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So many fresh court battles are ongoing within the British royal family at the moment. Prince Harry seems determined to press ahead with his ongoing legal fight against the UK Home Office over the security protection he has received since stepping back from royal duties. According to reports in The Daily Mail, a two day hearing will be held in April at the Court of Appeal to challenge the previous ruling against Harry's case.
This is just the latest dramatic twist in Harry's three year legal dispute with the UK government over decisions made about his security protection in the country. While a High Court judge previously ruled that Harry's initial bid seeking a judicial review was "hopeless" and he had "comprehensively lost", the Court of Appeal granted him permission to challenge that ruling last May. Now a date has been set for the Duke's appeal to be heard in London next April.
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It seems the feud between Harry and other members of the royal family, particularly King Charles III and Prince William, over his ongoing legal challenge is intensifying. The battle has already cost British taxpayers an estimated £500,000 and Charles is said to find the ongoing dispute "very tricky". Meanwhile, the Daily Mail scrutinizes every penny spent defending Harry's case while remaining silent on discussing the significant sums royal family members like the King receive each year from public funds.
The unequal treatment by the press reveals underlying biases against Harry and comparisons are rarely made to the lack of transparency around taxpayer money allocated to support senior working royals. Interesting how the UK press are so quick to point out costs to the public when it comes to those they don't favour within the monarchy. At the same time, many royals continue receiving increases to their Sovereign Grant funding without facing similar scrutiny.
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The tide also seems to be turning more in Harry's favour from other corners. Celebrities like stage and screen legend Sir Ian McKellan have publicly voiced their support for Harry and criticism of how other royals like the Queen and Prince Philip were portrayed in their later years. Now acclaimed British actor Jude Law has also waded into the debate, suggesting he doesn't believe in treating people differently just because of their hereditary titles.
Law's comments imply he wouldn't necessarily bow or show deference to senior members of the royal family like other British citizens traditionally have. Having such high profile celebrities question the centuries old class system and traditions surrounding the Windsors shows public perceptions may slowly be changing. These voices from outside the royal circle add to the growing swell of support rallying behind Prince Harry's actions and decisions over recent years.
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Things have not been going smoothly for the monarchy PR-wise in 2022 either. King Charles' accession and first months on the throne have been far from controversy-free. Prince William seems stuck in a holding pattern and his wife Kate remains relatively unseen. Comments from McKellen and now Law further undermine the mystique and untouchable image Windsor has long cultivated.
With ongoing rifts within the family also exposed through Harry openly questioning his treatment in documentaries and interviews, cracks in the monarchy's picture perfect veneer are widening. Add to that Charles' controversial "slimming down" of the royal roster and the underlying messaging of dissent within the youngest generation becomes clearer. All of these elements combined damage the PR machine that sustains the remaining power and relevancy of the British crown in modern society.
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Of course, celebrations for the King's coronation next year and the ever growing scale of Platinum and Diamond Jubilee commemorations for Queen Elizabeth II will temporarily boost royal popularity again. However, as republican sentiments grow both domestically and internationally, the long term prognosis for the monarchy staying intact in its current form looks increasingly unstable. Just as the UK braces for winter amidst a deepening cost of living crisis, the House of Windsor may find staying warm much harder without reinventing itself to stay relevant to younger generations.
Perhaps these myriad troubles explain why sources claim an "exhausted" Prince Harry is said to be packing up his UK home much faster than anticipated ahead of returning to California in the new year. The Duke of Sussex may be withdrawing to avoid further entrenchment in family disputes as bitter court battles with government departments, pressures from a hostile press pack and the stagnation of his estranged relatives back in Britain deepen. For Harry and some celebrities alike, speaking truth to an antiquated and profoundly privileged institution like the monarchy has become a rallying cause worth fighting for. With the tides of change turning, 2023 could prove a make or break period for the Windsors to modernize their monarchy - or risk becoming increasingly out of touch relics.
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