King Charles and Prince Harry met over a cup of tea at Clarence House on Wednesday in a move that insiders say is the first step on the road to reconciliation.
But Richard Eden, the Daily Mail’s Diary Editor, harbours a more pessimistic view of the reunion on the latest episode of Palace Confidential.
‘Obviously I can understand a father wanting to meet his son. Who wouldn’t?’ Richard said.
‘The problem is, he is not just a father, he is our Head of State and I think Harry and Meghan are bad news for the Royal Family.
‘We have seen time and time again that they can’t be trusted, they exploit their royal connections and I don’t think it’s being paranoid to say that they want to be the alternative Royal Family.
‘They want to replace Prince William and Catherine as the principal royals and they undermine them.’
Referencing this week, Eden said the Prince and Princess of Wales have taken on a long list of engagements. From separately attending matches at the Women’s Rugby World Cup to visiting the Women’s Institute in Sunningdale, Berkshire together.
But, Eden theorised that Harry ‘has been competing with that’.
Richard Eden, the Daily Mail’s Diary Editor, on the latest episode of Palace Confidential
Eden is joined on the show by Richard Kay (centre), the Daily Mail’s Editor-at-Large and host Jo Elvin (right)
Prince Harry arrives at Clarence House for a meeting with King Charles on Wednesday
‘It’s been sort of a royal week of engagements,’ he said.
‘Harry always comes back to attend the WellChild awards and this year he has combines it with various other engagements so it has appeared as a royal week.
‘I just think it’s dangerous,’ Eden said. ‘It really is not in the long-term interest of our monarchy.’
Eden is joined on the show by host Jo Elvin and Richard Kay, the Daily Mail’s Editor-at-Large who earned the title of Royal Reporter of the Year for his coverage of Princess Diana’s death in 1997.
Adding his own thoughts, Kay said: ‘I accept everything that Richard says but I think having a split Royal Family which is what we have at the moment with the prince across the water is not good for long-term stability.
‘But Harry was, and perhaps still is, a popular young man in certain parts of the world.
‘I think Charles recognises that that popularity could be a problem further down the road unless he is somehow corralled within the royal system.
‘It has to be for the benefit of the family as a whole.’
Playing devil’s advocate, Jo, who hosts the show, pointed out that there will be some people who ‘firmly believe that the King should never talk to Prince Harry again’.
Addressing this, Kay said Charles is a father, a monarch and a Christian.
‘There is a great deal about forgiveness and bringing Harry will be a very noble act but it will also be a very Christian act’.
For more fascinating insights from the Mail’s team of unrivalled experts, watch the latest episode of Palace Confidential in full now, subscribe to the Daily Mail Royals YouTube channel and sign up to the FREE Palace Confidential newsletter.
