Although Harry and Meghan might have thought the clear run they had been given was the sole result of their statement, this was far from the truth. The reasons were more complex than that. Despite the press and the palace knowing that dirt existed that could damage Meghan, fear played a smaller part in backing off than a combination of expediency and enlightened self-interest. The uninitiated might believe that there is a total disconnect between the palace and the press, but the reality is otherwise. Both entities have a symbiotic relationship. The palace needs the press to publicise the activities of the royals and keep the public’s interest in them alive, while the press needs the royals because they are the world’s mega-celebrities and, as such, reliable fodder.
Beyond that, the newspapers provide a valuable function for the palace. They assist it in gathering information which is useful to the maintenance of the monarchy and the protection of the Royal Family’s interests. Because journalists are obliged to ask the Press Office at the palace for a comment before publishing a story, they are a rich and frequently inadvertent source of information. Many a royal has tried to conceal his or her activities from the family and the courtiers, only to be rumbled by an inquisitive reporter asking an awkward question of a press officer.
The Royal Family had actually known of Meghan and Harry’s relationship before the press did. When it became apparent that it was developing into something more than a three night stand, the palace did what it always does. It launched its own investigations into Meghan’s background the way it always ascertains the back story of everyone who becomes a close associate of any member of the Royal Family. I was told by a courtier that there was ‘concern’ about Meghan’s ‘past’ but because it was ‘just an affair the view was: don’t cross the bridge in case we don’t come to it.’ Nevertheless, there was anxiety at the palace about the press ‘wading in, though it was my view that that would’ve been the best thing they could’ve done. It would’ve stopped the affair in its tracks before it had a chance to develop into something more serious. It was fairly obvious from all we discovered about her past that she might be trouble with a capital T.’
The palace, of course, was not about to convey any of its concerns to the press. No competent press officer would do such a thing, but the hope was that the romance would run its course, Harry would meet a girl with a less complicated background and a more pliable character, then everyone could breathe a sigh of relief.
As we all know, the press did not break ranks nor did anyone close to Meghan for the next six months. The first person to wade in was her half-sister Samantha, who announced in April 2017 that she was writing a book called The Diary of Princess Pushy’s Sister. At that stage, her criticisms were implied rather than asserted, but this did Meghan no harm and Samantha no favours. She came across as a jealous attention-seeker intent on muscling in on her younger half-sibling’s success, but I learnt that there was actually a more poignant reason. Although neither sister had ever been close, they had always had a cordial relationship, but when Samantha reached out to Meghan to congratulate her on her success, she was iced.
Meanwhile, the romance continued to flourish. In September the Invictus Games were held in Toronto and for the first time Meghan and Harry officially appeared in public as a couple. She was chic in an oversized man’s white shirt tucked into fitted blue jeans, while he was equally informally attired. In breach of royal protocol, they held hands, something they would continue to do thereafter. Throughout that appearance, they continued to be overtly physical, their hands and legs touching in a very public display of attraction, generally conveying the message that they were a hot couple completely besotted with each other.
It is said that everyone loves a lover, and this certainly seemed to be true of Harry and Meghan. They were seen as a breath of fresh air, a good-looking, delightfully informal couple who seemed to be totally in love. In Establishment circles in the UK, people were generally pleased that Harry had found himself such a beautiful girl who seemed as much in love with him as he was with her. Her colour was much commented upon, not as a drawback but as an attribute. The timing of the romance was regarded as being particularly propitious with regards to the Commonwealth of Nations. For some time now, the Headship of that august institution had been a feature of discussion amongst the 53 member states. The position is not hereditary. King George VI had been its first Head, followed by his daughter Queen Elizabeth II, whose love of the Commonwealth is superseded only by that for the country of her birth. She is respected greatly amongst the many Heads of Government representing the other 52 formerly British colonies, with whom she has worked throughout her long reign. There had been many occasions, such as the crises involving Rhodesia and South Africa, when the Commonwealth had come perilously close to fragmenting. The Queen was credited with having kept it together, her commitment, wisdom and colour-blindness the glue that had held it together. But she was now over ninety, and the subject of her successor had been mooted for at least a decade. Some of the countries wanted one of their own to be appointed the
