Hatred for Prince Harry only proves how strange we are

He is sixth in line to the British throne, he lives in America and he has no constitutional or even ceremonial role, and yet today you would think Prince Harry is one of the most powerful people in the country. Which serves, one supposes, to only prove what a strange country this is. What you might call the usual suspects are hyperventilating because this youngish man has the temerity to visit his grandmother and said he wants to make sure she’s OK and has “the right people round her”.

Admittedly, it’s a strange comment. Taken literally, it might mean that he fears for her safety now that she’s pushing 96, and a widow, which is ridiculous. Or else he might believe she’s been getting some bum advice from her courtiers and her eldest son, but she should be used to that by now.

He might even be thinking of the failed attempts to engineer a “soft Megxit” a couple of years ago when his plans to have his cake (royal status) and eat it (Netflix deals) were sabotaged, allegedly, by the intervention of Prince Charles and Prince William, plus various factotums, at the last minute. Back then Harry was on his way to fix things up personally with his grandmother but was suddenly told by HM that her diary had mysteriously been filled up for the foreseeable future.

Instead at the ill-fated Sandringham Summit he was handed the hardest of hard Megxits, and “for now”, as he says, the Sussexes home is in Santa Barbara. Maybe he’s trying to open up talks on a new deal. Nothing wrong with that. At least there’s no shortage of fuel to flare up the royal rows, and Prince Harry has poured a whole tanker load on the ever-smouldering fire. The nation’s army of Harry Haters want nothing more than the Queen to “snub” him, but, she can’t and she won’t.

Because she’s unassailable, they must therefore have a go at Harry for being “delusional”. He is anything but. He and his grandmother are extremely fond of each other, and so much so that they occasionally forget the distinction between her role as Queen and her role as “granny”. If he is delusional, so is she, but they’re not allowed to say that she is. But remember that amusing video Harry did with the Queen and the Obamas, the one with the “mic drop”? That was a special relationship.  It seems that, whatever her reservations about his role, money and titles, he is her kind of chap – rather dashing, military, uncomplicated, strong-willed, decisive, even impetuous – in many ways the opposite of her own cautious and careful character. But who knows. What we do know is that she’s doesn’t hold any malice towards him and his wife, far from it, and he also wants what’s best for her. Seems fair enough.

If it matters at all, a rapprochement with the family is long overdue, as is some new arrangement that can make the best use of the Sussexes’ star quality. Seeing him larking about at the Invictus Games and speaking out about the plight of injured ex-service personnel reminds us that he and Megan add rather than detract from the charitable/showbiz role his family is nowadays most useful for. There’s no great scandal or harm in having him, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet Diana turn up at the Platinum Jubillee for the usual Buckingham Palace balcony appearance.

Maybe a way forward and a new role for the Sussexes can’t be found, maybe it’s delusional, but it’s still worth a go. I suspect the next reign, of King Charles III, following as it will such a long reign by such a charismatic monarch, will need all the help it can get to win public approval here and in the remaining “realms” overseas. Harry and Meghan would be useful in that endeavour: it is still true that Meghan brings the monarchy closer to the diverse nation it purports to reign over and the Commonwealth it seeks to head. But, it’s fair to say, it’s maybe not that important either way these days. Now, can we all get back to work now, please?