Royal Expert Reveals Why Prince Harry Skipped The Queen's Birthday This Year
Even though Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have insisted that they have no beef with Queen Elizabeth both during and after their Oprah interview, not everyone is convinced their relationship is as rosy and warm as ever. Leading, of course, to a few questions about the real reason Harry is skipping his gran's birthday celebration (her 95th!) this time around.
While of course there is the global pandemic and all to consider, Kinsey Schofield, founder of ToDiForDaily.com, a website about the British royal family, tells Nicki Swift she thinks there might be a little more to the prince's absence than just that. While the queen has been vaccinated, Harry and Meghan have not yet announced whether they have received their "jabs," as the Brits say.
"I don't think it was ever Prince Harry's intention to stay for the queen's birthday. Truthfully, the COVID rules are much more strict in the U.K. than in California. His access to the queen was limited," Schofield says. But, she adds, there's more.
Prince Harry's break with the royal family is serious
"In addition to access being limited, the queen has wanted no part in the Oprah talks and has distanced herself, recently siding with Prince William," royal commentator Kinsey Schofield tells Nicki Swift.
Despite public statements to the contrary, insiders say the queen was pretty upset by the interview. And if she's actually taking Prince William's part in the rift between the two brothers, Prince Harry was probably looking at a pretty frosty birthday dinner (and not in a good way). Seriously, who can't relate to awkward family events where there are unresolved issues?
"Courtiers have privately said that she was disappointed in certain aspects of the interview and trusts Charles and William's judgement when it comes to 'that' situation," Schofield explains. "She wants to grieve and is pursuing a drama-free existence while she does so."
Some royal watchers were hoping that Prince Harry's return to the U.K. to attend his grandfather's funeral would give him an opportunity to start to heal the divide between him and his brother and father. But, as outlined in Vanity Fair, as long as Harry continues to move towards the future, and Charles, William and the queen stay rooted in their traditions, it may take more than time.