Charles and Harry Family Drama: In the era of memes meeting monarchy, we cast our minds back to the tumultuous year of 2020. We were all grappling with existential dread, panic-buying elasticized trousers, and participating in the ‘How it started … how it’s going’ trend.
Amidst Buckingham Palace’s busy schedule of sipping tea and crafting non-apologies to former colonial territories, there might be a moment to reflect on the meme-worthy journey of King Charles and his family.
For the “How it started” snapshot, we harken back to the photo taken on His Majesty’s 70th birthday in 2018. It featured King Charles, Queen Camilla, sons William and Harry, along with their respective spouses, Kate and Meghan, all elegantly posed in a garden. Fast forward to the “how it’s going” scenario, as Charles approaches his 75th birthday. One can imagine a family portrait with William and Harry engaged in some sibling banter, Kate frustratedly tossing lip balm, accents crossing paths, and the younger generation appearing rather disconnected.
So, how’s it going in 2023 for King Charles and his California-bound son, Harry? Not too well, it seems. The catalyst for potential chaos is a book, an unusual trigger for royal contemplation.
Later this month, devoted Sussex supporter Omid Scobie is set to release “Endgame,” a sequel to 2020’s “Finding Freedom.” This book promises to be a deep exploration, taking readers inside the royal family’s struggle for survival. It hints at a tale of an unpopular king, an ambitious heir, and a queen willing to protect her image, while a prince is forced to start anew after being betrayed by his own family.
Chapters like “Shaky Ground: The Queen is Dead, the Monarchy Faces Trouble” and “Gloves On: Prince William, Heir to the Throne” provide tantalizing glimpses of what’s to come. However, the most potentially explosive chapter is “Race and the Royals: Institutional Bigotry and Denial.”
This is where the palace’s courtiers may need to roll up their starched sleeves and brace for a fight. Reports suggest that any claims of racism within the royal family will not be met with silence. “Robustly rebutted” is the phrase, implying a readiness to counter accusations.
While it’s hard to quantify the stories detailing the deteriorating relationship between Charles and Harry, it seems it’s only getting more strained. If “Endgame” raises new allegations about the royal family’s racial issues, the response may be more aggressive than before.
Adding to the complexity is Charles’ forthcoming 75th birthday celebration. Reports suggest it will be an intimate affair, with only close friends and family invited. Yet, there’s disagreement about whether Harry received an invitation, further clouding relations.
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Some members of the royal family initially sympathized with Harry and Meghan’s struggles with royal life, but that changed with the release of their Netflix series and Harry’s memoir, “Spare.” According to royal editor Roya Nikkhah, while Charles may miss his second son at the birthday party, the rest of the family seems less forgiving.
As Harry participates in charity work and Charles presides over formal duties, “Endgame” looms with the potential to revive and exacerbate historic allegations. With the palace gearing up for rebuttals and the uncertainty surrounding Harry’s birthday party, it appears that turbulent times lie ahead.
We’ve been down this path before—father versus son, brother versus brother, Buckingham Palace versus Montecito. If history has taught us anything, it’s that trans-Atlantic relations can always take a turn for the worse.