Oprah Winfrey was in Toronto for the film festival, to support Tyler Perry’s latest project. While she was on the red carpet, she was asked about the death of Queen Elizabeth II and whether the grief and funeral would somehow bring the family “together.” Considering Oprah got the exclusive on just how bad it was for Prince Harry and Meghan, and considering that Oprah still has hours of unreleased, unaired Sussex interview excerpts, you would think Oprah would speak cryptically or with some shade. She didn’t! She has hope that the Sussexes can “come together.”
Oprah Winfrey believes Prince Harry and Meghan Markle can make peace with the royal family as they mourn the loss of Queen Elizabeth II.
“This is what I think, I think in all families — you know, my father passed recently, this summer — and when all families come together for a common ceremony, the ritual of, you know, burying your dead, there’s an opportunity for peacemaking,” Winfrey, 68, told “Extra” in an interview published Monday.
She added, “Hopefully, there will be that.”
The talk show host’s comments on the royal family’s ongoing tensions come after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex showed a rare sign of unity when they were spotted reuniting with Prince William and Kate Middleton to honor the Queen, who died at age 96 on Sept. 8.
The best I think Harry and Meghan can hope for is that the Windsors are no longer in open war against them. But I doubt it – I think there will be some moments of “peacemaking” and possibly everyone will behave with dignity for the funeral. But there’s just too much water under the bridge, and even more keeps on coming out. William and Charles are actively doing harm to Harry and Meghan still, to this day, all while William and Charles assume an air of grievance, like Harry and Meghan’s mere existence is their greatest threat.
Also: Oprah definitely needs to put together a special with some of the unaired clips from her interview with Harry & Meghan.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Harpo/CBS screencaps.
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meeting members of the public at Windsor Castle in Berkshire following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday. Picture date: Saturday September 10, 2022.,Image: 721656891, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- WINDSOR, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 10: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex on the long Walk at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022 in Windsor, England. Crowds have gathered and tributes left at the gates of Windsor Castle to Queen Elizabeth II, who died at Balmoral Castle on 8 September, 2022.,Image: 721657222, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- WINDSOR, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 10: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex on the long Walk at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022 in Windsor, England. Crowds have gathered and tributes left at the gates of Windsor Castle to Queen Elizabeth II, who died at Balmoral Castle on 8 September, 2022.,Image: 721657222, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- WINDSOR, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 10: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex on the long Walk at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022 in Windsor, England. Crowds have gathered and tributes left at the gates of Windsor Castle to Queen Elizabeth II, who died at Balmoral Castle on 8 September, 2022.,Image: 721657308, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- WINDSOR, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 10: Meghan Duchess of Sussex speaks with well-wishers at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022 in Windsor, England. Crowds have gathered and tributes left at the gates of Windsor Castle to Queen Elizabeth II, who died at Balmoral Castle on 8 September, 2022.,Image: 721658533, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- WINDSOR, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 10: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex on the long Walk at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022 in Windsor, England. Crowds have gathered and tributes left at the gates of Windsor Castle to Queen Elizabeth II, who died at Balmoral Castle on 8 September, 2022.,Image: 721659119, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- King Charles, Camilla, Queen Consort, Prince William, Catherine Princess of Wales, Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex on a walkabout to meet members of the public at Windsor Castle in Berkshire following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday. Featuring: Prince Harry, Meghan Duchess of Sussex Where: Windsor, England, United Kingdom When: 10 Sep 2022 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
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- 173196, Prince Harry and fiancee Meghan Markle during a visit to Cardiff Castle as part of their royal duties. Cardiff, Wales – Thursday January 18, 2018. NO UK USE FOR 7 DAYS Photograph: Ã?© Avalon.red, PacificCoastNews. Los Angeles Office (PCN): +1 310.822.0419 UK Office (Avalon): +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@pacificcoastnews.com FEE MUST BE AGREED PRIOR TO USAGE,Image: 534296014, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS, DIRECT SALES ONLY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN CAPTION – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red, PacificCoastNews / Avalon
Unfortunately, this is not a regular family, Oprah. Harry and Meghan I’m sure are ready to turn to a new page… But the newly minted King Charles lll and Klan are not…
This is just one of the reasons why this Monarchy is doomed to die away in the decades ahead.
I mean I’d love to see the Sussexes at least left alone to do their thing and the attacks stop, if not a full reconciliation – Charles and William don’t deserve that. But the smear calls to the press have always been coming from inside the Palaces, especially KP and the instigators of those smears have just been promoted and gained even more power. Charles had a chance to hold the Wales title over William’s head, had he wanted better behaviour and he just handed it over. The ONE ally the Sussexes said they had was the Queen and she’s now gone. So I don’t see there being any turnaround in the Meg hate any time soon, sadly.
The thing is, Oprah didn’t have a “regular family” either. Oprah had a very trying relationship with her mother. I remember from decades ago early on in the Oprah Show days she was very open about the estrangement between her and her mother (who had been abusive to her as a child); and, later while there was some sort of rapprochement, it basically entailed Oprah setting her mother up in style and paying her bills so she would keep her mouth shut about her daughter. Yup, the kind of deal Thomas Markle was angling for.
Oprah was one of the first public figures I heard in a very public setting say long and loud: keep toxic people out of your life, they are not worth the damage they can do to you even if they are a close blood relation. What happened Oprah? You do realize don’t you that while your mother just wanted money the Royals want Meghan dead?
I mean, she’s not wrong. An event like this “can” be an opportunity for peacemaking. I note she doesn’t say who should be the ones making peace. She knows WAY more about what happened behind the scenes than most people, so I don’t think she’s suggesting that H&M should run back to the royal fold or anything.
As an aside, I was literally just looking on youtube for the Oprah interview and couldn’t find it (the one with H&M.) Does anyone know if its still available?
I haven’t been able to find it anywhere. I swear it’s vanished from the internet. I’m only able to find clips. 🙁
I saved it to my computer via a torrent, which I believe is still available (TPB).
What’s a torrent,? How does that work?
I think it’s interesting that Harry looked happy and relaxed on Saturday while Meghan (who is always confident) looked sad and uncomfortable.
Harry has tons of practice at looking happy and relaxed for the crowds. But he also looked concerned for Meghan. Oprah is not wrong about the opportunity for healing at a time of death, yet that family had the opportunity before when Phil died then chose to go against Meghan in her painful tabloid court case. Oprah is speaking from her own perspective after the death of someone who caused her fear in her childhood. Feels different when the person who can harm you is going in the ground. Let’s not forget who benefited the most from Billy’s “olive branchery” stunt on Saturday – it’s the people still on the public dole, not Harry or Meghan.
He doesn’t always look happy for “the crowd” and recently (in July) he looked so nervous at the UN General Assembly.
I disagree! They both looked somber. When interacting with the crowd they smiled a few times but nothing like it was in Germany which is to be expected because it’s a DEATH!
Now imagine if Meghan looked “happy” the trolls would be all over her accusing her of being happy the queen is dead or something like that.
The same way they’ve accused Kamala of laughing in somber situations.
Uh, I also disagree. He put up a good front for the crowd interactions but otherwise he looked like he couldn’t be bothered with the Wails. He was (rightfully) stony-faced whenever they were all walking together and ignored them for the most part, especially Kate.
I think that Harry and Meghan will make peace with the situation, and then I think they will come home to California, and the brf will have to do without their shine.
One small positive is that Harry can now be in California, and not have to worry about how his grandmother 5,000 miles away is being treated, or who’s around her.
Charles and his ugly son will use the Sussexes and their kids for positive PR and then throw Meghan under the bus again.
I have a feeling H&M will be really drawing that line in the sand with that ratcheted family.
Charles has made it clear that they are out to ‘build their lives overseas…’. I hope this will give H&M closure and they feel a sense of freedom when they return to the US for good. No matter what happens from that point on, they are no longer part of that vicious cycle.
hm, i don’t think so.
If he wanted to do that, he would’ve had Harry at the council meeting when he was declared King.
And when you say that Charles and William can ‘use’ M&H, you take away their autonomy. They left because they didn’t want to be a party to exactly this. Why would they willingly come back to it or be allowed to be used in any way?
I hear what Oprah is saying and I wish this were the case. It’s what Mrs. Obama was saying last year when asked about it. But like Kaiser, I doubt that peace will prevail with this family. The endgame with the Windors is not reconciliation or peace, it’s crisis management. Just more PR.
The sight of the two couples was powerful at that walk about and yet they undermine it with petty gossip/lies about how they had to wait for Meghan to get her hair and makeup done.
They probably both did hair/makeup since a bunch of judgy photographers were going to be around, DUH.
^^ @Girl_Ninja, I think Oprah was just being diplomatic, for the optics. She has to to know how bad it is. But high profile figures walk a tightrope in situations like this. Oprah does not want to throw shade nor tell it like it really is between the Sussexes and the royal firm.
Oprah means well but I don’t see that happening given current behavior. For Harry and Meghan I can only imagine peace is what they want. But for William and Charles it just seems to be an opportunity to dig the knife in deeper.
Yeah it could be but will it? Doubt it.
I hope for a detente only for Harry and Meghan’s sake. They don’t owe the royal family anything. They have done nothing to apologize for. It’s my hope that whoever is the braintrust of the royals now realizes that a feud between the royals and the Sussexes is a losing proposition. There’s no “winning” here. They only hurt themselves, or further enmesh themselves with fascists and racists, by going after Harry and Meghan. They are already the villians in Harry and Meghan’s story, and by their own stupidity, they have already given Harry and Meghan a platform far beyond what they might otherwise had. I keep saying this over and over again, but “We Hate Meghan” is a completely unsustainable brand message. All that will do is get more and more people interested in the couple, leading them to wonder why this charismatic couple with beautiful children are being bullied so relentlessly.
There’s nothing to be gained from trying to destroy the Sussexes. Everyone loves an underdog, and no one loves a bully. Especially as the royals themselves are so utterly lacking in charisma. They should aspire to look magnanimous, generous, and you know, royal. Their only currency is proximity to their person. They do themselves a lot of harm if people no longer see their presence as aspirational, or no longer desire their company. They need all the wins they can get, and they risk blowing it all on petty spite.
Well said, @Lanne
I second this emotion!
Yep, well said, Lanne.
“The best I think Harry and Meghan can hope for is that the Windsors are no longer in open war against them.”
Agreed. The Royal Family were continuing to smear Harry and Meghan after the Queen’s death and only toned it down when they realised that it was only making Harry and Meghan gain support from the public. The fact remains that the Royal family want Meghan out of the family and don’t accept Archie and Lili. I think regular programming will resume after the funeral, especially if Harry doesn’t postpone the book.
H&M will be fortunate if the rest of the family abstain from open warfare against them until the end of the 19th. That’s as good as they MIGHT get. Right now it sure sounds like petty swipes are being taken, though.
I don’t know. This may be a case of “You can’t go home again”. I wish it weren’t so, but I don’t think Meghan and Harry will ever be “forgiven” for their Oprah interview, nor for H’s upcoming memoir. By speaking their truth, the Sussexes crossed a line. In an alternate universe, such revelations might have sparked understanding and reconciliation, but in this universe recollections varied. And apparently still do. No turning back.
It could be that the only way out is full throttle forward then? As in, M&H have actually held back so far and will finally have to tell all just to get the truth out there?
They came together for Phil’s funeral and W&H talked. It seemed to lead nowhere. KP was still putting out abusive rumors and let JK cooperate in a lawsuit on the wrong side. W&H reunited for a statue of their mum, a significant event for them. No peacemaking from KP. Big Jubilee celebrating TQ and W&K make sure it’s known they are snubbing H&M and two little children.
@equality: It’s been reported that Harry and William didn’t talk after the funeral except for that choreographed walk from the church.
That was when I meant. Since it was the only time, they were seen talking. It seems to have been only superficial chat though.
It’s certainly the type of event that brings families together. However, the BRF have been nothing but toxic to Harry and Meghan and don’t deserve peace or forgiveness.
“An opportunity for peacemaking…hopefully there will be that” Peacemaking and feeling peace can look like a lot of things. I think we all hope that for Harry and Meghan whatever it may look like. As in, your brother and father apologizing and accepting all that happened can be part of peacemaking. We can all hope for that.
There can only peace if the Royal Family acknowledge the harm they did to Harry and Meghan and their children. I don’t see that ever happening.
Oprah and Michelle need to stop. Michelle last time had that silly comment about peacemaking too. There’s thjs thing, especially with women of color who are older, where they overvalue performing respectability and gentility.
Look, I get it. As a people who were historically denied both, it can he compelling to want to keep embodying “when they go low” mentality to “rise above” all the negativity.
But especially in this Internet age, it doesn’t work. Respectability is a scam created to justify oppression and gentility is the actual source of bigotry. Neither can actually help the cause of minorities, but people like Oprah and the Obamas made it their entire brand and now can’t stop pushing it even when it’s clear that doesn’t work.
I guess, they can only go with their life experiences. And neither has ever faced the amount of vilification in the media that H&M have. I don’t recall their actual families being given an ongoing platform to slag off on them either. H&m are “rising above” with their actions here but are still mostly being criticized and lied about.
Michelle knows exactly what Meghan went through. She had an entire network and political party tormenting her for 8 years. the Obamas are in an awkward position as former heads of state. They can’t really say much publically about the goings on of a head of state in another country, but I’ll bet a thousand dollars they sympathize with Meghan and understand exactly what’s happened to her. They know better than probably anyone else. I hope they privately express support for the Sussexes that they may not be able to openly express.
But her family wasn’t behind the whole thing. With both H&M’s families constantly spouting and leaking, it puts in a whole other layer. It’s the betrayal being run by and through your family that Michelle hasn’t experienced.
@lanne I agree with you, and if I remember correctly that was the only time that either Obama has commented on the situation was when MO was asked point blank while promoting her own show with Netflix. I think the thing we have to remember as supporters, fans, or whatever we want to call ourselves is that what we wish for the Sussexes and what they want for themselves may not always be in alignment. Also, a key point is that these people actually either know them, or have perhaps spoken to them something we can’t claim. They probably know more about the true feelings and desires than we ever could.
OMG, the disgusting garbage inflicted on Michelle O online was unspeakable. I refuse to repeat any of it, but it was horrific.
I agree that it may be easier for Michelle O to say that when they go low, we go high, when she has a protective detail and a mother and brother who adore her. But she’s seen her gender, her husband, her children and her very existence questioned and vilified. I agree that what she’d say in private to Meghan is probably very different from what she’s said in public. Same goes for Oprah.
I’m pretty sure both Oprah and Michelle have had MASSIVE harassment online as well.
The point, as I said, is that the hate wasn’t sponsored by or directly spouted by their own families. It’s easy to wish for peace within a family, but some people know that isn’t always possible with toxic families, especially ones who continue to leak nasty lies about you. And, it’s different with the RF since they prefer to think of themselves as some kind of “firm” and behave like that instead of a family. I think that how the RF is run is outside of any “commoner’s” experience.
@Dee, Peace making does not equal lovey dovey ( did Oprah say that she’s now lovey dovey with her family…NO.) My family did the same during the week of my grandfather’s funeral. My mom, her brothers, and sister put their shit aside for a month to respectfully perform the traditional home going ceremonies for their dad. Oprah knows what she speaks about, also she is in a better position to understand what the Sussexes want during the next 2 weeks. This is Oprah giving a diplomatic answer to a publicly asked question. Are we expecting her to say f-Ck them all.
The war is still on in my family. My mom and her siblings are very much estranged from each other. The peace-making lasted just for my grandpa’s funeral.
Strangely, I saw an interview with Oprah and Gail where Gail asked her about the possibility of reconciliation between the brothers now. Oprah declined to speculate on that. Her response was that she doesn’t comment on family issues as they are complicating factors that are unknown. I’m surprised she weighed in and expressed a hope for reconciliation to xtra.
As someone who is completely estranged from my family of origin, for numerous & decades of reasons, sometimes peace is saying No to reconnecting.
I think it does a disservice to people who suffer abuse to suggest that peace is possible, hoped for, like walking away is somehow wrong.
Like, because it’s family you somehow have an obligation to work it out, and that’s baloney.
There can peace in forgiving yourself for not forgiving, or even wanting to forgive, people who abuse you.
💯
It was appropriate answer befitting of the circumstances and the context of the question.
It would be unprofessional to pick a side, even if it is obvious.
This does not negate anything thing the Sussexes shared with her, considering that “peacemaking” is only possible if there is a “peace” in the first place.
Oprah us saying this so as not to be used by the RF, BM and trolls as a whip to beat the Sussex’s with. I’m glad that she said this.
There is no going back to more ‘peaceful’ days (if that ever really existed post-Sussex wedding). Charles and William have made sure of that with their respective actions post-Oprah (Charles continuing to lie about the Sussexes numerous times, William using his media proxies to call Meghan awful things like sociopath/”that bloody woman” and unleashing Knauf during the MOS trial, and so forth).
People forget that when Harry talked about wanting to work things out with his father, that was technically said in *late February 2021*, when the interview was actually done. By the time the interview aired on March 7th, the RF had allowed William to unleash fake bullying allegations and attempts to tie Meghan to MBS via earrings that were given to Elizabeth. That was just in the week before the interview aired.
Consider everything that has happened since then, and look at how much frostier things have become between Harry and Charles. Charles refused to be around Harry outside of Philip’s funeral, though his people were certainly willing to claim otherwise. That set the tone. In April of this year, Harry evaded Hoda Kotb’s question of whether he missed his father and brother. In that same month, his spokesperson made sure to emphasize that he and Meghan visited Elizabeth; Charles’ people tried to claim he saw them too and Harry shut down that PR attempt with his statement. Charles’ people briefed at how emotional and glad he was to finally meet Lili; Harry was absolutely silent on the matter.
Finally, there’s the dangerous games he continues to play with the Sussexes’ security in the UK. His installment Edward Young has been a key figure in the difficulties they’ve faced even as working royals. Young is here to stay, a clear indicator that Charles does not intend to ever change. A poster the other day (a Dora or Dara I think??) outlined how she thought his line on Harry and Meghan was a clear dismissal/goodbye. I’m increasingly agreeing with that as things continue to play out. He knows his attempts to manipulate and force the Sussexes (preferably Harry alone, let’s be honest) back into the fold have failed, so he has no more use for them. We may see some true severing of ties post-funeral and mourning period. It may take time, but it’s coming IMO.
@Beach Dreams – I begin to wonder if you’re not right, in your conclusion. I’ll only add, I’m not sure what to make of Meghan’s comment in the Cut, which depending on what interpretation you choose, sounded like there is still some potential for Harry’s connection with Charles. Of course, that was before the whole uniform wearing fracas…
Anyway, hopefully I’m not threadjacking, but saw the extent of Charles’ entitlement in the brief snippet from the NI signing, where he was also rude even to Camilla. And the absolute lack of class in how things were just handled wrapping up CH. Not that I feel especially sorry for the people that worked for him, and not at all for the QC, but I did think he at least had more tact and sense of timing. Guess not. He’s obviously had a plan for years, was just waiting for the opportunity to move forward with it, and is going ahead like a bull in a china shop. Continuing to throw away, almost immediately, what remains of the aura of public good will his mother enjoyed. To put it bluntly, I didn’t think he was necessarily a nice or kind person, but I really didn’t think he was this stupid. May it all bite him in the ass, repeatedly, and as soon as possible.
To reiterate what I said above: TQ had a long life, her passing is sad, but I’m glad for Harry that it’s one less major consideration that ties him to the Firm and the RF.
Would it be too much to hope we get a second interview with OPHRA dedicated to how they survived weeks of this funeral stupidity? OMG
The Windsors will look small and petty if they continue to try to humiliate Harry and Meghan. Even Piers said Harry should be able to wear his uniform. I’m just waiting on the fallout when Charles strips the children’s titles.
Even the Washington Post ran a story about the children’s’ titles. Taking them would be such a racist middle finger to the world…in other words right up Charles the Turd’s alley
Oprah is a lovely person with lovely thoughts. She’s also very worldly-wise. But I think as a person of high standing, she has no idea how low these evil trolls (otherwise known as the Royal Family, or The Other Royals when Harry and Meghan are there) can go. Hell itself and the tortures thereof are about right, in my estimation.
To be fair, she said “hopefully”.
Considering how traumatized Megan looked in that walkabout, there’s no way in hell.
Peacemaking is a nice idea, but I would not bet one shiny penny that happens. H&M will be lucky if they don’t have open warfare going on for the next week. Really, after the funeral I hope they never try to be around the BRF again.
Sometimes I imagine what the car ride to and from the Windsor walkabout might have been like. Oppressively hostile silence would be my bet.
Harry seems over it. They both don’t want a relationship with each other, and that’s ok. Pushing it on them is really annoying. This world has romanaticized family dynamics, that people seem to think people of one family should put up with each other even if it’s toxic or the feelings are not there. There is nothing mystical about coming out of the same vagina and I’m tired of society/church/community pushing this idea that family sticks together even sacrificing their mental health for it. Let people be free.