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Prince Harry and William advised to hold peace talks without Meghan and Kate

Daily Express 01/02/2023 Alice Scarsi

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Prince Harry should first sit down for talks with his father King Charles and brother Prince William without his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, a royal historian believes. Reports the Royal Family was considering holding a meeting with the Duke of Sussex ahead of the Coronation emerged earlier this month. These talks would involve the core members of the Firm as well as people trusted both by the Duke of Sussex and the royals in attendance, the report read.

US-based royal historian Marlene Koenig believes that, if the royal showdown is taking place, it should not include at its first stage either the Duchess of Sussex or the Princess of Wales.

She told Express.co.uk: "I definitely think [Harry should] talk to his father, his brother, advisors, without Meghan and then include her and Catherine and air things out."

Speaking about what she believes this meeting should involve, Ms Koenig added: "I think [there] are going to be needed apologies on both sides."

One of the issues to tackle, Ms Koenig said, is the way Meghan was treated during her years spent in the UK.

Another problem the royals would likely address, she added, is why the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not immediately correct reports accusing the Royal Family of racism following their interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Prince Harry and Prince William walking with Meghan and Kate

She said: "He let this statement fester for almost two years, he did not correct it after the Oprah interview. And I think that's particularly hurtful [for the royals], he didn't put out a statement the day it happened."

Speaking with Ms Winfrey in early 2021, Meghan reported there had been conversations at the Palace regarding her firstborn Archie Harrison not being given the title of Prince and security.

The interviewer asked her: "You certainly must have had some conversations with Harry about it and have your own suspicions as to why they didn't want to make Archie a prince. What are those thoughts? Why do you think that is? Do you think it's because of his race? And I know that's a loaded question, but..."

The Duchess, pregnant with Lilibet Diana at the time, replied: "But I can give you an honest answer. In those months when I was pregnant, all around this same time... so we have in tandem the conversation of 'He won't be given security, he's not going to be given a title' and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born."

Meghan Markle in a black dress with a white floral pattern

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This claim prompted a shocked reaction by Ms Winfrey.

The statement in response to the interview issued by Buckingham Palace seemingly referred to this issue, as it read: "The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning."

While both the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remained silent on the issue between 2021 and 2022, Harry fought back the claim he or Meghan had ever accused the Royal Family of racism.

In an interview promoting the release of the memoir Spare, ITV's Tom Bradby said: "You talk about accountability, in the Oprah interview you accused members of your family of racism, you don't even..."

Harry replied: "No, I didn't. The British press said that. Did Meghan ever mention they are racist?"

The Duke added that, having lived within his family, he would not describe the comment on Archie's skin colour as "essentially racist".

He continued: "Going back to the difference between what my understanding is because of my own experience, the difference between racism and unconscious bias, the two things are different.

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"But once it's been acknowledged, or pointed out to you as an individual, or as an institution, that you have unconscious bias, you therefore have an opportunity to learn and grow from that in order so that you are part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Otherwise unconscious bias then moves into the category of racism."

Rumours of a possible meeting to improve the relationship between Harry and the Firm started circulating in January, after a source told The Sunday Times: "It's going to take flexibility on all sides, but it can be done, it's fixable.

"It needs Harry over here, in the room with the King and Prince of Wales, a couple of other family members, some of 'his people' he trusts who always had his back, so he doesn't think he's being ambushed. Someone like Elf [Ed Lane Fox, Harry's former private secretary] and Christopher [Lord Geidt, the late Queen's former private secretary who advised the Sussexes].

"Both sides need to hold their hands up and admit we didn't get everything right, and we got a lot wrong, and we have to say to him 'we understand the pain you've been through'. The King can do it."

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