Queen Camilla is reportedly aligning herself with Catherine, Princess of Wales, and is encouraging King Charles to set clear boundaries for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, according to royal expert Andrew Lownie. This development comes as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have arrived in the UK for an extended stay, during which their children have reportedly been enrolled in school.
Lownie suggests that while the King and the Prince of Wales were aware of the Sussexes' potential return, they strategically maintained distance pending public opinion. He expressed concern that Harry and Meghan might seek a 'half-in, half-out' arrangement similar to what they initially sought when stepping back as senior royals in 2020. Such a move, Lownie noted, could lead to the formation of "two competing courts."
Camilla's stance is potentially influenced by Harry's critical portrayal of her in his memoir "Spare" and subsequent interviews. In "Spare," Harry accused Camilla of a "dangerous" campaign to "rehabilitate her image" following her affair with King Charles and described a "long-term strategy" to become Queen Consort that involved "trading stories" with the press. He also told CBS News' Anderson Cooper that Camilla's media dealings were dangerous due to the connections she forged, suggesting it could lead to negative consequences.
Despite past tensions, Harry stated that his relationship with Camilla is currently civil, acknowledging they "haven't spoken for a long time" but that they are "perfectly pleasant" when they encounter each other. An earlier meeting at Highgrove House was described by insiders as "polite with no recrimination."
Lownie observed that Camilla has grown "very close to Kate" since the Sussexes' departure from senior royal roles. He pointed to instances like their shared moments at Remembrance Sunday services and Camilla's apparent warmth towards the Princess of Wales's family, including Carole Middleton. This closeness, he claims, is influencing her advice to the King regarding the Sussexes.
The royal family is reportedly employing a "wait and watch" strategy concerning the Sussexes, seeking to gauge public reaction and assess whether they can be trusted with confidences, particularly in light of "Spare" and their Oprah Winfrey interview. The Waleses have remained publicly silent on the Sussexes' recent arrival, with Lownie suggesting they are concerned about the potential for Harry's desired "half in, half out" arrangement and the risk of "embarrassment and upstaging," likening the situation to that of the Duke of Windsor after World War II.