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Well guys, it seems we have another story about tensions between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family. According to a new exclusive in People magazine, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were not invited to join King Charles and the royal family at Balmoral Castle this summer.
As many of you may know, Balmoral has been a favorite retreat of the royal family for generations. Queen Elizabeth would spend her summers there, taking enjoying long walks through the Scottish countryside and picnics with her family. It was a more informal and relaxed environment compared to Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle. Prince Harry in particular has many fond childhood memories of time spent at Balmoral.
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However, this year King Charles decided not to extend an invitation to Harry, Meghan, and their children Archie and Lilibet to join the family at the 50,000 acre Balmoral estate. Sources told People that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have not been invited to the annual summer gathering at Balmoral for the past few years. While Prince Harry is very familiar with Balmoral, it is believed that Meghan has never actually visited the Scottish estate.
Now on the surface, not being invited to Balmoral may seem like a small slight. However, when you consider the context and rumors of tensions between the siblings and their father, it's hard not to see this as a deliberate snub by King Charles. According to reports, communication between Charles, William, and Harry has broken down even further in recent months. A friend of Harry's told People that the Prince's calls to his father now go unanswered. This seems to indicate Charles is actively excluding his youngest son and family from royal events and gatherings.
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But it gets more interesting when you think about who could be leaking these stories to the press. This People exclusive paints Harry and Meghan in a very negative light, and was clearly given to the magazine by sources close to the royal family. In my opinion, it's almost certain that William or someone from his inner circle is briefing British media outlets like this to control the narrative. We've seen William and his PR team, led by Jason Knauf, coordinate negative stories about the Sussexes in the past.
So perhaps someone like Knauf saw an opportunity to further disparage Harry and Meghan and paint them as outcasts, so he fed this story of the Balmoral snub exclusively to People. It's another way to subtly undermine the Sussexes and keep stoking rumored family divisions. The royal sources clearly want the public to see Harry and Meghan as pariahs, while also maintaining plausible deniability by not directly attacking them.
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Beyond that, it's also quite hypocritical given some other recent royal controversies. The family was reportedly "furious" that Harry and Meghan chose to travel to Colombia for an event, as if the UK is somehow safer. But last I checked, the UK media drove Meghan to the brink of suicide and continues attacking her relentlessly. Meanwhile, Andrew was only recently stripped of his royal titles due to his connections with Jeffrey Epstein and allegations of sexual abuse.
So on one hand, the royal family hastily rehabilitated a man accused of serious crimes to retain his Duke of York title for decades. But on the other, they continue to shun and freeze out Harry simply for marrying an American actress and wanting more independence. The double standards and prejudices seem clear as day.
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In any case, I have a feeling this will not be the last we hear about tensions between the Sussexes and the palace. This People exclusive is just the latest volley in an ongoing smear campaign. The questioning of their security in the UK and moves to deny them police protection also raise serious safety concerns. Hopefully King Charles can find a way to resolve matters with his son and move past pettiness. But based on recent events, reconciliation may still have a long way to go.
Let me know your thoughts on this latest royal snub in the comments below. Do you see it as a purposeful slight against the Sussexes? Who do you think is really behind coordinating these negative stories in the British press? Subscribe for more daily royal coverage as we continue following all the drama.
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