Netflix last week released the trailer for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s tacky polo series, in which the royals’ favorite pastime is breathlessly described as “a sexy sport: dirty, sweaty guys riding horses.” .
A world away, the Duchess of Edinburgh made her own announcement: she had become the royal patron of Plan International UK, a global children’s charity of which the late Prince Philip was previously a patron. Furthermore, Sophie later met survivors of the Yazidi genocide in Iraq at her photography exhibition, The Women Who Defeated ISIS, in London.
There is no denying that Harry and Meghan have done admirable work for charity, particularly through their Archewell Foundation.
But the contrast between Sophie’s heartfelt work and the Sussexes’ latest casual, lucrative project highlights the starkly different paths their lives have taken.
However, Palace sources have made it clear to me that Sophie and her husband, Prince Edward, could lead the way for Prince Harry and Meghan to return to royal duties.
The courtiers are increasingly convinced that Harry wants to resume his old way of life, when he felt he was using his privileged position to make a difference for worthwhile causes.
“Harry’s heart is not on TV; anyone can see it,” a source told me.
In fact, the Prince himself made it clear in his infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021 that they had signed multi-million dollar deals with media giants Netflix and Spotify only because the Royal Family had cut them off financially.
The trailer for Harry and Meghan’s new docuseries Polo has just dropped on Netflix. The couple is pictured at a match in Windsor in 2018.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh could hold the key to the Sussexes returning to the royal fold and the funding that comes with it, says Richard Eden
It is notable that Harry does not appear to appear much in the polo series, even though he is an enthusiastic player. Only his name appears in the trailer, in a production credit along with that of his wife.
After King Charles’ cancer treatment was announced in February, Harry let it be known through friends that he was willing to take on a temporary royal role in support of his father. His offer was never accepted, but the California-based Prince is understood to be interested in spending more time in his homeland.
Meghan’s lifestyle business, American Riviera Orchard, has yet to sell a single product nearly nine months after launching online to much fanfare. The couple’s deal with audio giant Spotify ended unceremoniously and their contract with Netflix is up for renewal next year, so their thoughts may turn to how to return to royal roles and the financing that comes with them.
And that’s where Edward and Sophie come in.
Although most people have long forgotten, Queen Elizabeth’s youngest son and his wife found themselves caught up in their own controversies after they tried to combine business with royal duties.
Edward was forced to close her television production company, Ardent, in 2002 after she was caught filming Prince William at the University of St Andrews, breaching media agreements to leave the future king alone while he was a student.
Meanwhile, the former Sophie Rhys-Jones was encouraged by an undercover News of the World reporter posing as a wealthy Arab businessman to make embarrassing comments about the royals and then-Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie.
Many thought Sophie and Edward would never recover from the ‘fake sheikh’ scandal in 2001.
However, the couple decided to quit their paid work and focus on royal duties. In return, the late Queen Elizabeth supported them and they have become much-loved and respected stalwarts of ‘The Firm’ for the past 20 years.
It is true that foreign companies will never pay them millions, but they live a privileged and rewarding life.
“If the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are willing to give up their private work and return to royal life, they will be welcomed,” one courtier tells me. “Certainly, as long as King Charles is monarch.”
Therein lies a warning for the Sussexes: Prince William is unlikely to be as forgiving as his father.
And, given Harry and Meghan’s embarrassing attacks on the Princess of Wales, in particular, I can completely understand why.
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