OPINION: The monarch has shown he is not letting some claims slide, and this could be risky for Harry and Meghan, royal reporter Jasmine Carey writes.
King Charles has shown he is not afraid to defend himself (Image: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)
Never complain, never explain. That seems to have been a motto that has been ringing in the ears of the royals for as long as we can remember. And it’s a motto that, over the last few years especially, has not always stood.
As the Royal Family have faced their fair share of dramas over the past five years, it comes as no surprise that the Royal Family have, sometimes, responded to claims and rumours about them. One example is William insisting the Royal Family are not racist after Harry and Meghan told Oprah Winfrey in 2021 that there were conversations in the royal household about the colour of Prince Archie’s skin. Even the late Queen Elizabeth II released a statement responding to this at the time, making it clear that recollections may vary.
At the time, this was a shock. Because, for so long, the royals have always shied away from commenting on claims made about them. But it seems like now, the motto of ‘never complain, never explain’ is going down the drain again.
This is because last night, King Charles had the Palace release a statement in response to the claim made by Princess Diana’s brother, Earl Charles Spencer, in his upcoming book.
Earl Spencer claimed King Charles had said, “rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough”, when talking about Diana after her death.
While the royals may have once ignored this, the King was quick to issue a statement, with a palace spokesperson saying: “While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.”
This statement shows that the King feels compelled to respond to such a damaging claim, even though he may have been advised in the past to ignore it.
Harry and Meghan may need to watch what they say (Image: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)
While that may be fair enough, the King’s latest move – which has shown his true colours in wanting to defend himself – could be generating some fear for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Although it is believed they are on good terms with the King at the moment, Charles’ current willingness to respond to claims about him suggests he is no longer willing to let damaging things be said about him without a response.
This means that Harry and Meghan had better watch what they say moving forward. Because while they may have criticised the royals before and got away with it, the King may not be so willing to let certain matters simply fly past him anymore.
So if Harry and Meghan say something about Charles in the future, a correction by the King himself could be likely. This would escalate drama and tensions more than ever before, something Harry and Meghan surely want to avoid.
Let’s wait and see.