To that extent, the press were therefore outside of the loop. Obviously Harry and Meghan would not be considering Prince Philip’s existence when their focus was on their own. Sentimentality aside, it mattered not a jot whether they spent Christmas in Canada or at Sandringham. What counted was where they would be living, and my information, which would only too soon be confirmed by the statement they made when they stood down as senior royals, was that they intended to live between Britain and California, enjoying the full benefits of their royal life when they were here, and the complete advantages of their American activities when they were there.
CHAPTER 10
As far as the public were concerned, 2019 ended on a high note for Meghan and Harry. They had announced that they were retreating from public view to spend six weeks away on a much needed break, which would be, in keeping with their previous demands for privacy, entirely private. Although one or two publications were ungracious enough to point out that Meghan had spent most of the year off, that Harry’s schedule had not been exactly onerous either, and that their interpretation of privacy seemed at odds with their endless postings on their stylish website, the rumblings were focused more on their failure to be with Prince Philip than anything else.
Buckingham Palace cleared up the mystery of where the couple had retreated to by announcing that they were spending the festive season ‘enjoying sharing the warmth of the Canadian people and the beauty of the landscape.’ Prime Minister Justin Trudeau then tweeted, ‘Prince Harry, Meghan, and Archie, we’re all wishing you a quiet and blessed stay in Canada. You’re among friends, and always welcome here.’
To celebrate the Festive Season, Harry and Meghan cut out the hated tabloids and communicated directly with their followers, posting on the Sussex Royal website an informal black and white photograph as they squatted in front of a heavily decorated Christmas tree smiling joyously at Archie, who was gazing directly into the camera. Beneath the ducal coronet was the message: ‘Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from OUR FAMILY to YOURS.’
The problem, with taking command of their media coverage as forcefully as Meghan and Harry had done, was that they didn’t only make adversaries of the people whose livelihood they threatened, but they also exposed themselves more than would otherwise have been the case had the palace press office been handling their publicity. Since it was obvious by now that Meghan herself was the sculptress moulding the clay - she is well known to micromanage everything - and since her fingerprints and Americanisms were over virtually every one of their postings, the press began drafting in experts to find out what the hidden meanings were behind the pronouncements and even the body language.
Some of the interpretations were positive. For instance, the British communications and body language expert Judi James noted that their pose in their Christmas card demonstrated ‘the tight affection between Harry and his wife as they sat on the floor in mirrored poses.’ She also suggested that Harry and Meghan’s configuration made them seem to be ‘rather lost in their own trio of love’. She thought that their positioning gave out the message that they were ‘equals’, in contrast to the Cambridges’ Christmas card, which was more traditional, with William at the centre of it.
To the extent that the Cambridges do have a traditional marriage, while the Sussexes have a woke one, she was right. Where things might have got confusing is that royal and aristocratic wives are traditionally the powers behind the thrones. They wield their might quietly; they do not flaunt it. But pushovers? I have seen very few in my lifetime. Most of the men have far more respect for their wives, and defer to them rather more frequently than outsiders might imagine, or might be apparent to those who do not understand the traditional world. And most of the women are far better able to shape their destinies, and those of their families, than many a feminist might imagine. In a way, these traditional wives have long since had the power feminists have been hankering after since Women’s Lib came along, and they continue to wield it to this day.
Diana Wales, for instance, exercised tremendous influence in her marriage. Her mistake was to think that she could dominate Charles so completely that she would change him into the man she wanted him to be, after which he would meekly follow in her wake. Rather than lose his identity totally, he withdrew from their relationship, which happened right after Harry’s birth. But even then, Diana continued to be a force to be reckoned with. She was an extremely strong personality, and the sons of strong mothers usually choose strong women for their wives, which is what both William and Harry did.
Insofar as Catherine Cambridge is concerned, those who underestimate her do so at their peril. Her sister Pippa used to go out with Billy, the son of my great friends Alan and Patrea More Nisbett, and so they had an insight into both sisters long before they became as famous as they now are. Catherine may be sweet and traditional but she has always been highly intelligent with a strong character. She does not function at a fever-pitch of hyper-enthusiasm like Meghan, nor is she a dominating personality, but still waters run deep. To imagine that she is downtrodden in her marriage or anywhere else would be a mistake. She, rather than William, is the more effusive partner. She is also very competitive, especially in sport, and makes no pretence of wanting to win, even against her husband. To suppose that they are anything but equals would be delusional.
Meghan, on the other hand, plays a variety of roles with Harry. On the one hand, she
