The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have wrapped up a whirlwind trip Down Under, and while the trip was largely a success, one royal expert believes one key comment could’ve led to disaster
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will now have time to reflect now their headline-making trip to Australia tour that saw them take on charitable and commercial engagements in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra has been wrapped up.
And while the trip was largely deemed a success, one royal expert believes a comment by Harry could’ve been taken in a very bad way by royal fans – but instead the Sussexes will be ‘chuffed’ with how the tour went. While in Melbourne, Harry spoke about parenting during an event hosted by the Movember charity. As he discussed his own experiences with fatherhood, he made a fleeting comment about that alluded to own father King Charles, with whom his relationship has been strained for several years.
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Harry spoke about the evolving roles of parents – and how each generation needed to be “an upgrade” as he hinted about his own parents, Charles and the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
But he insisted he was not “pointing the finger” at them, but explained even those with a perfect upbringing would still want to improve on this with their own children. He explained: “I see parenting evolving over time. Our kids are our upgrade. Not to say that I upgraded my dad or that my kids upgraded me, but the kids that we bring up in today’s world need to be upgraded.”
He added: “There’s no judgment, there’s no blame, there’s no pointing the finger. The reality is that – however you are parenting – that is a personal experience to you, you are going to want to improve on that.”
Despite some royal commentators believing the comment was a slight on Harry’s turbulent relationship with Charles, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond believes the remark was innocent, albeit a little misguided.
Jennie told the Mirror : “I don’t think Harry was making a deliberate comparison between himself and Charles as fathers. He clarified his remarks very quickly, knowing that some people might seize on them as a criticism.
“Each generation tends to parent in a different way, and none more so than the present generation: gentle parenting, emotional connection and allowing children to explain and explore their feelings is now the template.”
She explained that Harry was likely aiming to get an important point across, despite his choice of words, as she said: “I think his language was a tad clumsy – talking about an ‘upgrade’ – but I think he just meant that he wants to be the best father possible and to equip his children for this fast moving, fast changing modern world. It’s pretty much what every parent wants for their offspring, and I think the King would have understood what Harry meant.”
By attending the event, Jennie said Harry has shone a light on an issue close to his heart, as she said: “The Prince has long been a campaigner about mental health, after all he launched the Heads Together initiative alongside William and Catherine ten years ago.
“It changed the narrative about mental health. So it’s natural that all three of them continue to talk about it, even though they have drifted so far apart. Once again Harry has helped shine a light on the whole issue – and that can only be a good thing.”
Harry and Meghan’s trip to Australia was mostly deemed a success, despite the public outcry against their pseudo-royal tour, as Jennie believes the narrative around the Sussex’s international philanthropic work may be shifting.
“I’m sure they were perfectly aware that they would be criticised from various quarters for their trip to Australia,” Jennie told the Mirror. “And, predictably, there have been some disparaging headlines. But, as the visit has progressed, the tone is changing.
“Some are now talking about the very warm reception that the couple have been given, and how Harry and Meghan have perhaps proved that they can indeed do what they always wanted: combine good works with earning a living. So I think they might be quietly chuffed.”
However, it comes as Palace officials reportedly raised alarm bells after it emerged that Meghan is earning money from a shopping platform built around the outfits she wears on outings.
The Duchess has invested in the company OneOff, which describes itself as a “style-driven fashion discovery platform”. The site includes purchasing links to a host of celebrities’ clothes, including outfits Meghan wore during the trip to Australia, and it is believed Meghan is receiving a share of sales.
The Palace is said to be “considerably concerned” about the commercialisation of Meghan’s wardrobe, according to reports from the Telegraph, especially since these outfits were worn to various philanthropic engagements.
A royal source told the publication: “Everybody just rolls their eyes now as they know the routine – push the envelope, get criticised, reverse tack and say you made a donation. By making money while doing ‘philanthropic’ work, they very much appear to be having their cake and eating it”.
Another insider added: “Grifting is one thing, but carrying out a faux royal visit to a children’s hospital while flogging your outfits online appears to have crossed a line.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
