A lot has gone down in the royal family in the last 40 years. It truly feels like we've had a front seat to history as it is unfolding. The last two decades alone have seen tremendous moments of triumph and tragedy. For the past 15 years, Melanie Bromley has seen it all up close.
Melanie began her career covering the royal family as the European bureau chief for Us Weekly in 2003. Her love of the royal family began even earlier than that. Melanie grew up in the town where William and Harry attended school. It wasn't unusual to see Diana driving through, taking the boys to school or picking them up.
Today, Melanie works as E! News chief correspondent and royal insider. She's been able to enjoy what's almost been a golden age for the family that has seen Harry and William come of age and start families of their own.
Melanie Bromley is at the forefront of all things royal. She began covering the world's most famous family at the beginning of its rebirth, as royal fans awaited news of William and Kate's engagement. When the big event finally happened, it was unlike anything that Melanie had seen before.
It ushered in the era where we'd see Charles and Diana's boys come into their own as men, husbands, and fathers. Melanie noted Harry and Meghan's wedding as another incredibly special moment. Harry's journey from a troubled boy touched by tragedy to a man finding his happily ever after was "a beautiful moment" to see up close.
Melanie pointed out the evolution of the public sentiment toward the Sussexes. There was definitely "happiness, initially," for Harry as he settled down. As tabloid media continued to mount attacks on Meghan, some of the public was swayed against the couple.
Harry and Meghan have "completely dominated the headlines" since their marriage. Melanie believes that now leaves them with a unique opportunity to "prove themselves" in their roles outside the royal family.
The nonstop news cycle is no longer filled with Harry and Meghan stories, a sign the couple knows their best role to play right now is taking a back seat to world news developments.
Settling in Los Angeles doesn't entirely cut them off from family, either. When asked how the move might impact Harry and Archie's relationship with Diana's family, Melanie pointed to two important factors that indicate there's likely some support there for Harry and Meghan.
One factor is the words spoken by Charles Spencer, Diana's brother, during his unforgettable eulogy at her funeral. "It is a point to remember that of all the ironies about Diana, perhaps the greatest was this — a girl given the name of the ancient goddess of hunting was, in the end, the most hunted person of the modern age," he said.
"She would want us today to pledge ourselves to protecting her beloved boys William and Harry from a similar fate and I do this here Diana on your behalf. We will not allow them to suffer the anguish that used regularly to drive you to tearful despair," he continued.
“And beyond that, on behalf of your mother and sisters, I pledge that we, your blood family, will do all we can to continue the imaginative and loving way in which you were steering these two exceptional young men so that their souls are not simply immersed by duty and tradition, but can sing openly as you planned.”
If anyone were to understand Harry's decision, it would be Earl Spencer. He was one of the few to know the inner workings of Diana's anguish due to the intense press interference in her life.
Melanie also notes that Charles Spencer and wife Karen Spencer are known to split their time between Los Angeles and the UK. This means it wouldn't be out of the ordinary for family members to cross the pond for potential visits.
As for Harry's relationships within the royal family, Melanie notes that Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have the potential to be very supportive of Harry's decision. She notes some parallels between Prince Andrew and Harry, both spares to the heir. Andrew and his family have understood what it is to play second fiddle to the main family members.
Andrew has fought for protections to keep his family safe and well taken care of over the years. All the while, Charles worked to whittle down the royal family to just immediate heirs.
"Andrew has had to find his own way," Melanie noted. She related that to the perception that non-heir royals are perceived as more vulnerable to "fall to outside influences."
Of course, many think this is exactly what's happened to Harry with Meghan. However, Harry's journey to self-discovery was not filled with quite as much controversy as Andrew's. Harry's continued dedication to the military community and the Invictus Games proves his potential to be an unstoppable force for good, with or without royal guidance.
The next few years will see a shift in the royal family, especially in Harry and Meghan's absence. A bulk of the work will fall on the immediate heirs. "Charles and Camilla will work intensely," Melanie notes.
The unseen workhorse that really helps things run, however, is Princess Anne, who graces the cover of Vanity Fair's May issue ahead of her 70th birthday. Melanie points to the annual report detailing royal engagements as proof. Charles beat Anne out for the first time last year, by a mere 15 engagements.
Of course, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will also see an increased workload. "William and Kate will be doing a lot," Melanie says.
The public appreciates them for it and has consistently done so. "The opinion of them has never really changed," Melanie reminded us.
"They are never really seen as doing wrong. They are rarely criticized, they do the right thing, never make a fuss," which is seen as living up to their duties.
Melanie offers a surprising explanation of how royal family fans have continuously held the couple dear. She points to The Crown as an example of how the public has come to better understand the sacrifice behind being an heir to the throne. In the different ways humanity has been brought into the story of royal life, Melanie sees a degree of sympathy for William and Kate's journey, at least with the British public.
She also offers Charles' changing public persona as an example of how that sympathy for heirs has developed. At one time, Charles was hated by many for his role in the downfall of his relationship with Diana. After her death, it seemed impossible he would ever be a popular monarch.
That position has softened greatly in the years since. Even The Crown points to the early disappointments of a boy who will one day be king. He hasn't always made the right moves, but the public has come to understand the pressures of living under the royal spotlight and has cut him slack accordingly.
The current state of the world is another reason Melanie believes we'll see a shift in the royal family in the coming years. "The family business won't be the same until there's a vaccine," Melanie believes.
The royals will be forced to adapt. Although critics might say that has not been their strong suit over time, no monarch has been faced with the need to adapt in quite the same way Queen Elizabeth and her descendants have.
