bitchy | ITV: Queen Elizabeth would be ‘truly horrified’ by Prince Harry’s BBC interview

In December 2023, there was a dramatic reveal in the years-long “security case” brought by Prince Harry in the UK. It turned out that, in 2020, Queen Elizabeth dictated a major cover-your-ass memo to Edward Young. QEII made her feelings abundantly and forcefully clear that she believed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex should still have high-level protection whenever they visited the UK, regardless of whether they were in the country on state business or not. The coverage of QEII’s dictated letter was twisted by the British media into “See? We always wanted the Sussexes to have security, but it’s their own fault that they don’t!” Well, I bring up Elizabeth’s CYA memo because wouldn’t you know, the memory of the late queen is being invoked to shame Harry for… wanting security for his family and wanting to reconcile with his father. Weird!

Prince Harry’s words about his father’s cancer were in “poor taste” and his new outburst shows there is “nothing that can be trusted to remain private”, according to an exasperated response from some palace insiders. The comments to ITV News came within hours of Harry’s new TV interview which he gave after losing his Court of Appeal challenge over his security arrangements when he’s in the UK.

The official response from Buckingham Palace yesterday to Prince Harry’s latest claims was more measured, but you can still hear the deep sigh which was let out as it was written. But behind palace walls, there was more than just a collective eye roll. What many insiders actually thought about Harry’s interview was that he was, once again, further alienating his family and pushing back the already slim chances of reconciliation.

A royal source told ITV News: “For a son who claims to want a family reconciliation, it’s certainly a very curious way to build bridges or offer olive branches.”

Ever since private family conversations found their way into Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, and onto the screens of Netflix when the Sussexes documented their acrimonious departure from the UK, Harry’s family have been very guarded about what they do – and more often don’t – say to him. So, when Harry spoke in his BBC interview about King Charles refusing to talk to his son because of this security dispute, the reaction in the palace, it seems, was one of contempt.

“As for their being no contact, well he has just proven why, yet again”, a royal insider said. “There is nothing that can be trusted to remain private.”

What then was the reaction to Harry’s comments about his father’s cancer and that he does “not know how long he has left”? This went down very badly in royal circles.

“The King is a kind man with a warm heart and quite enough on his plate to deal with, without all this from his own son”, said a royal source. “The remarks about his illness were in particularly poor taste and of course suggest something entirely contrary to the reality”.

Although King Charles has spoken about his cancer, and did so in the most personal way yet last Wednesday, Harry’s decision to talk about his father’s illness would have appalled Queen Elizabeth, claimed insiders.

“His beloved grandmother would have been truly horrified”, said one royal source.

There was also a cool response from Downing Street and the Home Office after Harry made the security issue political – which is highly unusual – blaming the last government for the decision and, alongside the palace involvement in it, Harry claims it was akin to “an establishment stitch up”.

[From ITV]

Re: Downing Street, I’m actually curious about what, if anything, the Starmer government says or does on the record about Harry and/or Ravec. There was a controversy several years ago where Home Secretary Priti Patel had to apologize to King Charles for even daring to suggest that Prince Andrew’s security should be reviewed and increased. So… it’s not crazy to think that the Home Secretary might get involved in some way.

As for “Harry’s grandmother would be horrified” – lmao. The manipulation and lies are off the charts. My reaction to Harry’s “I don’t know how much longer he has left” comment was to chuckle – it was such a zinger, really, so concise and petty. The fact that Harry said it earnestly is what sold it too – like, Harry really wants to reconcile with Charles before Charles kicks the royal bucket. But within that simple statement, Harry showed that he doesn’t believe the optimistic messaging on Charles’s health either. After all, the courtiers lied for several years about QEII’s health too. She would be horrified! Oh wait.

Anyway, the courtiers have run out of road – they don’t have anything else to remove, nothing else to hold over Harry’s head. There was no truce in place, and no communications between father and son. Harry spoke out because he had nothing left to lose, and these unnamed palace sources are left with nothing to say but “no chance for reconciliation now!”

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.