The Royal Family hasn’t been the same since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down from their working roles in 2020. Besides the highly publicized rift, the family has been put through the wringer in terms of personal tragedies. While Prince William wants to tone things down in the wake of these events, observers warn that his brother and sister-in-law might see it as an opportunity to steal the spotlight.
It’s in the Duke and Duchess of Sussex‘s best interests to maintain a high profile and if that means upstaging the other royals, so be it. The timing of own appearances, book launches, and documentary debuts generally coincide with an important date across the pond. But according to royal historian and expert Dr Tessa Dunlop, Prince William’s recent speech about his plans for the family might give Harry and Meghan an added advantage going forward.
The Prince of Wales recently shared his hopes for developing a modern monarchy, with “with a smaller r” in the word “royal.” Instead of the glitz and glamour, he would like to focus on empathetic leadership and helping people. This promise was followed by a toned-down appearance by his father, King Charles, at the premiere of Gladiator II, which he attended alone as Queen Camilla was still recovering from a chest infection.
Speaking to the Mirror, Dunlop said that William’s speech and the appearance by the King highlighted a shift in the royal family. “He was up against gladiatorial men,” she said, referring to actors Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal. “But the King looked inescapably alone on the red carpet in Leicester Square last night. There was no retro glamour, no tinsel, [and] no tiaras. Even Camilla was missing. To compensate, I longed for the King to wear an ermine gown or pop a crown on his head.”
“Instead, he dutifully made his way down the line of stellar names,” Dunlop continued. “There is a vacuum at the top, and the problem with vacuums is that they invite all sorts of unwanted intruders. The royal machine has clearly decided that they can compensate for a depleted public presence with relentless philanthropy on ITV. But royalty needs to be careful. The public will tolerate a bit of charitable hectoring but only if accompanied with a large dollop of fairytale glamour.”
“The Royal Family might think they are above such glitzy gimmicks. That would be a mistake. After all, waiting in the wings are ex-royals, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex,” Dunlop added. “Instinctively glamourous with bundles of razzmatazz, the Californian couple have an effortless knack for combining showbiz gloss and public do-gooding. William beware! It would never do for the royal brand to be upstaged.”
If Dunlop’s theory is correct, it means the British public craves the superficial side of the royal family and doesn’t care for the value in more work. It would also be wise to remember how much the royals have endured. Queen Elizabeth II lost her husband, Prince Phillip, in 2021 before she passed away in 2022. And in February and March, King Charles and Princess Catherine shared their respective cancer diagnoses with the world. Perhaps they all just need a little downtime.