Britain's Prince Harry's latest visit to his father, King Charles III, seems to have not only upset the monarch, but may have left him scalded in the boiling water of a family farce.
In a sensational op-ed for the Daily Mail, royal commentator and renowned scone lover Jane Moyle wrote that during the mourning period following the Queen's death, Prince Harry flew more than 5,000 miles to visit his ailing father, "apparently on a self-imposed mission of compassion". But whose soul is the Duke of Sussex really trying to save – his father's, or his own?
Moyle depicts a hurried father-son reunion, and with only half an hour to go, Harry's rich English breakfast tea was kicked out of the palace gates before he could cool down. "It's so weird," said our correspondent, who questioned what kind of family would allow such a brief meeting.
The answer she hinted at was this: a family still burned by previous quarrels, a family that feared that if they were to sit together for a long time again and drink a second cup of piping hot tea, the fire of the old feud might burn again.
As a matter of reality, the new king must have been a little annoyed by Prince Harry's sudden visit to criticize his father and speak ill of the institution he now heads during the years of uninterrupted interviews. As Moyle rightly pointed out, after a series of attacks by the prince, how could the court advisers not suspect his motives?
Is this a sincere act of reconciliation aimed at mending the relationship with the grieving father, as Prince Harry emphasized? Or is it an attempt to save face and regain favor after the royal family's chair game has firmly seated King Charles on the throne? The fact that Prince Harry met for the first time after his exile in California suggests that the court is still concerned that their outlaws may try to uncover family secrets once again.
So while Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will certainly hope that their transcontinental tea party will ease past quarrels, the reality seems to only exacerbate old wounds, leaving the king blushing and unwilling to let Prince Harry linger by the fire for too long.
Of course, without understanding the full background of both sides or the complex pressures, it is easy to blame from a distance. After the chaos of losing his beloved mother and succeeding her as monarch, King Charles definitely feels vulnerable and wants to protect the family's public image. At the same time, Prince Harry has so brazenly severed ties with the company that it is hard to expect to welcome him back into the arms of the royal family with open arms overnight, or enter the royal family without restrictions.
As the family grapples with grief, transition, and damage control, the tension around is sure to grow – and if not handled properly, this precarious situation can lead to some accidental burns. In the case of immature feelings, perhaps a brief meeting is really a better option and can well avoid any further spicy words.
As the saying goes, time is a painkiller. We can only hope that the scars of past conflicts between Prince Harry, Charles and the "British royal family" fade as distance and perspective go by. This further contact is made gradually, carefully, and the space is cooled before pouring new troubles.
While reconciliation requires restraint, sincere effort, and patience on all sides, the rewards of family unity are enormous – as we saw Prince Harry and William's joint walk, the touching display of brotherhood gives hope to the grieving nation.
If handled properly, perhaps future visits will not cause any new burns, allowing the old wound to heal eventually. Over time, as the scars soften and perhaps the father and son will find that they are able to keep the conversation lasting more than half an hour for the legislative session.
For now, in this turbulent period of transition, the royal family's focus still seems to be on serving the monarch and the country. But with care, understanding, and less piping hot gossip, the royal family's damaged relationship can still be mended and strengthened through honest, sincere dialogue. After all, making up for mistakes is a delicate art that requires great grace – a grace that the new king seems determined to embody as he steers the monarchy into a new era.
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