It has been a dramatic few weeks for the royal family, with the shock news of two separate health crises.
On January 16, Prince William’s wife Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, was hospitalized for a “planned” abdominal surgery and has since been recovering at the family home of Adelaide Cottage.
She is not expected to return to public duties until after Easter, and William had cleared his schedule to care for her.
This was soon followed by the shock news that King Charles III, the United Kingdom’s monarch who was coronated in May, was diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer and was undergoing treatment.
Following Charles’ diagnosis, his youngest son Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, flew from his home in Montecito, California, to London to be by his father’s side. And while he is earning praise from his supporters for putting familial differences aside to be with his father, the same can’t be said about his wife, Meghan Markle, who sadly faced criticism after recent photos of her first public appearance made their way online.
Prince Harry in London
Many people thought that, in some way, King Charles’ cancer diagnosis could provide the perfect opportunity for Prince Harry to rebuild some of the bridges burned by Harry and Meghan’s condemnation of the Royal Family over the past few years.
OK! Magazine reported that Harry flew across the Atlantic soon after learning of his father’s diagnosis, before heading straight to Clarence House for a meeting.
Sources also say that King Charles made a “significant” decision to delay his own travel plans after learning of Harry’s, though the meeting between father and son ended up being less than an hour in duration.
Roya Nikkah, Royal Editor for the Sunday Times, later revealed that the reason the pair’s meeting was so brief was because King Charles was exhausted after having started treatment the day before.
Unfortunately for royal fans, brothers William and Harry did not meet, though that hardly comes as a surprise given the strained relationship they’ve had in recent years – especially following Harry’s explosive memoir, ‘Spare‘.
Meghan Markle’s first appearance
The Duchess of Sussex made her first public appearance since her husband traveled to London to visit King Charles. Meghan Markle was photographed smiling as she drove around Montecito, sporting a casual ensemble complete with sunglasses and a baseball cap while holding a coffee mug.
Responses to Meghan’s outing were varied, with some questioning the timing of her appearance while her husband was away. One person wrote: “Why does she do this when Harry is away?” while another labeled it “predictable” and “beyond pathetic.”
Others wondered about Meghan’s intentions, with one suggesting she was “smiling like a Cheshire Cat” to conceal the brevity of Prince Harry’s visit to his father.
Amidst the criticism, there were defenders of Meghan, pointing out that Prince Harry’s visit to his father during such a difficult time was commendable.
Grant Harrold, the former butler of King Charles III, noted Meghan’s decision to stay in California with their children, telling the New York Post that she may have felt it was something Prince Harry needed to do alone.
Harrold speculated that Meghan might visit her father-in-law in the future but said that there was nothing wrong with her focus being on caring for their children in the present.
Meghan has previously said positive things about Harry’s dad in the past, including the kindness he showed towards her at their wedding, during which he walked her down the aisle after her own father decided not to attend.
King Charles’ cancer diagnosis is undoubtedly a somber moment for the royal family, but many are hoping that it will also serve as a catalyst for reconciliation amidst past tensions.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments!
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- Kate Middleton’s abdominal surgery recovery could take nine months, doctor claims