After marrying Prince Charles 16 years ago, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall,
became a part of the royal family — and stepmother to Charles' two sons,
William and Harry. When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit their royal duties back in March
2020 and moved to the United States, however, Camilla stood by her disappointed husband's side.
The royal father and son were thrown into turmoil amid this so-called "Megxit." According to Prince
Harry, Charles stopped talking to him after the move. Per unnamed sources close to the situation,
Charles was not impressed with his son's willingness
to go on record and talk about his family. One source told US Weekly:
"Charles does not agree with Harry trashing his whole family in public.
Charles thinks these matters could have easily been addressed in private."
For Harry's part, he reportedly feels his father could have been
more supportive of his wish to step down from his duties in the royal family.
When the Duke of Sussex returned to the U.K. for Prince Philip's funeral,
a source told US Weekly that Harry and Charles did not resolve their differences. They said:
"There definitely continues to be a huge wedge between the two."
According to The Telegraph, the Duchess of Cornwall has been busy supporting her
husband throughout this whole ordeal. Clearly, she has chosen a side — which poses interesting
questions as to her future relationship with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
It all began, of course, during that tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2020,
in which the Duke of Sussex revealed that he felt let down by his father. He also implied
that his father and brother were "trapped" in their roles and duties within the royal family.
"They don't get to leave. And I have huge compassion for that."
This and Harry's ensuing comments have apparently not sat well with Prince Charles. As a result,
Camilla has become protective and defensive of her husband, according to Telegraph sources. While one
source confirmed that the rift with Harry has been hard on Charles, another spoke specifically about
Camilla's feelings, reporting that she would stay by her husband's side no matter what.
This seemingly means she will also never forgive the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The source said:
"I don't think the Duchess will
ever forgive Meghan for what she's done to the Prince of Wales."
It seems that the rift isn't close to being over, either,
especially as Prince Harry is getting ready to release his tell-all memoir next year.
Publisher Penguin Random House describes the book as:
"The definitive account of the experiences, adventures,
losses, and life lessons that have helped shape [Harry]."
No doubt, both the public and the royal family will
be wondering what might come out in the new book.
Of course, one of the saddest aspects of this rift is the fact that, prior to their departure,
the Duchess of Sussex had grown close to certain members of the family, including Queen Elizabeth
II and the Duchess of Cornwall. In 2019, Vanity Fair reported that Camilla had served as a "pillar
of support" to the prince and Meghan Markle. When Markle admitted that the media scrutiny
she faced had caused a profound negative effect on her mental health, the Duchess of
Cornwall was — reportedly — an understanding ally. A source close to Camilla stated:
"She wants everyone to get along and be happy. Her mantra is carry on and keep smiling. She doesn't
want to see anyone struggling and she is fond of Meghan, and she could be a very good ally too."
Sally Bedell Smith, who works as a biographer for the royal family,
echoed the sentiment that Camilla was in a unique position to help Meghan navigate
the issues that come with her position. After all, she herself suffered at the
hands of the British press when the world learned of her affair with Prince Charles,
who was still married to Princess Diana at the time. Smith told Vanity Fair:
"I think Camilla can easily empathise with Meghan because of what she went
through in the media. [...] No one was more beleaguered by the tabloids than Camilla,
but she was shrewd enough to know that antagonism would get her nowhere."
Unfortunately, it seems like this is one pillar of support that won't be rebuilt anytime soon.
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