Senior royals are drawing up contingency plans to provide the
Duke and Duchess of Sussex with a haven in the UK, amid fears that the
intrusion of photographers in North America could force them to move back across the Atlantic.
Sources close to the royal household say Prince Charles and Prince William have been “reaching out” to Harry and Meghan to say that if they wanted to return to the UK full-time they could do so without having to resume their official royal duties.
Courtiers fear the pressure of media scrutiny on Vancouver Island, where the Sussexes are staying, will take a heavy toll on the couple.
A historic
“divorce” deal was thrashed out by Buckingham Palace last weekend that will see Harry and Meghan move to North America, stop using their HRH titles and surrender state funding in exchange for the freedom to seek commercial deals in areas where they can promote their charitable values.
But royal sources say the pair are under severe strain and that family members and staff are concerned about the effect the breakaway is having on them.
Prince
Harry broke cover last week to express his disappointment that he had been asked to give up his military titles as part of the agreement, including his role as captain-general of the Royal Marines.
“The palace are very worried about the Sussexes, because they are vulnerable outside the embrace of the family,” a source said.
The residence of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan is seen from a boat on the Saanich Inlet, North Saanich in British Columbia.
“They are making contingency plans in case the Sussexes suddenly turn round and say: ‘Can we come back under your wing?’ ”
Under the terms of the deal, the Sussexes will keep Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate as their British base, but will repay the £2.4 million of taxpayers’ money used to renovate the property and will pay for its upkeep in future.
It is a location where royal officials think it will be easier to protect them from media scrutiny.
“You could bring them back to Frogmore to look after them. They wouldn’t return to royal duties, but they could have a period of rehabilitation and recuperation,” a source said.
“You see the way it has disintegrated over there in the last few days. What is happening is that they are being told that there is love and affection on standby.”
Courtiers are also looking into other boltholes for the couple. “They could spend a month at Sandringham. There is also the Prince of Wales’s house in Wales.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
“This is a looking ahead thing. There’s no timeline here. But everybody agrees that this is a fragile couple. Nobody is going to say, no they can’t come back.”
Others think that while Harry might want to return, Meghan is committed to a life away from what she has told friends is a “soul-crushing” existence in the royal household.
Some details of the deal are still being worked out, including the couple’s use of the “Sussex Royal” name.
In the meantime, the focus is on reaching out to Harry. “They are trying to rebuild the relationship between Charles and Harry and indeed between William and Harry,” a source said.
“They are phoning him and trying to talk to him and extending a friendly hand.”
and the Welsh would not be thrilled.
thanks for sharing. 
