Prince Harry and Meghan’s return to the spotlight in the UK raises hopes of a ‘real reconnection’ with the royals | CBC News

At the Duke of Sussex pub in Peckham, south London, locals sipped a lager in the sun at the start of a long weekend.

The extra day of rest on Monday wasn’t planned – it was put in place to coincide with Queen Elizabeth’s funeral – nor did the apparent family reunion take place in front of the cameras.

The temporary return of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan to the UK has sparked talks in pubs like this across the country.

“You can see he values ​​his family,” Wendell McCalla said after seeing pictures of Harry, Duke of Sussex joining other royals at ceremonies dedicated to the Queen.

The family, who have moved in together in grief, find themselves under renewed scrutiny about their past dealings with the couple as new questions emerge about how Harry and Meghan will be treated under a new king.

“I’m all for Harry and Meghan,” said Amy Brydon, an elementary school teacher, sitting on the roadside patio.

But across the UK, a vocal section of society insists the couple flouted the institution. For them, Harry and Meghan are no longer welcome here.

“To be honest, I’m not exactly sure why they came back,” said Joe Fidders, a construction worker. “I think they should have stayed there,” referring to the couple’s California home.

Apparent thaw in relations

Harry’s participation in an honor guard for the Queen’s grandchildren on Saturday was the latest in a string of prominent roles for him following Elizabeth’s death. He and his wife have almost never been seen in public with other family members since stepping down from royal duties and moving to the United States in 2020

The couple were in the UK in June for Platinum Jubilee events to mark the Queen’s 70th jubilee, but kept a relatively low profile.

Royal observers are wondering if the current rapprochement will be final or if it’s all for show.

Katie Nicholl, the royal editor of Vanity Fair, told CBC News it remains to be seen whether the apparent thaw in relations signals “what I think everyone was hoping for… a long-lasting and genuine reconnection between Harry and his family.” .

Last weekend Harry and Meghan made a surprise public appearance alongside Harry’s brother Prince William and his wife Kate. The group, once known as the Fab Four, watched floral tributes to the Queen in Windsor and thanked the crowds that lined the street.

The British tabloid, notorious for its scathing coverage of Harry and Meghan, released Analysis by an expert in body language and claims The Duchess of Sussex’s hair and makeup delayed the tour by an hour.

On Wednesday, Harry walked alongside his brother as the family followed the Queen’s coffin in procession to Westminster Hall, where she would lie in state celebrations.

The appearance was in stark contrast to the distance – physical and emotional – that observers noted between the brothers at Prince Philip’s funeral last year.

William and Harry are said to have fallen out over the younger brother’s relationship with Meghan, an American actress, as well as the Sussexes’ role in the family.

Charles mentioned the couple by name in his first speech as king last week, but found a way to underscore that they are no longer considered “working” royals.

“I would also like to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives abroad,” Charles said in a televised address to Britain and the Commonwealth.

Pauline Maclaran, a marketing professor at Royal Holloway University of London, said if the royal could find a way to embrace the couple, they could help modernize the institution.

“In many ways, Harry and Meghan are just what the royal family needs to move beyond that pretty staid image… risking having more with Charles,” she said.

“They really need to show more inclusivity and more dynamic thinking.”

Tough relationship with the media

Harry’s thoughts on his family and upbringing were to make a splash when he published his memoir in the fall. The Queen’s death is now reported to have postponed the publication of the book until the new year.

Harry and Meghan sparked an uproar in the UK after speaking candidly about family matters in a memorable conversation interview with Oprah Winfrey last year. Meghan specifically hinted that her son’s skin color had been a topic of discussion in the family.

Most recently, Meghan drew criticism in Britain for one profile in it she quotes a Lion King Actor who compares the couple’s marriage to Nelson Mandela’s release from prison.

The Daily Mail reported The anti-apartheid advocate’s grandson “slammed” the comments.

In recent days, however, tabloids seem to be mainly eyeing an unofficial peace deal with the couple during Britain’s national mourning.

The Rupert Murdoch-owned Sun newspaper, which is among the most combative in its reporting, even announced on the cover of its Friday edition a plan for Harry to wear his ceremonial uniform at a vigil for the Queen, despite being stripped of his honorary military title.

One of the few criticisms was Harry and Meghan holding hands as they left Westminster Hall after a service for the Queen.

“I would take her affection over the perceived cold, feigned superiority of the monarchy anytime, any day,” said author and activist Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, who has become known in the British media as one of the couple’s most vocal defenders.

Several social media users pointed out that Harry’s cousin Zara Tindall and her husband were also seen holding hands but were not criticized for it.

Mos-Shogbamimu said criticism of Meghan is usually rooted in racism and sexism.

“Women like me — black women and ethnic minority women — we face this in our own lives,” she said. “It’s being stepped up globally right now on Meghan Markle.”

Maclaran, the marketing expert, pointed out something else entirely.

“They’re not that popular here because [Britons] I feel very protective of the Queen,” she said.

“When this transition period is over, will you feel this protective of Charles? I doubt it.”

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