Harry's behavior in recent years has been appalling, writes RICHARD EDEN. Why on earth would Prince William welcome him back into the royal fold?
- Harry would have to make a 'sincere apology' before the fences can be mended, Eden says
The increasing pressure on Prince William to extend an olive branch to Harry is “extremely unfair”, according to Richard Eden, the diary editor of The Daily Mail.
News of the King's recent diagnosis with an unspecified form of cancer has led to calls from some commentators for William to take the first step towards reconciliation – despite the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's criticism of the Royal family.
Prince Harry has behaved so badly that it's unfair to expect older brother William to welcome him back with open arms, says Richard Eden
Prince of Wales will give a speech this week at the London Air Ambulance Charity Gala Dinner in central London. He did not see younger brother Prince Harry, who was on a flying visit to London
Eden writes in the latest edition of his Palace Confidential newsletter that such expectations are both unrealistic and wrong.
“Harry and Meghan's behavior in recent years has been appalling and will have done little to help the mental health of the members of the royal family they betrayed and betrayed,” he said.
“According to what friends of William and Catherine tell me, Harry would have to give them a sincere apology before they could even begin the process of repairing relations.”
When Prince Harry heard the news that his father was unwell, he issued a statement on Monday saying he would fly to him. This, says Eden, was done 'with almost indecent haste'.
He continues: 'The bulletin came barely half an hour after Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles was suffering from cancer and had begun treatment.
'Prince Harry's statement led to numerous articles this week urging the Prince of Wales to take the opportunity of his brother's visit to mend fences for the sake of their father.
“William really needs his brother now,” claimed BBC's former royal correspondent Jennie Bond.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend Sunday service at Sandringham. The king was discharged from hospital last Monday after spending three nights at the London Clinic following a correction procedure for an enlarged prostate. However, it has been determined that he also has a form of cancer, not yet specified
The Prince and Princess of Wales attend the ceremonial welcome for the President and First Lady of South Korea. The princess is recovering from abdominal surgery
Richard Eden believes there is little chance of a reconciliation without a sincere apology from Harry
Harry's ghost-written memoir, Spare, criticized other members of the royal family
However, it soon became clear that Prince William had 'no plans' to see Harry, who left Britain after just 24 hours, pay to stay in a hotel rather than sleep in one of the many royal residences in London.
'The King met Harry at Clarence House for just over half an hour. This was, I can reveal, less time than His Majesty spent the day before with Princess Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
“To me, the pressure on William to welcome his brother back into the fold seems grossly unfair.”
To read more of Richard's expert Royal commentary, click here