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Marc Roche: “Prince Harry has always had a hard time with his spare tire position”

2022-12-15T18:30:07.570Z


From London, the specialist in British royalty Marc Roche deciphers the consequences of the documentary Harry & Meghan, the last burst of episodes of which was broadcast on December 15 on Netflix.


We expected an earthquake at Buckingham Palace … It is clear that the last episodes of the docuseries

Harry & Meghan

did not finally reveal the best kept secrets of the British Crown.

Even if they scratch the monarchy somewhat, Prince William in the first place.

Perhaps a blessing in disguise, according to Marc Roche.

In video, the third trailer of the documentary

Harry and Meghan

An expert on the British monarchy, this former journalist from

Le Monde

is the author of numerous works on royalty, including

Les Borgias à Buckingham

(1).

Based in London since the 1980s, he shares with

Madame Figaro

his analysis of the impact that the Sussex documentary can have on the monarchy.

Madame Figaro

.- A few hours after the last episodes of the Netflix documentary were put online, how did the British press receive the testimony of the Sussexes?


Marc Roche.-

The British press is very royalist.

She hates Meghan and Harry and therefore has very negative coverage of the second delivery of episodes of this docuseries, even more than the first.

The axis of attack from the English media is to say that the Sussexes offer no proof to their allegations that the Palace did everything to release leaks in the press.

In this regard, Harry denounces the “unhealthy game” which would exist between the monarchy and the British tabloids.

In short: avoid the publication of certain compromising articles in exchange of information on members of the royal family.

What's really going on?


It is clear that there is an umbilical cord between the Palace and the popular press.

For a good and simple reason: for the Palace, the tabloids are the interface with the people and even if they irritate the members of the royal family, there is no question of doing without them.

Afterwards, there is an entity: the

Royal Rota

(or “royal rotation” in French), that is to say the group of journalists accredited to Buckingham.

As a member of the

Royal Rota

, you are subject to draconian rules: no official citation, submission of publications to an official, no approach to members of the royal family or entourage (private secretaries, for example) without them coming to you at prior.

The only interlocutor is the director of communication and his deputies.

So inevitably, there is a give-and-take media treatment.

Afterwards, I don't think the Palace sought to discredit Meghan.

And for good reason: the latter was part of the royal family.

However, there is a golden rule: the press service is at the service of the entire royal family.

So I don't see how the Palace could have organized an anti-Meghan campaign, at least not before the Megxit.

Scandals, Meghan and Harry: chronicle of an announced storm

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

Meghan and Harry say

their trip to Australia in the fall of 2018 was a turning point

.

According to them, the media relentlessness they suffered would have started under the impetus of Buckingham Palace on the return from this official tour.

And this, because of their too great popularity…


Again, I do not believe it.

Kate Middleton and Prince William were still very popular.

Moreover, the order of succession is clear and cannot be called into question: on the death of Elizabeth II, Charles ascends the throne then it will be William's turn, and so on.

Final point.

Everything else is just Hollywood media adventures, and the institution doesn't care much about it.

It's just

entertainment

.

Finally, the popularity enjoyed by Meghan and Harry has never risked overshadowing Kate and William.

I believe that Harry, obsessed with his mother's disappointments, took up the refrain of Diana, convinced of being mistreated by the monarchy because she risked eclipsing Charles.

Psychologically, Harry has lost his mind

Mark Roche

The last three episodes of the documentary launch a damning charge against Prince William, who would have done nothing to smooth things over with his brother.

Why is it not trivial to attack him?


These attacks are more personal than institutional.

Harry has always had a hard time with his position as spare wheel, number 2. Psychologically, Harry has lost his mind.

He is obsessed with the attacks of the press while the tabloids he denounces so much have now moved on.

Like Andrew, he does not understand that he has no role to play in the monarchy.

On the other hand, I think that if Harry is ever forced to divorce, he will be welcomed by the royal family and the British with open arms.

Read also“It was terrifying to see my brother yelling at me”: the documentary

Harry & Meghan

, a full-scale attack on Prince William

Does the criticism of the

"

Firm

"

risk weakening Charles III?


In Britain, the voice of the Sussexes matters little.

I even believe that the question does not arise.

Charles III had a start to his reign that can be described as a great success;

William and Kate also excelled in their new positions, not to mention Camilla.

In my opinion, the documentary will on the contrary strengthen the monarchy.

There are no big revelations, the only assertions are unproven and there are no targeted accusations.

The monarchy is therefore seen more as a rock in the storm, and has proven to be very popular since the death of Elizabeth II.

That said, I think there's something else going on behind the scenes: the Sussexes are going to run out of money and Harry's memoir (

Spare

, to be published in January) should not reveal new things.

Which leads me to believe that a financial deal was made between the king and his youngest son.

The idea of ​​​​the monarchy would rather be to confine them to the titles of Duke and Duchess of Windsor, which are those of former King Edward VIII and his wife Wallis Simpson, and that in exchange, they stop kicking in the stretchers.

Otherwise, I don't understand why they don't make bloody revelations.

Against all expectations, Kate Middleton is rather spared in this documentary.

Why didn't the Sussexes come after her?

Because Kate is untouchable.

She is very popular and has become a key part of the Windsor institution.

What's more, Meghan is a feminist and she understood that attacking Kate would not be well seen.

Nobody wants to see two women getting their hair tied.

Scandals, Kate and William, 4/4: surviving Hurricane Meghan

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

Prince Harry explains, during the negotiations surrounding his departure from the monarchy, that he wanted to see his grandmother to talk to her, but that the Palace prevented him from doing so.

What role did Elizabeth II play in the Megxit?


In the Megxit, Elizabeth II, then Prince Charles and her son William acted in concert.

There was no way Harry would see his grandmother outside of the Sandringham conference (the family reunion that immediately followed the event, editor's

note

).

Elizabeth only followed the advice of Charles and William, with whom she was very close during her last years.

But of course, the queen is active in her negotiations.

It is at three that the strategic decisions were taken.

Let's not forget that Elizabeth II was a formidable tactician.

Meghan could have brought what the Windsors lack: diversity, feminism and youth

Mark Roche

Finally, should we regret the outcome of this story?

Wouldn't Meghan Markle have brought a lot to the Commonwealth?


It's a total mess!

Meghan could have brought what the Windsors lack: diversity, feminism and youth.

Unfortunately, I believe that the fault lies mainly with the Sussexes and little with the royal family, who welcomed Meghan.

Certainly, by reserving the minimum service, but not less than the others - Sarah Ferguson, Kate Middleton….

However, the error of the royal family was not to have taken into account the personality of Meghan: an American, actress, already known and divorced.

Maybe we should have been more flexible with her.

Problem: she landed with the Windsors, where there is no emotional plan.

They have a hard drive very different from ours.

(1)

The Borgias in Buckingham

, Albin Michel, May 2022, 336 pages,

€20.90.

In video, the wedding dance of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Source: lefigaro

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