As King Charles looks to
the future of the British monarchy, the odds of him offering Meghan Markle
and Prince Harry another chance to join the working royals are looking slim.
“The king’s message in
his first speech was clear – he loves Meghan and Harry – but he was also clear
that they’ve chosen a different life,” True Royalty TV co-founder
Nick Bullen told Fox News Digital. “They’ve chosen to grow their life
overseas, in the States.
“He acknowledged that. His
olive branch was simply, ‘I love you, you are very much a member of the royal
family,’ as the queen said several years ago. But also made it clear – ‘You’ve
made your decision on what you want to do, and I support you in that, but
that’s your decision.’”
“I don’t think he will be
encouraging them to rejoin the working royals,” Bullen continued. “As
you know, Harry and Meghan have made it very clear that’s not a role they want.
So I think the olive branch is a family olive branch. It’s not an olive branch
to rejoin the working royals.”
Bullen is an award-winning
documentarian who has been producing programs about the British royal family
for 20 years and has worked closely with King Charles for about a decade.
His subscription service is
launching two specials for streaming: “The Royal Beat: Her Majesty’s Final
Journey” and “Recollections: Memories of Her Majesty.” Both
feature royal experts and palace insiders weighing in on Elizabeth’s life and
legacy.
Bullen claims that Charles,
73, has been heartbroken over how things have unfolded with the Sussexes over
the years.
“The king was incredibly
welcoming of Meghan when she arrived on the scene,” Bullen explained.
“The king adores his sons and particularly, he wanted Harry to be happy.
And he could see how happy Meghan made Harry. So that made the king happy. And
by the way, it also made Camilla very happy. She was very welcoming of Meghan
as well.
“The whole family tried very
hard to include her in their circle. The king walked Meghan down the aisle when
she married Harry. And that was something he offered when Thomas Markle was
unable to attend the wedding. So I think they are all very sad that it just
didn’t work out. They’re very sad that the Sussexes are living on the other
side of the world. And I think Charles is sad he doesn’t get to see his grandchildren
as much as he would like.”
“Moments like what we’ve
seen when they all came together for the queen’s funeral must have heightened
that sadness,” Bullen continued. “It’s in those moments when you
realize where the rifts are and how things have been broken. I do think the
king, more than anyone, wants the family to come back together. There is a
sadness that the family isn’t operating the way he would like.”
Royal expert Shannon Felton
Spence told Fox News Digital that following the queen’s passing, she wondered
if the Sussexes would find a way to heal any rifts.
“I hope that her passing
has allowed for a thaw between them and the king,” she said. “But
once they get back to their life in California, the distance may take over
again. Not to mention, Harry’s [upcoming] memoir is allegedly very unflattering
about Camilla, and she is now queen consort, the king’s ‘darling wife,’ and his
closest and most trusting adviser.”
“I think the king has
been remarkable,” said Bullen. “His speech to the nation was
impeccable. It was absolutely pitch-perfect. And you know, the way that he and
the rest of the royal family operated throughout this whole period has been nothing
short of a master class in how to exemplify the queen’s work in terms of duty
and service.
“He is now in Balmoral [where
the queen passed] to have some quiet time, to reflect and gather his thoughts.
He’s been supporting the nation, guiding the nation and welcoming world leaders
from across the globe. But he now needs his private time to mourn. He needs
this time to reflect on this loss. Up until now, he had to share his grief with
the rest of the world.”
“The queen consort has
put in 17 years of service to the crown, she is a good and loving wife to the
king,” Felton Spence shared. “The marital drama [involving Princess
Diana] is very much 30 years in the past in the public’s eyes. They have since
turned around on Camilla. But not for Harry, of course, because of how terrible
it was for his late mother. That’s understandable. A son’s enduring love. The
question is whether his father would tolerate another public hit from
him.”
