest, might never actually happen. She's in pretty good shape. He's also the father of Prince Harry and Prince William and their only living parent.
After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced that they'd be resigning from their senior positions, people focused on the Queen. Supposedly, she held an emergency meeting to figure out what steps to take next. They also focused on William to see if the news would deepen the rumored rift between brothers. But they didn't really touch on the reaction of Prince Charles.
According to a palace insider, Charles "has always envisioned working with both of his sons and their families in the future." In his eyes, Harry and Meghan were part of his future plan, even though Harry likely won't ever take on the position of king.
Rumor has it that Meghan and Harry didn't talk with Charles or the Queen about their decision to live in Canada part-time. The move was a surprise to them, and they didn't get to look over their statement before it went live. Meghan didn't even call in to the Queen's emergency meeting when it was held.
The group reportedly consisted of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Prince William, and Harry himself. Prince William, who will take over the throne after the death of Charles, was especially sad over the news. Reports state that he mentioned how he "put my arm around my brother all our lives, and I can’t do that anymore."
Writer Kaiser from Celeb*tchy claims that it's possible that Prince Charles was hoping for Prince Harry to take over some of his trusts. His charitable foundation The Prince’s Trust will be without leadership once he dies. Reportedly, neither Harry nor William were interested in taking it over, which may be hard for Charles to come to terms with.
Charles started the organization in 1976, and it's in place to help individuals between the ages of 11 and 30 get a better start to their lives. "What struck me was that young people weren’t being given the opportunities quickly enough," he said. "No one was putting the trust in them they needed." Hence, the name.
"Charles really did hope that Harry and Meghan would stick around, because when he becomes king, he really will have to let go of so many of his charities and patronages," Kaiser wrote. "And let’s face it, William will probably only be interested in taking on a handful of them." It's an interesting point — however, it's unclear if Harry would have entertained the idea even if he didn't make his exit.
One of the popular reasons behind Meghan and Harry's split was that Meghan has received nothing but negative attention from tabloids. While she knew to expect this, some of the headlines are just brutal. BuzzFeed News compared Kate Middleton and Meghan's headlines, and it's alarming how much worse the press is treating Meghan by comparison.
Since paparazzi held some of the blame for Princess Diana's death, Harry didn't want the same thing to happen to his wife. The fact that she recently gave birth made the attention even harder. Meghan suddenly had to fulfill many different roles under the public eye, and she was being scrutinized every time.
You may remember the quote that Prince Charles was once looking for a "leaner monarchy." But according to an insider, he didn't mean to cut out Prince Harry. They said that his vision "included Harry and whoever he married," meaning that this went against his personal wishes.
That also makes you question Queen Elizabeth's actions around Christmas. As you know, Queen Elizabeth gives an address every year. Usually, she's surrounded by a gorgeous tree and fabulous photos. But this year, she didn't include a photo of Harry, Meghan, and Archie. Last year, Harry and Meghan were included.
Many felt that perhaps she was focusing more on William and Kate's family based on the leaner monarchy statement. But if she agreed with Prince Charles, it seems more like a snub. Keep in mind, this was done well before Meghan and Harry announced their plans. Perhaps she was upset that they chose to spend their holidays with Meghan's mom and friends.
Certain outlets are reporting that Prince Charles is "livid" over the news and blames Meghan for it. Since he reportedly gives Harry and Meghan a stipend, sources who chatted with Us Weekly say that "it’s a question of whether Charles will decide to keep paying them or not." Even if they're financially cut off, the two would likely be able to find an income elsewhere.
That source also revealed some of Harry and Meghan's future plans, which include a home in Canada and a vacation home in Los Angeles. "They’re not having any second thoughts," the source states. It'll be interesting to see if this ends up happening. While Prince Harry will likely keep his distance, who knows what that means for Prince Charles?
But let's get something out of the way. Blaming Meghan isn't the best thing to do. Harry is responsible for his own life, and he's capable of sticking up for himself if he doesn't agree with one of her decisions. This move could only further his growing separation from his family, and he is well aware of that.
Meghan may not follow all of the royal traditions, but placing all of the blame on her isn't fair. She's trying hard to be a supportive and loving spouse and mother. Perhaps if the media had backed away, she'd be able to do that comfortably in the United Kingdom.
