Let’s make one thing clear: Prince Andrew’s striding arrival at Tuesday’s memorial service in Windsor for former King Constantine of Greece meant nothing at all.
Despite his smiling self-importance, if he had been nominated to lead the Royal Family for thanksgiving, he would have come last, not first.
It was Queen Camilla, in the king’s absence, who observed that peculiar royal convention of taking her seat after all others in St. George’s Chapel, as we witnessed on innumerable occasions with the late Queen Elizabeth.
But as with many things surrounding royalty, perception is everything. And Andrew’s pivotal presence, along with his equally radiant ex-wife Fergie, summed up a situation that, if not yet a crisis for the House of Windsor, is coming dangerously close to being one.
Andrew, remember, is the only prince in modern times (actually, all time) to have been fired. He has been stripped of his military roles and public functions, and his only distinctive honour, his HRH title, has been put on hold. Yet there he was, confusingly at center stage.
For many, it was reminiscent of his self-proclaimed role in leading his late mother down the aisle at Westminster Abbey for Prince Philip’s memorial service in 2022, a move that irritated then-Prince Charles and infuriated his son, William.
But that was not all. And it’s not just about Andrew.
Leading the way: Eyebrows were raised as Prince Andrew walked ahead of other royal mourners at the late King Constantine’s memorial service on Tuesday.
Trouble: King Charles and Queen Camilla, before their cancer was announced to the nation
Unknown illness: William with Kate, who had abdominal surgery
Bad news, as the proverb says, comes in threes. A king battling cancer, a princess stricken with an unknown debilitating illness, and a prince missing with no explanation for his absence have all contributed to a febrile and dangerously unstable atmosphere.
It is unknown exactly why William was unable to attend the memorial service for his godfather, a man with whom he enjoyed a uniquely touching bond.
However, the most cursory look at the rampant speculation on social media should persuade even the most adamant of royal aides that whenever there is a void surrounding a public figure, it will be filled.
And yesterday, adding to this whirlwind of uncertainty, came the news that Prince Harry had lost his court challenge over his security measures when he visited Britain, consolidating – if it was not already firmly resolved – his absolute exile from the life of the Royal Family.
Every day seems to bring more unwanted news about the well-being of the royals, to whom so many millions seek solace. The tragic and unexpected death of Princess Michael of Kent’s son-in-law, Tom Kingston, has only added to this gloomy and uncomfortable background.
Nine months on, the post-coronation glow that enveloped the country at the prospect of a new reign under King Charles III has faded.
And looking at the remains of our first family on display in Windsor this week, it was impossible to escape the conclusion that it has suddenly become a threadbare institution.
Princess Anne, of course, remains a tower of strength. But despite all her resistance, she is 73 years old; vivacious, but it’s still a time when most women have long since left behind the kind of regular workday she does.
The other royals visible on duty on Tuesday are even older: the Duke of Gloucester is 79, the increasingly frail Duke of Kent is 88 and his sister, the elegant Princess Alexandra, who was taken to St George’s in a wheelchair to attend. She is 87 years old. These are then, along with Prince Edward and Sofia, who were not present at the service, the public faces of the Royal Family. Through no fault of their own, they are not an inspiring group.
Surely here was evidence that a reduced monarchy – King Charles’s decades-long dream – is not really fit for purpose.
As for Harry, those claims last week that he had offered to “help” by taking on some royal duties while his father was being treated for cancer look increasingly hollow.
The loss of his challenge to the Home Secretary in the High Court over his security status downgrade almost certainly means he will not end his self-imposed exile. His claim that he had been treated unfairly during changes to his police protection was firmly rejected.
Under such circumstances, the courtiers do not believe that his vanity will allow him to return to the royal fold.
Attendees insist it is not a crisis. Not quite. Or as one former courtier murmured yesterday with clear discomfort: “Not yet.”
Typically, in times like these, these officials offer comforting and reassuring words: so it was in the dark days of the Diana era and when other internal issues suddenly emerged and became matters of public trust.
The fact that little was said increased the sense of fear that all is not well within the royal household.
There has been concern since the King’s cancer diagnosis was revealed along with the Princess of Wales’s unspecified medical problems. Kate has not been seen since Christmas, and when William withdrew from his godfather’s memorial service, where he was due to give one of the readings, rumors abounded that it must be due to his wife’s health.
The Palace declined to say whether its absence had anything to do with Kate, although it added that the princess was recovering well. What they didn’t want to mention was what the “personal matter” was that kept him away from Windsor, where, by the way, he lives.
Of course, William has every right not to share private and possibly deeply personal concerns with either the media or the public. But the silence has been a gift to conspiracy theorists.
Compare your and Kate’s approach to that of your father. Until this week, Charles has actually shared ads about his treatment with photos of his activities.
There is a compelling argument that as head of state, the King is not strictly a private person and the public has the right to know about any ailment, as is the case in other democracies such as the United States and France.
Many suggest that this should apply equally to the heir to the throne. There is an expectation on the part of taxpayers, who fund the privileged lifestyle of royalty, of the right to know not only when things are going well in the monarchy but also when they are not, as is certainly the case this week. By saying nothing, they invite speculation.
In short, we know very little. We don’t know how sick the King is or what type of cancer he is being treated for. We also have no clues about Kate’s health, other than an initial statement that she had undergone “planned abdominal surgery.” It is against this backdrop that the stability of the Royal Family, which for all the years of the late Queen’s reign we took for granted, suddenly appears to be in jeopardy. Never in modern memory has royalty had so many problems at the same time.
It is highly unusual for a member of the Royal Family to pull out of an official event at the last minute. William’s name was in the order of service as he was to give a reading from the Book of Revelations.
And what makes it even stranger is the special bond he had with the exiled Constantine, whom he called Tino and who was his second cousin once removed.
In fact, among the thousands of letters of condolence written to William (and Harry) following their mother’s death, one in particular stood out.
It was sent by King Constantine, who had lived in London since he was forced to abandon the Greek throne following a coup in 1967. Not only did Tino perfectly describe his godson’s mother and all her many attributes, he summarized perfectly his loss for the then 15 years old. William, one year old. “It was one of the most moving letters received,” they told me. “It was beautifully written and heartbreaking.”
We know that William spoke to Constantine’s family to explain that he would not be able to be at Tuesday’s funeral. Which left Queen Camilla holding the fort in front of the largest gathering of royals since the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The former king played a unique role in Charles and Camilla’s story. It was at a party at Highgrove, Charles’ home in Gloucestershire, for Tino’s 60th birthday, that the late queen formally met the then Mrs. Parker Bowles after years of avoiding her.
Considering her concerns about Charles and her nervousness on the public stage, Camilla behaved well this week although she seemed fatigued. She may be a reluctant performer, but she has learned quickly and her simplicity and simplicity have proven to be her greatest asset.
He will turn 77 at the end of this year and the question is how long can he keep it up? Not Charles, not Kate, not William, not Harry; no wonder Camilla looked tired.
What’s even more extraordinary is that the task of keeping the show going falls to the same woman who was once seen as a threat to the monarchy, but is now celebrated as its savior.