Harry and Meghan’s ‘Faux Royal Tours’ Force Buckingham Palace to Adopt New Strategy: Source
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent visit to Australia is said to have been the tipping point.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seem to have gotten on the Palace's nerves, prompting a shift in their strategy. According to sources, senior royals are now embracing the 'ignorance is bliss' mantra, replacing panic and anger with a cold-hearted, detached response whenever the Sussexes dominate headlines. Their recent visit to Australia is said to have been the tipping point, with the Firm no longer viewing the couple's 'faux royal tours' as a threat to the monarchy.
On his Substack, Naughty But Nice, royal columnist Rob Shuter shed light on the House of Windsor's alleged plan. He quoted an insider as having said, "They [the Palace] used to get upset — really upset. Now? It barely registers...The idea that they [Harry and Markle] could bring down the House of Windsor is wildly overblown. They're not that powerful — and, inside Palace thinking, not that relevant anymore." In fact, the senior royals, notably King Charles, Prince William, and Kate Middleton, are now quietly allowing the Sussexes' tours to speak for themselves and letting the public be their judge.
And those judgments from people are not always flattering. The source stressed, "Let them [Harry and Markle] talk, let them tour…Everyone loves a cheap knockoff — until it falls apart. The harder they try to mirror the real thing, the clearer it is they're not it." Despite the Sussexes' best attempts to hit two birds with one stone, that is, blending philanthropic visits with commercial ventures, the Firm remains unbothered by their antics. The source added, "They [Harry and Markle] can do good works and cash checks. It doesn't shake the institution. The monarchy has survived far worse."
While various reports initially alleged that senior royals were fuming over the couple's attempt to replicate their past, things have allegedly changed. The insider argued, "They [the Palace] can't be bothered. It's not worth the energy. Real royals carry on. They do the work, keep calm, and don't chase attention. That's the difference — and people see it." Simply put, Harry and Markle are now being perceived as a temporary headache, rather than a long-term concern. "They're [Harry and Markle] not a threat. They're a distraction — and even that is fading."
Shortly after Harry and Markle announced plans to visit Australia, royal experts chimed in on why it would put the Palace in a very awkward position. While addressing the contradictions around the couple's positioning, royal expert Robert Hardman told GB News, "If they [Harry and Markle] are travelling as celebrities, which is what they are, that's fine, but if there is any royal or official apparatus, then that's going to invite criticism." Similarly, royal author Robert Jobson told Page Six that Harry and Markle's tour would be "all the more awkward because not that long ago, Australia was debating becoming a republic," suggesting that their post-royal independence could fuel such tendencies.
